5 Tips To Prepare for Kindergarten

What can parents do to prepare for kindergarten and offer the best experience for your child?

That’s the big question.

Indeed, it’s soon time for a new milestone in your child’s life. And with that milestone, your family enters the “big kids” league and it can be challenging for the entire family. 

There are good reasons for it. Sometimes the curriculum becomes more challenging, the change in the environment can be destabilizing, and the days are more exhausting. 

Emotionally, kindergarten is a big step. 

To set your child on the right path, and help to smoothly transition and adjust to the new rhythm, there are a few things you can do. Here’s what to know. ​

Talk to Your Child

It sounds simple, right?

Yet, talk to your child and explain what is about to happen. 

Children are naturally inquisitive. Take advantage of that natural inclination to talk to them and answer any question they may have. 

Do not wait the day before, of course. Start conversations early.

Try to give them enough time, to discover, process, and ask their questions. Explain what kindergarten is, what it will be like, what they will learn, the new friends they will make, and what they will do.

How about driving to their future school building and show them how it looks like? 

Take the opportunity to show them where they will go, where they will play and learn, and let them share their feelings about the new change. 

Take the opportunity to introduce your child to their new director and teacher and have them discover the new classroom environment.

In other words, plan visits before the start, to make sure they feel comfortable. 

Get Them Involved

If you are about to buy some school items for kindergarten, it’s the perfect time to involve your child in the process. 

It’s fun to get new stuff. We all agree with that. 

So, why no giving them the opportunity to choose their backpack, favorite lunchbox, or clothes for their first day at school?

It will increase their confidence, self-esteem, and independence, and help them emotionally prepare for kindergarten.

Shopping together is fun and creates special memories.

Prepare for Kindergarten by Establishing Routines

The recent new normal literally had an impact on everyone including your child. 

With families staying at home, most of them struggled to keep their daily routines or got somewhat looser keeping schedules. And that’s okay. 

If flexibility in schedules has its place in a child’s development, to prepare for kindergarten, it is important to bring these routines back. 

Typically, consistency is an essential part of your child’s preparation and adaptation to the new environment and rhythm.

So, where to start and what to do?

• Bedtime is essential - You’ve probably heard that a good night’s sleep helps re-energize the batteries. It actually does more than that for your kindergartener. It helps your child to improve attention, memory, and overall behavior. Every brain needs a night of good sleep, and your child needs these 10 to 11 hours to grow. So, try to have your child go to bed early at the same time every night. ​
  

• Morning routines are important - Make sure to wake up at the same time in the morning and eat a good breakfast. If breakfasts used to be eaten at preschool, it is different in kindergarten. So breakfasts need to be planned and the morning schedule needs to be adjusted to avoid rushing your child.
  

• Clarify the After-School plan - In general, explain what a typical day looks like. If after-school is required, give your child insights. Discuss where she/he will go once kindergarten is over. Take the opportunity to explain the plan and clarify with your child, who picks them up, where, and what to do if you are slightly late. The more information you share, the better.
  

• The back-from-school plan - Plan in advance. From the first homework, chill-out time, dinners, and baths make them all part of your routine.​
  

• Discussion routines - Remember that sharing is caring. Do not limit your interaction with your child to the frantic management of weekly schedules and activities. Take the opportunity to engage in conversations and enjoy the moment. Connect with your child, explore their feelings, and learn about them. There is no better way to prepare for kindergarten. ​
  

Prepare For Kindergarten Without Stress

The transition to kindergarten is a big change. The transition from play-based activities to more academic learning, longer days at school, a new environment with new people, as exciting as these changes can appear to be, can cause fear and anxiety. 

Do not underestimate their impact on your child.

All of that can be mitigated by providing children with a framework of routines and discussions. There is no other secret success recipe than preparation and implementation. 

If your child is about to start kindergarten this year, start engaging and communicating with them early enough as you reinforce routines. 

Routines offer a sense of security and stability in their environment. Do not expect children to react as adults. As a parent, you need to gain an understanding that the predictability of their environment help them thrive.

Have you already connected with your child’s future kindergarten teacher?