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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

Is your child kindergarten ready? There are things you can do at home to help your child get acclimated to the changes they’ll experience at school. Taking some time to focus on these activities can make the transition from home to school a little easier.
1. Make the most of screentime with educational games for kids.
Apps like Khan Academy Kids and Habitat The Game are designed to make learning fun for kids. Here are some of my favorites that I recommend to my homeschooling friends.
2. Visit a variety of museums and engage your child in what they see and hear.
Interactive children’s museums are designed to stimulate all of the senses. Kids can touch, smell, and listen their way through a variety of exhibits. Children who are curious about their environment, head off to kindergarten engaged and excited to learn more about the world around them.
3. Visit the library and read sight word books to your children.
The Dolch Sight Word list dates back to 1936 when Edward William Dolch founded this ‘whole-word’ approach to teaching reading to young children. These high-frequency words are found in texts and books for children in kindergarten through grade 2. The sight words website includes a variety of kindergarten free worksheet options and book list ideas. It’s a great place to start to give your child a jumpstart for kindergarten word decoding and phonics.
4. Recognize that your child may be feeling apprehensive about starting kindergarten.
There are a lot of big feelings that come along with growing up, and our children often start to worry about what school might be like. The children’s picture book First Day Jitters is great for children moving to a new school or starting school for the first time. The Kissing Hand was a family favorite when my oldest children went off to kindergarten for the first time, so long ago.
Do your best to remind your child that their feelings are valid, they’re not alone in those feelings, and that everything really will be OK. Shari Medini is a mom and coauthor of the book Parenting While Working From Home. “Take time to get to know them as little humans and address any worries they might have about going to school,” she told Mom.com.
Kindergarten skills your child should master before their first day of school

Your preschooler should be able to master some basic skills before the first day of school. Work to help foster a sense of independence. You can do this in age-appropriate ways from toddlerhood through age five, to ensure they’re ready to start kindergarten.
5. Your preschooler should know how to write their name.
You can begin teaching your preschooler to form letters with string or pick up small items and put them into a bowl. You can also download kindergarten-level free worksheets and lesson plans online.
Honing in on fine-motor skills will make learning to write with a pencil and paper that much easier later on. Another great way to do this is to make sure your child gets out and runs, plays, and climbs. Countless studies, like this one from the Official Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics, have proven that spinning, rolling, and being active can positively affect a child’s development.
6. Ensure that your child is confident enough to speak up for themselves.
It’s OK if your child is an introvert. Most kindergarten requirements dictate that children are able to use the restroom independently and can write their name. Apart from that, early education teachers are well-trained in working with young children to assist them in expressing their needs and wants. Don’t stress, Mama!
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.