"When I picked up my youngest on her last day of kindergarten last year, I asked how she was feeling. “Not good,” she responded, with tears in her eyes. She had loved kindergarten and was going to miss her amazing teacher, seeing her friends every day, learning new things, and sharing all her newfound knowledge with her family. Not surprisingly, I started crying too.
Kindergarten is a magical year. And if your little kid is headed to school in the fall, they have so much to look forward to in kindergarten. Most teachers will say kids don’t need to really learn anything to prepare for kindergarten when it comes to academic skills, outside of recognizing their name, letters, and numbers. Instead, skills like building independence, being social with peers, listening, and following directions are higher on the readiness list for kindergarten. Ahead of the school year this fall, here are a few things you can do to support your future kindergartener as they get ready for this special milestone.
1. Practice Letters and Number Recognition
Help your little ones learn the alphabet (and sing the alphabet) and count. Toys and books are a great way to support their learning. And editor and reader-favorite brand Melissa & Doug has plenty of options to help—shop them below!
Encourage fine motor skills, creativity, and learning letters and numbers. You can even help kids spell out their name with stamps.
This toy reinforces shapes, colors, and numbers and even introduces telling time.
Teach letter recognition and an introduction to spelling with this portable puzzle set.
Encourage number recognition from one to 20 with this self-corrected puzzle set.
2. Know Important Names and Phone Numbers
Not only should your kiddo be able to recite their first and last name, but it’s helpful for them to know how to spell and read their name, too. Their first name will likely be included in many places within their classroom (think cubbies, on bulletin boards, etc.) so it’s important for them to be able to recognize it. And if your child goes by a nickname, make sure they know their full first name and last name.
On a related note, I can also be helpful for your kindergartener to know the full names of their parents (not just “Mommy” and “Daddy”!) or guardians and memorize their home address and home phone number (or a parent’s cell phone number).
3. Work on Fine Motor Skills
Summer art projects with scissors, crayons, markers, paintbrushes, and more can help kids develop their fine motor skills while using their imaginations. Plus, certain toys can help with practical skills, like tying their shoes, too.
Little ones can practice cutting with kid-friendly scissors.
Perfect for rainy days, grab a few crafts for kids to work on fine motor skills and use their creativity.
4. Encourage Independence at Home
Kindergarten teachers will appreciate parents who work on their child’s independence skills in advance. Your little one should be able to use their lunch container without help, put on and zip their own coat, hang up their backpack, and get their shoes on and off. I’ll never forget one important reminder from kindergarten orientation: “Velcro shoes are a teacher’s best friend.”
Even though kids don’t need to learn how to tie their shoes before kindergarten with all the velcro or lace-less options, they can still practice this life skill with a fun shoe toy!
5. Practice Basic Hygiene
In addition to the at-home independence skills mentioned above, it’s helpful for your kindergartener to be able to handle basic hygiene practices—like washing their hands and going to the bathroom—on their own. While it’s expected by most school districts that kindergarten students are potty trained before their first day, it’s not required. However, teaching your kiddo these basic hygiene tasks can be great at-home prep.
6. Build Social Skills
Summer offers plenty of opportunities for get-togethers with peers to kids can start learning to build social skills ahead of kindergarten. Here are some ideas to get kids ready for the social aspect of school:
- Sign up for a summer camp, music class, or other opportunity for them to interact with children their age.
- Seek out local mom groups for summer get-togethers at parks or libraries.
- Once class lists are announced, set up playground playdates with other kids from class so your little one can meet some of their classmates ahead of time.
- If your little one is taking the bus to school, find other kids in the neighborhood to meet so they’ll have a buddy to recognize on the first bus pick-up day.
7. Get Comfortable With a New Routine
Summer is a time when routines loosen a bit, but as the school year gets closer, it’s a great time to practice getting ready in the morning. A routine chart can be a great way to set expectations for the day. Little ones can see the tasks for the day and see what’s coming next, which can help lessen anxious feelings.
Get kids started off right with a daily routine chart so they know what’s coming. This set has 80 magnets including years, months, numerals for dates, days of the week, holidays, special events, and even emotions.
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
A mom of two, Kathy is passionately committed to sharing the honest, helpful—and often humorous—stories of motherhood, as she navigates her own everyday adventures of work, marriage, and parenting. She honed her creative and strategic skills at advertising agencies in Detroit and Chicago, before pivoting from marketing to editorial. Now instead of telling brand stories, she’s sharing her own, with articles published across popular parenting sites—including hundreds of stories on The Everymom.
Julia Poulter, Senior Managing Editor
With more than 10 years of editorial experience, Julia is passionate about bringing motherhood stories to life and providing moms with interesting and informative parenting content. Prior to joining The Everygirl Media Group in 2019, she served as Executive Editor at Closer Weekly. As The Everymom’s Senior Managing Editor, Julia helps manage the brand’s editorial calendar and content strategy.