To attend kindergarten in Kansas, you have to be 5 years old by Aug. 31.
That’s pretty much the only rule. But teachers say it helps if children know a few things before they start school.
Ashley Welsh, a kindergarten teacher at Harry Street Elementary School, said her students come from lots of different backgrounds. Some start school already knowing their colors, numbers and how to read simple words. Others don’t recognize letters or know how to take turns.
But that’s what kindergarten is all about.
“I get to instill that love of learning,” Welsh said. “I get to build those strong relationships with them and their parents.”
Educators say kindergarten is crucial to a child’s success in school because it lays the foundation for academic and social skills. But “kindergarten readiness” — the things kids should know or be able to do when they start school — doesn’t require drilling them on letters or numbers.
Welsh said the best thing parents can do is talk to their children and have fun with them.
“It’s not opening up workbooks. It’s not really flashcards,” Welsh said. “It’s looking outside, around you. ‘What do you see?’ Having those conversations. ‘I see the snow. The snow is white.’”
Parents and caregivers should also help children practice basic social skills, Welsh said, like taking turns, recognizing emotions and respecting other people’s personal space
“Going out to a park, having your kiddo socialize with other kiddos and asking them, ‘Do you want to play with me?’” Welsh said. “Those back-and-forth conversations … open the door for conflict resolution.”
Things you can do at home
- Read daily with your child — in English or your native language — and ask questions about what you read.
- Give your child chores around the house — loading the dishwasher, cleaning up trash or feeding pets.
- Establish routines for daily events such as meals and bedtime.
- Play games as a family to practice taking turns and staying on task.
- Have your child practice putting items into groups by size, shapes or color.
- Encourage your child to be independent by dressing themselves, brushing teeth, and taking care of their bathroom needs.
- Connect reading to daily experiences.
- Set up play times with friends so your child can practice social skills and problem solving.
- Have your child practice repeating and following specific directions. For example: “Fold your blanket and put it on your bed.”
- Have your child point and count objects to practice number sense and sequence. For example, at the grocery store, count how many apples you put into the cart.
- Talk about what school might look like.
