Helping Children Start Kindergarten

Before I Go to Kindergarten #2: Asking for Help

2016/09/02 admin Leave a comment

Before going to kindergarten, there are some important things for kids to know. Children asking for help is high on the important list.

children asking for help

This has been a topic before, but it’s worth repeating at this time of year. For kids going off to kindergarten, playschool, or a care program, there will be quite likely be things they don’t know. They will need to be able to ask questions, especially if they help. Is this something your child knows? Yes, at home, kids ask about 300 of them a day. School or daycare can be very different though for a child.

We might think asking questions is simple and straightforward, but it’s not so to a child. There’s lots of thinking involved. If you’ve ever studied a second language, you’ll understand how the word order and other bits get changed around. It can be complicated.

When kids hear us asking questions we give them a model to copy. Sometimes, we need to ask the question for them or give them the words to us. If a child comes to us with a book, we can say, “Could you read me a story, please? Is that what you were going to ask?”

Asking questions, and asking for help, requires confidence and trust. With new people, this can be pretty scary. When dropping off kids, take a minute to show them someone they can ask for help. Not just a language skill, this is also a social and emotional one.

Having been in the situation as a teacher, I have many experiences of young children, 3,4, and 5 years old that can’t remember how to ask or are too scared. Checking if it is okay to play with the blocks is not nearly as significant as asking about the bathroom.

At home, you may use a nickname for your child. In a school or care center, the teachers and adults can’t use Buddy or Princess for all the kids. It’s a good idea to make sure your child knows his or her name.

Besides hearing us ask questions, kids also need to hear us asking for help. For adults, this can be really hard. It makes us feel very vulnerable. We like to be able to do things ourselves. The same is true for kids. Can you turn children asking for help into a play-of-the-day?

(Here is the post for the Before I Go to Kindergarten infographic checklist.)

Readiness for Kindergarten

Help Get Ready for Kindergarten: Lots of Words

2014/08/08 admin Leave a comment

Series Part #7: Helping Kids Get Ready for Kindergarten Includes Lots of Words

Parents and caregivers often want to know how to help kids get ready for kindergarten and a powerful way to do this is by using lots and lots of words.

Much of learning and the way we communicate to others is done using words. Children’s brains need massive amounts of language stimulation in the early years. Just how much? Millions and millions of words. Some comprehensive research averages the number of words a child hears in just a year to be over 10 million. If a child starts school at age 4 that’s more than 40 million words.

How can parents and caregivers give early brains this word-nutrition? By including words in whatever you are doing! Talk, sing, tell stories, have face-to-face conversations with others, and when needed, talk to things. For instance, when you discover a wet towel that somebody has left on the floor, you can say to the towel, “Hey Towel, what are you doing down here? This isn’t where you go. You go on the towel rod right over here. See? Doesn’t that feel better? Much more comfortable than the floor.”

When you are cooking, ask the spoon if it will help you mix and stir. Change your voice to be the spoon and share how much you like to help. (Mmm, I just love stirring. Who gets to lick the spoon? )

Are those raised eyebrows as you hear this? This seems to fall under the heading ‘out to lunch ideas’. Think of one word as being equal to one penny and the brain as a brain-bank. Each word your child hears is a deposit. Would you rather your child has an account with 40 million deposits or only 10 million? When numbers get that high it doesn’t seem to make as much impact, so let’s take off some of the zeros. Would you rather have $10 in your wallet or $40? Maybe that’s a better comparison. Language is brain enrichment.

If your home language isn’t English, talk, sing, and tell stories in that language too. English isn’t an easy language to learn so use both. What are some other ways you can use plenty of words for your child’s language brain bank?

Kindergarten Readiness

Kindergarten Readiness As Easy As 1 2 3 … #9

2014/01/10 admin Leave a comment

In this brand new year, will your child be starting kindergarten? Are you asking, “Will my child be ready for kindergarten?” “What is kindergarten readiness anyway?” Could you use some answers?
This is a series of posts that looks at some of the basics of getting your child ready to start kindergarten. Does your child know it’s okay to ask for help?

An often overlooked concern for preparing children for preschool or kindergarten is reassuring kids that it is OK to ask for help. We would take it for granted that, at 3 or 4 or 5 years old, a child would be comfortable telling a teacher that he or she needs help, but that is not always the case. While at home, kids seem to call on mom or dad easily, but at school some children are reluctant to say they don’t know how to do something, or where something is, or tell somebody that something unexpected is happening.

Letting your child know that it is okay to ask for help can be as simple as saying, “Did you know that at school, since mommy or daddy aren’t there you can ask your teachers for help?” If your child seems hesitant, you may have to pretend to be the teacher and have your child practice a few times. Or you can pretend and using a child-like voice ask a few silly and not so silly questions that your child gets to answer, “Could you tell me if there are any chocolate monsters in the hallway?” Or, “I can’t reach the light in the bathroom. Could somebody reach it for me?” Kids may be afraid they would be in trouble and reluctant to tell the teacher that they spilled the paint, or their snack, or had an accident.

It is also important that children know if they feel sick, they need to tell the teachers. Every time a child tells a teacher his or her tummy hurts the teacher may not call you at home or work. Sometimes, the tummy ache might be because of a concern in class, such as a friend is sitting beside somebody else but it helps the teachers to know if somebody doesn’t feel very good.

Again, this is not an academic issue, but it is a very basic part of kindergarten readiness. Are there other non-academic concerns that you can suggest?

You don’t need to do this on your own. You too can ask for help from me and other parents and caregivers in the community: https://www.facebook.com/123Kindergarten

Kindergarten Readiness

10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #7 Ask For Help

2012/08/30 admin Leave a comment

An often overlooked concern for preparing children for preschool or kindergarten is reassuring kids that it is OK to ask for help. We would take it for granted that, at 3 or 4 or 5 years old, a child would be comfortable telling a teacher that he or she needs help, but that is not … Continue reading 10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #7 Ask For Help →

Kindergarten Readiness

10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #6 Clothes Play

2012/08/29 admin Leave a comment

Back to school sales have some of the cutest outfits but not all clothes are little-hands friendly. Following are some tips for helping your child start preschool or kindergarten. Check to see if your child can do up the buttons and snaps on pants. A snap that your child can’t close isn’t as much of a … Continue reading 10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #6 Clothes Play →

Kindergarten Readiness

10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #3 Practice

2012/08/25 admin Leave a comment

Children can be both excited and nervous about starting kindergarten (or preschool); it is quite an adventure. Helping kids deal with their concerns is part of kindergarten readiness. The First Day can be especially challenging. Explain each step to your child and, if possible, on the weekend when schools and programs are closed, go to the … Continue reading 10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #3 Practice →

Kindergarten Readiness

10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #2 Playdates

2012/08/24 admin Leave a comment

The first day at kindergarten (or preschool or daycare) can be scary even for children who are prepared for school. Did you know that playing can help your child with kindergarten readiness? If you know some of the other children who will be attending a program with your child, a few playdates help build some … Continue reading 10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #2 Playdates →

Kindergarten Readiness

10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #1 Routine

2012/08/23 admin Leave a comment

In many places, school will start right after Labor Day and some children will start kindergarten. Starting school for the very first time can be exciting and scary. There are things you can do at home to help with kindergarten readiness and to get your child off to a good start. One of the best … Continue reading 10 Tips for Helping Kids Start Kindergarten: #1 Routine →