Making Kindergarten Prep Fun

When parents ask me for ideas to help them prepare their children for Kindergarten, I’m sure they are expecting me to tell them to practice letters and numbers, and help their children learn how to tie their shoes.  There are ways to practice Kindergarten readiness skills that can be fun for the entire family, so often I suggest activities like;

• Going to the Zoo: Practice staying close to family members while waiting your turn to see your favorite animals, and introduce new vocabulary as you learn what animals eat, and where they are from.
• Visiting the Science Museum: Explore hands on science concepts while interacting with other children.
• Attending a baseball game: practice counting and number recognition as the score goes up, look for the seat that matches the number on your ticket.
• Visiting the ice cream store: Practice making menu decisions and ordering for yourself, help count out the dollar bills needed to pay for your ice cream. 
• Playing mini-golf: count the putts that it takes to get your ball in the hole and practice adding up your score when you’re done, wait your turn to putt and play each hole in the same order.
• Going camping: Explore new places and practice safety skills while hiking and cooking over the campfire. 
• Taking a class: Sign your child up for an art class, sports lesson, dance class, day camp, or music lesson.  Learn something new while interacting with new children and adults.