The first day of kindergarten is a huge milestone for a child. Whether attending a brick-and-mortar school or homeschooling, there are several ways to get your child ready for the big day. Here’s how to help kindergarten first-day activities go off without a hitch.
Is your child kindergarten ready? Activities to help your child prepare
How to help your child make friends in kindergarten
Making friends in early grades is fairly simple. Often besties are born of simply having the same color shirt or a similar first name. Many times your child’s best friend becomes the person they sit next to on the bus. But, as we all know, children are fickle. Here are a few tips to help your child make friends in kindergarten.
7. Model what being a good friend means in your own relationships.
They’re always watching, listening, and emulating. When they see you being inclusive and a good friend, they will do the same.
8. Take your child to several playdates before starting kindergarten.
“Rather than focus on academics, we prepared our son by having playdates with new kids,” mom of two Gina Lincicum suggested to Mom.com. “We role-played sharing, what to do if you need to use the restroom, and how to ask to join a group playing at recess.”
Marina John used a similar tactic with her children. “To get all three of my kids excited about going to kindergarten, we would play ‘Let’s pretend we’re in kindergarten,'” she told Mom.com. “I would be the teacher and we would practice bathroom breaks, the right way to sneeze/cough. We would even have lunch breaks, complete with fun, themed lunches in a lunch box.”
One final thing to remember as you prepare to send your child off to kindergarten for the first time: That lump in your throat will feel as though it’s permanently lodged there. You may struggle to swallow. Your eyes may well up with tears, one or two may even roll down your cheek. Just know, it gets a bit easier each day. You’ve got this.
