Preparing Your Kindergartner for the First Day of School
As the lazy days of summer slip away, it will soon be time to put away the beach chairs and corner lemonade stands, and prepare your kindergartner for school. Here are some tips for making the transition easier.
Adjust to the New Routine
Ease into the school-year schedule. Getting into a school routine can be a challenge for everyone in the family. To make adjusting to the new routine easier, start early.
GreatSchools Tip
Start a family calendar in a common area where each family member can write down their activities...
- A few weeks before school starts, move bedtime back to an earlier time.
- Put a positive spin on going to school. Talk about the fun things your child will be learning, the friends he'll make.
- If your child is anxious about starting school, reassure her that other children have these feelings too.
- Don't make plans for big trips right before the start of school.
- Establish school-day schedules for homework, TV, baths and bedtime.
- Arrange play-dates with children that are going to the same school to make connections, or to create new ones.
Books Help Ease the Transition
Reading books together about the first days of school is a good way to start conversations about the excitement and fears. To get you started, here are some suggestions for your kindergartner:
- Berenstain, Stan and Jan. The Berenstain Bears Go to School. Random House, 1978
- Katie Davis. Kindergarten Rocks! Harcourt Children's Books, 2005
- Bridwell, Norman. Clifford's First School Day. Scholastic,1999
- Nancy Carlson. Look Out, Kindergarten, Here I Come. Harcourt Children's Books, 2002
- Audrey Penn. The Kissing Hand. Child & Family Press, 1993
- Rey, Margret. Curious George Goes to School. Houghton Mifflin, 1989
Get Organized
Take advantage of the slower pace during your time away from school to set up for the busy school year ahead.
- Many schools send out school information and a packet of forms to fill out before school starts. If you can discipline yourself to fill out the paperwork several days before it's due, you'll avoid a last minute panic.
- Have the necessary immunization records available for easy reference.
- Prepare a school emergency contact and health information for the coming year.
- As you read through all the school information, mark important dates (such as Back-to-School Night, parent-teacher conference week and school holidays) on the family calendar.
- Start a folder for school newsletters and other papers so that you can easily find them and refer to them if necessary.
- Establish a "Get Ready the Night Before" policy. Pick clothes for the next day and pack the backpack every evening before bedtime and you'll save precious time in the morning.
