Preparing Students for Success in Kindergarten
Read Aloud
Read A LOT to your child. Read aloud many kinds of books. As you read, stop and model what you are thinking about the characters or topic. Ask your child questions about what is happening. Get their minds thinking about the story.
Read the Pictures
A beginning reader may not be able to read all the words and that's ok! Instead model for your student what it looks like to read the pictures. Discuss what you see going on and make up a storyline. Encourage your child to read the pictures to you.
Experiences
Give your child experiences that will build their little brains. Take them places and have them experience different settings, foods, or traditions. They will learn so much from their surroundings and things they have done. This will make them better able to connect to new learning at school and share about experiences where they learned something. Vacations (staycations), field trips, story time at the library, music classes, zoo trips, etc are all great experiences.
Schedule
Routine is important for little ones. Getting enough rest and consistency can really make a child feel ready to learn. Before heading to kinder, have your child follow a schedule for bedtime, lunch, snack, etc. Even have them pick out clothes the night before big events or preschool. This will help them to better adjust to the tiring schedule of kindergarten.