As your little one steps into the world of kindergarten, you might be wondering how you can support their learning journey at home. This time is full of growth, from early reading and math to social-emotional skills. Here’s how you can help your child build upon these foundational skills every day.
In kindergarten, your child will dive into all sorts of fun and learning. They'll get to explore letters and sounds, basic math concepts, how to make friends and play nicely with others, and so many other skills. Here’s a quick summary:
Math: Kindergarteners learn to count and recognize numbers, and they begin doing simple adding and subtracting. They also get to play with shapes and patterns.
Reading and Writing: Your little one will start recognizing letters and sounds, and they'll begin to understand that the scribbles on paper actually mean something. They might even start writing simple words and sentences.
Science: Your child will get curious about the world around them, learning what plants and animals need to survive and how the weather changes. Simple moments, like seeing what happens when you push or pull a toy car, can spark their interest.
Social Skills: Every personality is different. The experience of making new school friends may come more easily to some children than to others. Sharing, taking turns, and expressing feelings are important parts of kindergarten. Open communication with teachers about what works well for your child can help them better establish successful social relationships in the classroom.
Responsibility: Kindergarten is a great stepping stone to learning responsibility. Following rules and routines, like putting backpacks in cubbies or emptying folders and putting papers in a designated spot, prepares them for bigger responsibilities in the years to come.
These skills go hand in hand with helping your child build confidence and curiosity. And you can reinforce all of these skills at home in simple, everyday ways.
To support math skills, you can count apples at the grocery store and encourage your child to point out numbers they notice on sticker prices or check-out aisles. Make these moments feel like playful games as you practice their new skills together. Here are some extra math activities you can do with them.
To help support reading skills, add magnetic letters on the refrigerator for playful spelling practice. Help them identify letters and sounds as you cook or clean in the kitchen. If you have a spare piece of paper or some junk mail, encourage your child to draw pictures and tell stories about them. This can help them connect images with words and develop their storytelling skills.
And don’t forget to visit your local library for a fresh stack of books—reading together can be a cozy, daily habit that fosters a love for books. Reading books about emotions or playing pretend can also help them learn how to handle different situations.
Get curious about nature with your child. Observe plants and animals in your backyard or local park and talk about how the weather changes. Simple experiments, like using a fan to move a toy car, can also be great ways to spark your child's curiosity about science.
Help your child talk about their feelings with a feelings chart. Reading stories about different emotions can also help them understand and express what they’re feeling. Another way to foster social-emotional growth is by encouraging them to play with others, take turns, and share. And finally, role-playing different scenarios can be a fun way to practice social skills.
Let your child take on small tasks around the house. Whether it’s getting dressed, packing their backpack, or setting the table, these little jobs help them feel more confident and capable. You might even make a fun morning routine chart to keep things on track. These small, added responsibilities can help set the stage for learning opportunities in everyday activities.
Create a Reading Nook: Set up a cozy corner with books that your child can explore. Let them “read” the pictures and tell you the story in their own words.
Play Educational Games: Board games and card games that involve counting, matching, or strategy can be both fun and educational. We also have our Facing Big Feelings card game. It’s interactive, and it helps your child explore emotions.
Limit and Monitor Screen Time: Encourage more face-to-face interactions and hands-on activities to support their social-emotional and behavioral development.
By incorporating these activities into your and your child’s daily routine, you can help them thrive in kindergarten. Remember, every child learns at their own pace, so celebrate their progress and enjoy this exciting stage together!
