A lot of growth happens in the first five years of a child’s life. From helpless infancy to fully functioning little people, it can be quite the whirlwind! As primary school approaches, many parents find themselves asking the same important question: Is my child ready for kindergarten? Contrary to what you might think, kindergarten readiness isn’t found strictly in an age, or in memorizing ABC’s or even learning to read. Kindergarten readiness comes from a combination of social-emotional development, independences, communication, and other skills that are essential to early childhood education and will set them up for confident first steps into their primary school.
In this article, we will take a closer look at what it means to be ‘kindergarten ready’ and how you can help support your child on that path. Here at Bright Ideas, we work hard to prepare our preschoolers for kindergarten. Call us today to ask about our curriculum and teaching philosophies for each age group.
Social-Emotional Skills: The Heart of Kindergarten Readiness
A foundational skill to ensure kindergarten readiness is the ability to interact positively with others. Sharing, taking turns, managing emotions and following simple rules are all incredibly important to success, not just in a classroom setting, but in life! According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), social and emotional development is just as important to children’s learning as academic skills.
Here at Bright Ideas, we place a big emphasis on kindness, quality friendships, and emotional growth every day. Give us a call to schedule a tour and learn more and to have the opportunity to see friendships blooming right before your eyes.
Independence and Self-Help Skills
Basic self-care capabilities are huge to include as a part of getting ready for kindergarten–whether your child attends preschool, daycare, childcare, or stays home, these self-care tasks are essential with growing independence. Things like being able to use the bathroom by themself, washing their hands, dressing with minimal help and also participating in cleaning up and transitioning after activities.
Education-based school readiness research explains that everyday self-care skills like these help children feel more confident and capable in kindergarten because they can focus on learning instead of relying on constant adult assistance.
At our preschool and daycare, children practice independence through daily routines designed just for their age and stage. Come for a tour and chat with our early childhood education teachers to see what self-help skills they are encouraging within their classroom.
Language and Early Literacy Skills
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that many children entering kindergarten can recognize letters, write some letters in their name, and enjoy rhymes or songs. While not wholly necessary for beginning kindergarten, learning these things is a major piece of early childhood education, setting children up for an easier time as they move into a structured classroom setting. Reading with your child is a simple and way to nurture bonds and plant the seeds of early literacy skills.
As far as language skills and readiness, having the ability to follow simple directions, listen to stories, hold conversations and express their needs will greatly help your child adjust to a new group of friends, class, or school.
Reading is a major part of our days here at Bright Ideas. Schedule a tour and chat with our teachers about their classroom’s favorite reads.
Early Math and Problem-Solving Skills
Math skills within early childhood education can look like counting, recognizing patterns, sorting objects and even comparing sizes. The beautiful truth is that these skills often develop naturally through play–building blocks, puzzles, and games are all excellent at teaching and underlining early math skills in a fun way that children don’t even notice! Setting your child up for a confident experience in kindergarten with their math skills can be both fun and simple–Grab some new puzzles or practice counting the blocks of the highest tower you can make!
Research in early childhood education shows that young children naturally build early math skills through hands-on play with blocks, puzzles, and games, making play one of the most effective and engaging ways to support early numeracy before kindergarten.
We play and learn all day here at Bright Ideas because we know the power of learning through play! Contact us to ask about our classroom lesson plans and to schedule a tour to see play in action!
Building the Foundation for a Confident Start
Every child will develop at their own pace, and kindergarten readiness looks different from child to child and family to family–whether they have been in a preschool or daycare setting from the beginning, gone to childcare, or been home every day! Set your child up for a great start by giving them a well-rounded and quality early childhood education. Call us today here at Bright Ideas to ask about our enrollment opportunities and help your child take those first steps into school with confidence!