Halloween isn’t the only day–or rather night–that’s scary. The start of each new month is quite a fearful time for me. I have to think of a new theme for kindergarten readiness blog posts. November’s inspiration came from the weather 
forecaster who talked about the continuing cold and storms on the East Coast and said it would be a November to remember. And remembering, or memory, is a very relevant topic for readiness for kindergarten.
This ability to hold and store information, what we call memory, is a key factor is how well a child copes with the world. Once kids figure something out they need to remember how they did it for the next time. Plus, they can use that knowledge as a foundation and add to it. Dr. Tracy Alloway studied children at the age of 5 for working memory, IQ and school scores and those same children again at the age of 11. Her results astounded me! (article published in Sharp Brains, Jan 10, 2010)
Working memory is a more powerful predictor of school success than IQ. The level of education and socio-economic level of the parents is irrelevant. The study concluded that many children’s problems at school are due to problems with working memory and advised that children entering kindergarten should be tested for memory concerns so that the issue can be addressed right away. Why wait?
Wouldn’t it be better to help kids develop their memory even before kindergarten? There are things that parents and caregivers can do now before kids ever get to school. This month, I’ll blog about some activities that will help little ones develop their memory skills. Remember to check back for a daily activity–with both learning and fun–that will help your child’s development of memory as part of readiness for kindergarten. Oh, will you remind me if I forget?