Kindergarten Readiness

With the time change, the clocks were all out at school on Monday morning. Since I had to reach the clock down off the wall to change it, it was a good time to talk about telling time. Digital clocks are much easier to learn to read but analog clocks show time as a whole. At this age, time is a concept that is still developing and it can be difficult to teach. While telling time is not part of kindergarten readiness, children are expected to have some vocabulary and a beginning understanding, such as knowing day and night.

To start, go around the clock and just say the hour numbers. It’s like counting! Guide children to see that the hands move around the clock. At a few different times, check to see if the clock looks different than before or the same. Lots of practice and time is needed before this skill is learned.

Q. What did the digital clock say to the analog? A. Look, no hands! Send in your comments and suggestions anytime!

“No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds!”

Thomas Hood may have written these lines more than 150 years ago, but he describes the month of November in any year. No, no, no…November. Now that the excitement of Halloween is fading, just like the daylight, ask your child what he or she misses most from summer. Talk about the things your family did or things that happened at daycare. This is not a specific kindergarten readiness task, but will help little ones develop theirsense of time. Some things happened yesterday, like Halloween. Some things happened even longer ago than yesterday. Your child may like to draw something from the summer and make a personal No, no, November picture. No pool in the backyard, no picnics, no shorts and sandals weather, no camping, no popsicles. No sun, no fun, November.
What does your little one remember and miss about the summer?