A question that rolls through most parent’s minds when their child turns 5 is: “is my child ready for grade school?” This is often a difficult question for parents to answer, but it does not have to be! Here are a few of the ways that parents can ensure their child is ready from the experts at the Heritage Learning Center!
How do I get them ready this summer?
School might be just around the corner or perhaps a year away. Regardless of how long it will be before their first day, establishing a routine with your child related to how the school will feel is an excellent way to prepare them for the schedule they will be on.
Enjoying summer is one way you can prepare them for the schedule ahead. This might mean sending them to summer camp, having family vacations, or just establishing fun time during the summer months.
When the time comes that school would usually start, you can begin adjusting them to the right bedtime routine. This will take time, considering they are probably used to staying up late, eating less healthy foods, playing with toys all of the time, etc. but it will get them in the right mindset for that first morning they have to wake up early and head to school!
Getting them ready for grade school academics
Kindergarten is a big stepping stone for a child’s learning career, so preparing them beforehand is an excellent way to ease their nerves. Reading a book with your child, asking them questions about the story, and explaining more difficult words to them are perfect ways to stimulate their brain and get them thinking before kindergarten starts.
Another great skill for a child to have before they come to their first class is to sit and wait. Kids tend to be impatient and squirm in their seats, so if you start teaching your child this skill before grade school, their teacher will be very impressed!
Having a discussion about school and what it looks like is a good thing to do with your child because it will ease their nerves a little about what they’re getting into.
First Grade Preparation
Keeping your child engaged during the summer is fantastic for getting ready for first grade! It would be best if you continued reading with your child during the summer, and you can also begin working on basic math skills and vocabulary. This can be done using flashcards or smartphone apps!
Second Grade
By now, most children are reading their own books. Crazy, right?? The best way to keep your child interested in reading and improving their skills, as well as comprehension, is to encourage independent reading. You can help them pick out fun books that they like and maybe have them read some of them to you!
Third Grade and More
At this age, children are becoming more independent learners overall, their homework is more complicated, and later on, they will have summer homework too. As a parent, preparing your child for the coming years is about helping your child with school when they need it, encouraging the continuation of learning through the summer and making school a positive experience. No, your child will not love school every year, but they’re more likely to want to engage in learning when they know how amazing it is and what all is out there to learn about!
The experts at Heritage Learning Center hope that this advice has eased your nerves on watching your child walk into Kindergarten. We hope you are excited to learn with your child as well! Contact us if you have any questions or would like more information on our programs.
