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I’m so excited to be a Scholarshare Ambassador for 2015 and I’ll be sharing sponsored posts throughout the year filled with college savings and planning information. Today I’m sharing 10 Easy Tips To Prepare Your Child For Kindergarten.
My adorable nephew is starting kindergarten this year and it brought me back to the years that my own kiddos started kindergarten. Each time one of them conquered this huge milestone I learned some new easy tips that make preparing our children for kindergarten so much easier.
1. Talk them through the day. Kids love having a regular schedule and starting something new can be scary. Have a sit down talk with them over a bowl of yogurt or another favorite treat and talk them through each step. Keep it really simple and let them guide you as to what needs more explanation. Start with what time you will wake up each morning, who is going to take them to school and be sure to remind them that if they need anything during the day or if they have question their teacher is there to help them.
2. Let them voice their concerns. Some children will have no concerns and others will have a lot. One of my daughters wanted to know if there would be time to eat. That was something that I thought she would know… that there would be a time for lunch, but it was a real concern for her. Once she learned that there was time for lunch and a snack if she wanted, she was really excited.
3. Encourage them to talk about what they are more excited for. I like to bring this up a bunch. I ask them regularly about what they are most excited for and we have longer discussions about that. Whenever they get nervous I make sure to mention everything that there is to be excited for.
4. Let them pick out their first day of school outfit. This is the start of independence they will be getting at school and it reinforces that you trust their judgement in a controlled way. If your child is like my little one and their outfit choices can be a bit wild, give them a choice of 3 different outfits. It’s also a great way to start the discussion about how they are going to have to make some fun choices at school too, like where to sit at lunch and what to play on the playground.
5. Tell them about your positive kindergarten experience. Kids love to hear stories about when you were little. This is a great time to share some really great stories with them and to let them know that you too experienced kindergarten.
6. Ask them to help choose their school supplies. This too builds up the excitement and gives them some control over the situation and makes them an integral part of the process, which they totally are!
7. Make them a lunch they will be excited to eat. Each one of my kids was never a big lunch eater. The minute I would pick them up from school they were starving. Once I really started making them lunches that I knew they would get excited for it helped encourage them to eat even just a little bit. Don’t expect them to eat their whole lunch, because they are so busy and thinking about playing more than eating, but a fun lunch can help them feel excited for the day and make them eat more than they likely would have!
8. Don’t forget a note in their lunch. Even a heart drawn on a piece of paper will make them smile!
9. Have a practice day. Get up early, have a school day breakfast and drive over to their school to show them what will happen on the real first day.
10. Show them that you are excited for an awesome school year! This is such a big tip. Let them see how excited you are for their new school. their teacher, everything they will learn and all the fun they will have!
This is also a great time to make sure you are saving for your child’s college education.
For me, once the girls were in kindergarten their college days seemed a lot closer than it ever did before, so I added a little extra each month to their ScholarShare college savings accounts.
Just $25 a month can make a huge impact on their future. It all adds up! We have learned a lot about ScholarShare accounts and feel they make a great partner in savings for college. Here is more information that I’ve shared about ScholarShare.
My son is heading to kindergarten this Fall. Great tips. I especially like walking him through the day.
Excellent tips for both parents and kids. Kindergarten can be fun and scary at the same time, and it is important to get a good start.
I am not sure I am happy or sad that I do not have one that age. These are good idseas.
Really, really good tips for any parent concerned with their child heading orr for the first time!
Moving up to another school level is just like moving to a different office for us. These are very helpful tips, I’ll be sure to use this as a reference.
This never was a problem for my kids, they all are and always wil be anxious to go to school anytime… probably because showing off their new bag and other stuff to their classmates, i find it funny, cute and silly coz i used to be the same!
I am currently 26 weeks pregnant with my first. Crazy to think about when she’ll be starting kindergarten….but I also know that it’ll come faster than I want. Time flies!
These are awesome tips. It’s important to get them ready a few weeks before school starts.
Kindergarten was so long ago around here I’ve forgotten how much prep goes into it!
These are great tips for preparing your child for kindergarten. It is important to talk to them about their concerns and what they are most excited about also. My kids were always excited about riding the big bus to school when they started kindergarten. Thanks for sharing.
Starting to save early is one of the smartest things we can do for them!