Are you ready for week 2 of Get Ready for K Through Play? If you joined us last week, you'll recall that this is an 8 week series with some of my favorite bloggers that will give you all the tools you need to prepare your child for Kindergarten in fun, hands-on ways. Each week, we are going to focus on a different Kindergarten readiness skill. This week we are sharing ways to develop Social and Emotional Skills that will help your child succeed in Kindergarten and I will be focusing on helping the shy child get ready for a new school.
Starting Kindergarten can be a stressful time for children. Some are leaving the routine of preschool and their friends, while others will have their first school experience and not know what to expect. This stress can be magnified for a child who is "shy" or struggles with social skills. I know this because one of my twins exhibits shy behavior and takes a while to warm up. I love this quote from Dr. Sears - "Shyness is a personality trait, not a fault." If you child has this particular personality trait (and even if they don't) the following tips will help to ease the transition to Kindergarten.
1. Role play - Set aside some time each week where you set up a pretend classroom at home. Pack your child's lunch box with pretend food. Make a shelf into a cubby area. Pretend to be the teacher and practice how your child will enter the classroom, make eye contact with the teacher and say hi. A child may not do this in the actual setting (and you never want to force a child to make eye contact or talk) but practicing ahead of time will at least expose your child to what is expected of them.
Role playing is also great for preparing your child to make friends with other kids. Take turns saying things such as "What's your name" "My name is" "Do you want to play?" and other phrases they would use in social situations. Again, the idea is not that your child will do this the first day or even the first week of school, but you will be providing your child with some conversation starters that they can use when they feel more comfortable.
2. Read books - There are so many great books about Kindergarten and the earlier you can start reading them the better. Summer is a great time to share these books and talk about what the characters are doing in Kindergarten. Some books we have been reading to prepare for the big day include: Welcome to Kindergarten, On the Way to Kindergarten, Kindergarten Rocks, The Kissing Hand, How to Be a Friend.
3. Play dates - Do you know anyone who will be attending Kindergarten at the same school? Set up play dates with them over the course of the summer. Sometimes schools are able to help set these up. If not, try a local mom's club or group. If you are part of a local online group, ask if anyone has a child entering K at your school. You can also try asking neighbors if they know anyone. This is a great way to help your child make a friend or two before the year begins. Seeing a familiar face on the first day of school can help the shy child feel more comfortable.
--> 4. School visit - Many schools have a day when they assess incoming students. This is a great time to take them on a tour around the school and get them excited about Kindergarten. Show your enthusiasm and excitement about what a special thing it is to go to Kindergarten. This is a big accomplishment! Your child will pick up on your cues. If your school does not have any formal day for kids to come in prior to the start of the year, call the school a week before classes start and ask if you can bring your child in to meet their teacher. I was always working in my classroom a few weeks before school started, and I'd be thrilled when a student would come by to introduce themselves. Just meeting their teacher can ease anxiety for some children.
5. Talk to the school - Share your concerns with the school. Often there are programs in place to help children who have weaker social skills. My daughter will be attending such a program at her new school. There she will meet other children, acquire strategies to help her socialize, and have new skills modeled for her. It's also important for your child's teacher to know about your child's personality. We plan to share with my daughter's teacher how she is slow to warm up and likes to have time to think about her answers. The more information you can provide about your child's personality, the better their teacher can partner with you to create a nurturing environment.
6. Enroll in a class or camp - This is especially important if your child has never been to preschool. There are many camps taking place over the summer. Most are short, only lasting a few hours a day for a week. This is a nice introductory experience for the shy child to socialize and get used to a classroom setting.
Change is not easy, even for adults, but often, it brings with it opportunities for growth. Kindergarten is no exception. It is as much a time for children to grow academically as it is for them to grow socially.
Be sure to visit the following bloggers and check out their Social and Emotional Skills posts:
5 Tips for a Successful Playtime with Friends from Toddler Approved
Top 5 Social Skills for Kindergarten Readiness from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Following Directions and Listening Game - Teacher Says from Coffee Cups and Crayons
Social and Emotional Skills for Kids from Mama Smiles
Games to Play at Home to Promote Sharing and Turn Taking from Rainy Day Mum
Be sure to join me here at Mess For Less every Wednesday for Get Ready for K Through Play. Then, please check out my fellow bloggers in the series: Coffee Cups and Crayons, Mama Smiles, Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas, Rainy Day Mum and Toddler Approved, who will be bringing you some more great resources on each week's topic.
The topics are:
June 12 - Language
June 19 - Social and Emotional Skills
June 26 - Independence Skills
July 3 - Math Concepts
July 10 - Books, Reading and Literacy
July 17 - Fine Motor and Writing Skills
July 24 - Alphabet and Phonics
July 31 - Ready to Learn Skills
For even more ideas to prepare your child for Kindergarten, follow the Get Ready for K Through Play Pinterest Board.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this post Vicky!!! Awesome advice and so important!
ReplyDeleteThank you for some helpful information!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is a social guru, but her little brother... I need to work on these skills now.
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