Readiness and Developmental Milestones for Kids Starting Kindergarten

Getting Ready to Start Kindergarten and Preschool

Do you have a child starting kindergarten or school soon and lots of questions about readiness and developmental milestones? Here are some basics for kids to know that will help on their new learning journey.

As a kindergarten teacher, these are my answers to many parent and caregiver questions about what kids need to know. So often, we think of school as being an academic place, but it is so much more. For kids to feel comfortable and confident in this new world, they need a foundation of being able to take care of some basic needs and being able to connect with others. Sometimes, readiness is a ‘bad-word’ but really, we help kids be ready for things like a play-date, a sleep-over with a cousin, a visit to the doctor or dentist, a special trip or vacation and so much more. So, some readiness for kindergarten or preschool can help too.

For some further information to your questions and concerns, check out this link: https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Here-We-Go-To-Kindergarte1.pdf

Best of luck and wishing you an exciting start to school!

readiness for preschool and kindergarten for young children

 

 

July Learn and Play Activities for Kids and Brain Development

Calendar says July-Brain Says Time to Learn and Play

Summer days are made for kids and play: the brain doesn’t take a vacation when school is out because during play the brain is busier than ever. PLAY is the brain’s favorite way to learn. We can foster children’s brain development by making sure kids get a chance to play.

Following is a page you can print off and put on your fridge or bulletin board. Now, when kids ask, “What can I do?” you will have some ideas ready. Once kids are engaged during play, they will find their own ways to play and things to play with. Learning and development doesn’t take a vacation no matter what the calendar says so go ahead and PLAY.

 

July play activities for kids

Young Children’s Learn and Play Ideas for June

The moon’s in June, summer vacation comes soon, and parents and caregivers are ready to swoon–could you use some play ideas for kids this month? Here are some ideas that rock.

Below, there is a page you can print off for your fridge or bulletin board with an entire month of play ideas. Use these to fit with your family needs and as an inspiration for other ideas. Kids will come up with their own plays and with their own things to use for play. Rocks seem to hold a special attraction for kids and little ones will often stop just to pick up a stone or bit or gravel. Fortunately, there are so many ways to play with rocks and just like a building that goes up stone by stone, learning can be built rock by rock. Go ahead, rock on, with PLAY.

June play activities for kids

 

May Learn and Play Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten Kids

May I PLAY? For the month of May, here is a calendar of learn and play activities for preschool and kindergarten age kids. These are suggestions you can adapt and change to your family’s needs and use to inspire your own ideas too. The right to play is so critical to children’s development that it … Continue reading May Learn and Play Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten Kids

April Learn and Play Fun Activities for Kids – No Foolin’

Mother Nature has played the best trick on us–the brain’s favorite way to learn is PLAY, so here is a whole month of April learn and play fun for kids. The early years are critical for brain growth and development and young children need a variety of play experiences: hands-on, whole body, manipulative, exploratory, social … Continue reading April Learn and Play Fun Activities for Kids – No Foolin’

March Play and Learn Activities for Young Children

We can use this calendar to March into some play and learn activities for the whole month. Spring is the season for new growth, and just like bodies need food to grow, brains need nourishment so they grow too. What can we feed brains? PLAY. Yes, PLAY is fuel for brains. As children play, their … Continue reading March Play and Learn Activities for Young Children

February Play-of-the-Day Activities for Fun and Learning

Ya know how sports programs show the play-of-the-day?–well this is a play-of-the-day calendar for fun and learning for the whole month of February! And why you may ask? Because play is a winner since it’s the brain’s favorite way to develop and grow. 90% of the brain develops by the age of 5 and the … Continue reading February Play-of-the-Day Activities for Fun and Learning

January and Winter Fun and Learning Activities for Kids

Just like snowflakes can add up to a big pile, so can minutes of fun and play add up to big learning. This month, no matter what the weather, here are some activities your child can do at home or kids can do in a care center. These are child-tested and family-approved. Print off the … Continue reading January and Winter Fun and Learning Activities for Kids

Dinosaurs + November = Dinovember Fun and Learning Activities

Isn’t Dinovember just the best month? A whole month of dinosaurs turns all these fun and learning activities into PLAY. Or, is it that PLAY turns learning into fun? Whatever the case, dinosaurs make for really big and exciting times. And the best thing about play, unlike the dinosaurs, it never goes extinct! After all, … Continue reading Dinosaurs + November = Dinovember Fun and Learning Activities

October Play and Learn Activities for Kids – A Month of Fun

October play and learn activities for kids are some of my favorite during the year. It’s such an exciting month and the season of fall is full of golden treasures, as well as other bright colors too. Nature seems to invite us outdoors to enjoy the sun as much as we can since the days … Continue reading October Play and Learn Activities for Kids – A Month of Fun