How to Prepare Kids for Kindergarten

Kindergarten is a massive transition for parents and children alike. While many kids have already experienced the separation involved with preschool, kindergarten is another threshold of change. Below are some tips to help prepare kids for kindergarten, applicable both to public and private schools in Redmond WA. 

Create Routines

Establishing a routine in the morning and the evening will help prep a child for this new experience. It will be less jarring to wake up early and make time to eat breakfast when the school year rolls around if it has already been established as part of a familiar pattern. Additionally, it can even be helpful to walk to the bottom of the driveway or to a neighborhood bus stop to remove as many new or foreign factors from the equation. Similarly, an evening routine is important to set, especially if summer has meant a later bedtime. 

Know the School

It is great to connect with the school at which the child will be attending kindergarten. Most schools have plentiful resources to learn about the class teacher, special accommodations that might be necessary for students, and all-around expectations for students and parents. Many schools also try do host a shadow day or orientation during which parents and children can visit together prior to the child coming to the classroom on their own. 

Use Stories

There are many wonderful options for books and bedtime stories that feature characters that have a hard time at school but eventually grow accustomed to the process. Talking to a child about this, and understanding how to work through some of the feelings of fear or loneliness, can mitigate the possibility of some of these troubles actually occurring in the classroom. There are also television episodes of family-friendly programs that can tell this story, too. Consider which option might be best for the child and know that kindergarten will be a fantastic and exciting time filled with fun and growth.