Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten

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The first five years of your child's life are filled with one new accomplishment after another. They will learn how to walk, how to talk, and how to feed themselves. They will learn how to share with others, ask for what they want and start to develop likes and dislikes.

At such a momentous time, children need the support and opportunities to grow and develop over these first few years of life as they prepare for the start of kindergarten; this support can come from both the home and daycare/pre-k programs.

Preparing at Home

There are endless opportunities for your child to learn and grow while they are at home during their early years.

Naturally, children pick up on things they see others doing so by simply modeling behaviors you wish your children to adopt, you will see them begin to develop the same mannerisms. These behaviors can be as simple as saying "please" and "thank you" or sharing food and toys with others.

In addition, children can begin to develop their sense of self when they are given the empowering opportunity to contribute to the household. Simple tasks like allowing your child to pick his or her clothes or letting them help in the kitchen are great for your child to feel involved.

Preparing at Daycare

Finding quality childcare with a foundational education can also be a great option to prepare your child for kindergarten. A quick search for daycare centers near me will likely return a long list of options. To help narrow down your search, it is best to look for programs that offer educational components.

A lot of daycares now offer pre-k curricula to help children grow in individual and group settings, which will help children begin to develop essential skills in preparation for primary school.

Children learn every day from the world around them so, at the end of the day, there truly is no right or wrong way to prepare your child for kindergarten.