10 Tips for Starting Kindergarten

Starting School by Jane Godwin

Starting school can be an unsettling yet exciting time for many parents and families. As a seasoned past Kindergarten teacher and parent educator, here are 10 tried and tested tips for a smoother transition from preschool to big school.

Observe your child

Watching and listening to your child while they play and interact helps you see what social skills they might need help with, including language skills such as starting conversations or taking turns while talking, enabling you to offer specific support where needed. 

Tip: Reflect on what you observed with your child, have a quiet calm conversation and tell them the words they could use to help them next time.

Make a play date

Knowing another child on the first day of school can ease first-day jitters for parents and children by providing a familiar face in an unfamiliar environment, offering a sense of comfort and companionship. This connection can alleviate anxiety, promote a smoother transition, and encourage a positive attitude toward making new friends and engaging in classroom activities. Tip: Make a connection with another parent and plan a play date or two in the weeks leading up to school starting

Play two-player games

Regularly playing 2-player card and board games with your child enhances their social skills by promoting turn-taking, communication, and cooperation in a fun and interactive context, fostering their ability to interact positively with peers. These games provide a structured yet enjoyable way for children to practice essential social interactions that are valuable both in and outside of play settings.

Tip: Play Go-Fish, Snap and Concentration for card games Guess Who, Beetle, Twister, and Jenga are examples of age-appropriate games

Toileting

Children will need to be independent using the toilet when starting school, unless of course there is a physical reason. 'Independent' means they can ask to go to the toilet, go to the toilet block (which will probably be outside their classroom), undress themselves, do their business, dress themselves, wash their hands and return to class safely. 

Tip: If you have a boy, familiarise and practise using a urinal. Male toilets will have cubicles but possibly less than the girls. Practise unlocking and locking a toilet cubicle door.

Get active

Gross motor skills are crucial for starting school as they enable children to engage in physical activities such as running, jumping, and playing, which are essential for social interaction, building confidence, and participating in organised classroom tasks. Tip Create an obstacle course with your child Visit a new park

Fine motor: cutting and gluing

Your child will be cutting, gluing and using pencils and crayons every day at school. Practising their fine motor skills ahead of time gives your child the confidence and skill to smoothly complete tasks. Tip Start with short pencils (think IKEA size) and short wind-up crayons Glue sticks with a pushdown lid rather than a screw top. I like the Bostik Blu Stik. Faber Castell Junior Grip Safety Scissors are a great starting point.

Talk about school

Engaging in discussions about school, trying on the uniform, and sharing positive memories from your own school days can help your child feel more comfortable and excited about starting school. Tip Read books about going to school. I suggest... Starting School by Jane Goodwin

Create a morning routine

Mornings matter! Smooth mornings mean our day starts calmly. Think of ways to reduce the morning chaos in your house by getting things prepared ahead of time. Tip Have a visual checklist so your child can practise independence skills Create a playlist with your child to play whilst you get ready in the morning. Music soothes and is a mood booster.

Find opportunities to learn in your environment

Learning opportunities are all around us. For instance, pointing out words on signs and numbers on letterboxes during walks not only enhances literacy and numeracy skills but also highlights how everyday situations offer learning opportunities.

Tip Here are some questions you could ask. "Can you find the number 7?" "What number comes before/after 7?" "Can you find a teen number? Teen numbers start with a 1."

Start with sounds

Knowing the alphabet and letter names simply doesn't help your child to read. When a child reads they're putting together the sounds letters make, like a jigsaw puzzle. Inside my Reading Foundations course, I give you all the how-tos to get your child from knowing little to no letter sounds to reading simple sentences. Starting school knowing 8-10 letter sounds is a massive advantage and will help your child tremendously as they begin learning to read from day one. 

Tip: Learn 2-3 letter sounds at a time.

Go gently and remember the first six weeks are a big adjustment for you and your child.