Healthy Kids • YMCA Camps and Outdoor Education • YMCA Child Care
How to help your child prepare for kindergarten over the summer
16 June 2016 - by Cheryl - YMCA Child Care
Kindergartners learn how to share, how to be kind to each other, and how to start using their unique strengths to accomplish goals. The summer before kindergarten should be a time of rest and play, but it should also be a time of preparation for all the exciting things to come in elementary school.
Parents may be concerned about their children being ready for the academic components of kindergarten, but social and emotional readiness are just as essential to success in school.
Here are some simple ways to help your child prepare for kindergarten this summer:
Summer day camps and community classes provide opportunities for kids to get experience in group settings, learn how to play with each other, and practice critical listening skills.
Make sure to pick a camp or community class based on your child’s interests and hobbies to amplify the fun of the experience.
If camp isn’t your thing, then consider visiting one of our YMCA Ontario Early Years Centres over the summer. They offer a variety of free play based classes for families with kids 0 to 6 years old.
Programs geared toward families with children starting kindergarten in September – like our K is for Kindergarten program and Fun with Numbers, Colours, Letters and Shapes series – will be running in July and August.
These programs allow kids to get used to a kindergarten classroom setting (the play-based activity centres are very similar to what they’ll see at school) while parents and caregivers learn about ways to prepare them for a successful school year.
Have some time off from work this summer? Why not plan some playdates!
If you already know some kids who will be entering kindergarten with your child at their school, try to schedule some play time with these kids over the summer. Children have an easier time transitioning if there’s a familiar face on the first day of school.
Fostering independence is another way to help your kindergartner prepare for their first year of elementary school.
Letting your child pack a backpack, help prepare snacks, and choose clothes for a day trip is a good start. Putting your child in charge of easy cleaning tasks and things like getting the mail from the mailbox can also help prepare your little one for the responsibilities to come once the school year starts.
Looking for play-based learning activities you can do yourself at home? Check out our Play-Based Learning Pinterest board for some inspiration.
Parents may be concerned about their children being ready for the academic components of kindergarten, but social and emotional readiness are just as essential to success in school.
Here are some simple ways to help your child prepare for kindergarten this summer:
1. Consider summer camps or community classes
Summer day camps and community classes provide opportunities for kids to get experience in group settings, learn how to play with each other, and practice critical listening skills.
Make sure to pick a camp or community class based on your child’s interests and hobbies to amplify the fun of the experience.
2. Practice being in school with YMCA Ontario Early Years Centres
If camp isn’t your thing, then consider visiting one of our YMCA Ontario Early Years Centres over the summer. They offer a variety of free play based classes for families with kids 0 to 6 years old.Programs geared toward families with children starting kindergarten in September – like our K is for Kindergarten program and Fun with Numbers, Colours, Letters and Shapes series – will be running in July and August.
These programs allow kids to get used to a kindergarten classroom setting (the play-based activity centres are very similar to what they’ll see at school) while parents and caregivers learn about ways to prepare them for a successful school year.
3. Plan playdates with future classmates
Have some time off from work this summer? Why not plan some playdates!
If you already know some kids who will be entering kindergarten with your child at their school, try to schedule some play time with these kids over the summer. Children have an easier time transitioning if there’s a familiar face on the first day of school.
4. Let them help
Fostering independence is another way to help your kindergartner prepare for their first year of elementary school.
Letting your child pack a backpack, help prepare snacks, and choose clothes for a day trip is a good start. Putting your child in charge of easy cleaning tasks and things like getting the mail from the mailbox can also help prepare your little one for the responsibilities to come once the school year starts.
Looking for play-based learning activities you can do yourself at home? Check out our Play-Based Learning Pinterest board for some inspiration.
