A question about kindergarden?

Question

My son will be going to kindergarden in september this year and I need to know what all should he know and be able to do for when he goes. He already knows his shapes,colors,abc's, he can count to twenty. What else can help me get him prepared.

Answer 1

That's pretty much all. Try teaching him how to combine letters such as "ch" or "sh"

Answer 2

As you know, kindergarten is completely the basics. Your son will probably not need to know much more than you have taught him..kindergarten teaches all that. But I would suggest reading to him fairly often, and get him interested in books (the teacher will read to them and have them draw what they heard..etc)

Answer 3

thats good but he knows how to use the potty right?? he should because you dont want him having a accident do you? didnt think so! so teach him that

Answer 4

teach him spelling of simple word such as, of, the,are,the,low etc

Answer 5

Read to him And work on tyin shoes

Answer 6

Teach Him how to write his First Middle and Last Name.

Teach Him how to read and write.

Teach Him how to Spell words.

Teach Him How to interact with other kids.

Teach Him not to be prejudice.

Teach Him the pledge of allegiance.

Teach Him what restroom to use.

Teach Him not to hate girls.

Teach Him your address

Teach Him your telephone number

Teach Him your City and State you live in.

Teach Him not to take DRUGS.

Teach Him the words at, bat, cat, fat, hat, mat, nat, pat, rat, sat, bet, feet, hands, get, jet, let, met, net, pet, set, wet, vet, he, she, we, the, I, A, etc.

And teach him how to be friends with other kids.

Now teach him all of the above things and the teacher will pass him to the next grade.  So good luck to you and your son.

Answer 7

The only things I remember about kindergarten are that I had a crush on Sara Stassel and that I was one of the few kids who could count to 100 on the first attempt. Oh, and I remember nap time. How I took for granted nap time. That remains one of my deepest regrets.

Answer 8

BE POTTY TRAINED COUNT TO 20, KNOW  ABCS WRITE HIS NAME IN CAPITAL LETTERS. I AND SPEAK WELL ENOUGH TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.

Answer 9

Sounds like he's on the right track.  I'd let him practice cutting with kid's scizzors and maybe continue reading to him, teach him rhyming words, how to tie his shoes (it may be too early for this but you could try it with him....no pressure) how to zip his jackets, button his clothing, learn his name and address and if he rides a bus, about stranger danger.  Also his left from his right.  And practice writing his name.  All this is not mandatory, but some things to just have fun with him and do together.  Make it fun.

Answer 10

i think you about covered it. just make sure he knows his manners and how to share. i remember kindergarten and we played a lot and had story time and stuff like that. i wouldn't worry about it too much. i'm sure he'll do fine.

Answer 11

winter next year he needs to know all of his sounds,    color words

number words  days of the week  months of the year   before after inbetween next to .    how to tie his shoes.  left and right putting on his jacket

wouldnt hurt to get into a couple of the things that will be learned during his first year or that many often need help with:

    how to use a fork and knife.   how to open a carton of milk.   how the blend sounds  together into cvc words    

How to apologize for an accident.   how to draw a person/ animal

how to write lower case zane bloser letters,  count by twos, button his own pants.  do his own belt.    be able to go to bathroom before it is an emergency.   and or be able to wait to go an extra 5-10 minutes.     is he able to be slightly unhappy without crying for longer than 2 minutes.

try handwritingworksheets.com

be able to pronouce th ch tr r h f c        x /ks/

can he clap, skip, cut a circle or square, sort by size,  draw using  glue, write his own name

would he be able to tell the lunch lady his lunch/milk choice?  

does he know abcs when they are not in order.  can be match the upper case letters and the lower case letters on sight?  

can he read any two letter words?

make playdough snakes and form letters that way?

lace string through holes?  

Can he double click a computer mouse? can he sit still for 11 minutes?

do a 16 piece puzzle?

get across monkey bars?  listen to two step directions?  fold paper?   Write numbers?   identify numbers as a set  (6 fishes) 8 dots,  11 dogs, 3 cats, zero animals, 1 elephant.   can he rhyme? (help you read a dr seuss book)

knowing it all  or even 2/3 of it  would keep him in the high group in his class.

general awareness and fine motor skills will help always.

feel free to use a tape recorder with him as well as starfall.com

when he knows more than the other kids next year- let him know that he will learn alot by being able to help to other kids and that it is  good to help others when the teacher lets him help.

Answer 12

It sounds as if your son already has a good basic start! How awesome for both of you! Depending on whether you live in a rural community or in a suburb will depend on what the K teacher focuses on. Many rural children are not exposed to preschool, and therefore K is about learning the basics your son already knows...most suburbian children are already where your son is, and those K teachers go further with thier children.

Academics aside, your son should learn independence from you. Can he take care of his basic needs (bathroom, coat, shoes, etc.) without your assistance? Is he able to sit for 15 - 20 minutes and listen without interrupting a story or directions? I recently worked in a K classroom as an assistant, and it is amazing the kids who cannot sit still and be quiet without touching their neighbor, let alone those who still cannot toilet independently! Be sure your son holds a pencil in the correct tripod grip, can use scissors independently and knows how to follow 2 or 3 step directions.

If you son cannot already write his name in lowercase letters, teach him that...if he can - wow! you're doing great - teach him his last name too. Personal ID info such as phone number, address, parents' names, birthdate etc. are all things he should know as well.

It appears he knows his abc's, if this is just the song, then teach individual letters, upper and lower case as well as the sounds they make. For numbers, counting is great, but can he recognize numbers to 20 as well? If so, great, teach him up to 30! Teach him to count objects in a set...can he recognize more/less - most/fewest? Teach him basic addition and subtraction concepts. Teach him to tell time to the hour.

Personally, I advocate taking your child as far as he/she will go...why wait until school starts...your child has your one-on-one attention...he won't get that in school...you don't have to push, but young children are so eager to learn! They are such sponges at this age...you can really teach alot more than just the basics before they enter school.

It sounds like you are doing a great job so far...keep it up, have fun & good luck to you!

I almost forgot! If he is at the point where he knows most basic letter sounds, is writing letters and his name and maybe other names such as Mom or Dad...teach him a few basic sight words too. You can do a google search for the Dolch Sight Word list, teach from the pre-primer list...most K classrooms teach at least the two-letter sight words...teach him to recognize color and number words as well. A wonderful program for sight words is http://www.picturemereading.com Not extremely expensive either, and fun for the kids.

Answer 13

he is acually pretty ahead as far as im concerned

  he will do just fine as long as he knows/reconises/and can write basic words

Answer 14

Is it half-day or full-day?    My son started full day last fall, so we practiced opening his own juice box, etc. Also how to get his pants snapped/buttoned back up after he used he bathroom. He will need to know how to zip up his own coat and backpack.  

I also took him to the school playground to play on after school hours and we went up during the summer and (after checking into the office) just peeked around the school a bit.

He needs to be able to follow directions, but a great skill is how to ASK QUESTIONS if he is confused about something!  Make sure he can write his first name and can use scissors and a glue stick.  I used to have him "cut coupons" for me.  Also have him practice his coloring skills (playing with play dough helps with fine motor skills too).

If he hasn't been to preschool, make sure he can sit and listen quietly in a group (take him to storytime at the library and don't sit right by him)

As far as academics go - there will be children that come into K no knowing as much as your son already does, and there will be some that can do more.     I would say work with your son to take him as far as you can take him in regards to reading and counting before K starts.  Most teachers will group children according to ability - and the more he knows at the beginning, the further along the teacher can take him.  

At the very least, make sure that he not only recongnizes the abc's, but the sound that each letter makes.  LeapFrog makes a fridge magnet set and a video for that that are wonderful. You can also begin on basic word family sight words -at, cat, fat, hat, pat, an, can, man, fan, in, pin, fin, etc.

Good Luck!  (My son was way more ready than me!)

Answer 15

he should also no how to spell easy words like:

1. a

2. he

3. be

4. mom

5. dad

6. dog

7. she

8. cat

hope this helps him to sheave his gaols!!!

Answer 16

You have taught him the basics for kindergarten, but I would also recommend for him to learn the following as well.

His full name (last name included) - you'd be surprised how many kindergardeners don't know this.

His birthday

Complete name of parents/guardians - (not just mom or dad - you'd be surprised)

Phone # - try to get it to rhyme (I used the song  - 867-5309) - it will be easier for them to remember

Your address - including the city you live in.

Name of the school they will be attending

They don't need to be able to write these things - but they should know them by now.  Not just for kindergarden, but in case of emergencies.

Answer 17

there is no hard and fast rules for what children should know at this age as the developmental process is so varied, most importantly he needs to have social skills so that can he happily and effectively interact with his teacher and peers

Answer 18

Make sure he can print at least his first name- preferably his last too. And try to help him memorize his home phone number.

Answer 19

Have him interact with  fun fiction, non fiction, and early educational books as often as possible.  Bed time story every night.  Early reading intervention & promotion  are extremely  strong stepping stones for success in core classes not only in elementary school but in high schoool as well.  Trips to your public library when he is a little older.  As teacher, I have many times seen the inquisitiveness, curiosity, and creativity that come so naturally to children who were exposed to a wide variety of reading materials at an early age.  He is already way ahead of the curve, so pat yourself on the back !!