How much do you prep your kid for K?

[ajk912]

So my youngest kid will be going to kindergarten this fall. She is going to be 5 in March. I am trying to decide how much to prep her for kindergarten. Right now, she goes to preschool 5 days a week for 3 hours a day. She did this last year as well. She knows all of her numbers, letters, and almost all letter sounds (she gets a few confused, but I think that is age appropriate). She knows how to write her name, etc. We are working on address and phone number..they do want the kids to know that, as well.

Beyond that, I am not sure how much I should prep her for K? I know with my son I had him learn all the kindergarten sight words before the kindergarten screening (that will be in 3 months) and he was doing simple sounding out by then too. He scored a 99 on the test, and his teacher said he was at the top of his class going into K. At the time, I felt I really had to prove something because he was the youngest in his class..so I wanted to be sure he had all the academic tools to succeed. He struggled a bit with reading in 2-3rd grade, so it really didn't do me a bit of good longterm with all the practicing we did, trying to get a preschooler to read.

He's fine now in 4th grade, btw. BUT, it did make kindergarten a LOT easier that we just had to work on semantics instead of studying sight words every night, and working on learning how to read, since he already knew how, you know?

So with my middle dd, she was special ed so not totally the same..I didn't do anything. I just did whatever the school had taught her, and I didn't go above or beyond. She scored a 57ish on the kindergarten screening. If I remember right, the benchmark was 75 or so? I know she was special ed, but I feel bad I should have done more. She's doing fine now in 2nd grade, but like my son she also gets reading help. We do read a LOT at home though, no worries, she just finished the "Chrissa" book with me helping her with the hard words.

Anyway...what does everyone else do? How much do you prep for kindergarten? I am trying to decide what to do with my third. I am leaning toward having her learn all the sight words and know how to sound out words before the screening, and definitely before k, but I go back and forth. Thoughts?

 

[RMulieri]

My dd turned 5 last month and is going to K in the fall as well.She has been in preschool the last 2 years.She knows all that your dd knows.Her teacher said they need to know the alphabet,numbers,colors,shapes,first and last name and how to write them,birthday,address and phone number.I plan on spending the summer reviewing all that info, and anything else the K orientation tells me she needs. Seriously, DD is smart and I am not going to push anything else on her and stress her out.I have nothing to prove and will only end up stressing both of us out.I want her to love school like I did.

 

[DISNEYNV]

I alsohave a four year old who will be entering kindergarten in the fall. She goes to preschool three days a week and this is her first year there (no prior child care center etc) and now after reading your post I am wondering if she will be lagging behind academically! She can recognize her letters and numbers 1-20 but does not read as of yet. The preschool she is in is in conjunction with the school district so I think they will prep her accordingly, but is there anything else I should be doing as well? Do they need to know the sight words before entering/placement? She is our first so I am a bit confused with the while process. Is there a K teacher or preschool teacher who might give some helpful suggestions? I taught infants and toddlers class for years in an early childhood setting, but now there are so many requirements for preK and K that it is not funny...good question above!

 

[koolaidmoms]

I went all out with my DD. We practiced her letters, beginning reading skills, colors, numbers, letters. She could write in all capitals but had trouble with lower case letters.

With DS he was totally different. He has an almost photographic memory so by the beginning of this school year (he started K this year) he was reading, doing math but couldn't write or cut to save his life. We tried but he really needed OT and has since come quite a ways.

I think you do what you can and the rest works itself out.

 

[scottish mum]

Well I'm in the UK so its slightly different for me but my dd will be 5 in August and will start school in august also. She knows all her letters, sounds, numbers etc. She now wants to try reading some words, so I spoke to the head teacher and she said just go with what she wants to do. If she asks what the words are help her sound them out and repeat them to her, BUT never force the learning on her as she will then not enjoy it. She also said that they go to school to learn so don't feel the need to do it at home before she gets there. The teachers need some work to do My dd now knows some simple 2 letter words like it, at, in etc and she is quite happy.
My oldest ds was quite advanced when he started school but my other ds wasn't, he just didn't want to learn, but now it is him that is the brightest and just loves everything about school, so I wouldn't worry to much and just go with the flow

 

[jorem1]

I didn't "officially" prepare my own 2 kids for kindergarten, but I read to them every day (and night). We also practiced letters and colors. I found that through their regular every day play they learned what they need to for kindergarten.

I am actually working as an aide in a kindergarten class right now. I'm amazed at how many of these kids came in not knowing what I consider "basic" things like recognizing the numbers 1-10 . Some of them can't recognize past 5! Doesn't anyone watch Sesame Street anymore?

 

[eolian]

I'd say you've done plenty already. My DD went to preschool/daycare and entered Kindergarten doing some very basic reading and addition and subtraction. I have to say that just now is she really starting to actually learn anything in school, halfway through the school year, and she's going to the best school district in WNY. Sure, the transition was easy for her, but she's also been pretty bored...

 

[zoemurr]

Her teacher said they need to know the alphabet,numbers,colors,shapes,first and last name and how to write them,birthday,address and phone number.

I teach preschool and the above is a good list. Having them know how to write their name (first and last) in lowercase is the major thing I would work on. Since it's different for each child (obviously) it will save the teacher a lot of time.

We try to have them know the basic phonics as well. I wouldn't prep too much. My DD could read fluently (her doing.. not mine) and felt very out of place in K when she figured out the other kids couldn't read.

 

[daleswife]

I started when DD was 3. We would go over alphabet, numbers, birthday, address, phone number, our names, her full name, etc.....By the time she was 5 she could already do addition and subtraction. Shes in Kindergarten right now and way ahead of the other kids.

 

[WantToGoNow]

My ds7 started K knowing all of his letters, able to write them, knew the sounds, knew his numbers 1-10, colors, shapes, etc. He was BORED to death in Kindergarten while the other kids were learning these things. This allowed him much time to get into trouble. His teacher tried giving him "extra" things to do, but that didn't help. I hate to say it but I don't think he left Kindergarten knowning much more than he went in except for a few sight words. The rest of the class caught up with him in 1st grade. Now in 2nd grade, he's having trouble in reading because he's not fast enough.

My dd5 is attending preschool 3x a week and will be going to K in the fall. Other than what the preschool is teaching her, I am not doing nothing. They just gave out the slips this past week concerning screening for Kindergarten readiness - they told me she didn't need screened that she was ready. She knows her letters, colors, shapes and numbers, can write her name and does smiple math - 1+1, 1+2, 2+2, etc.

My dd24 did not have any preschool or daycare exposure before school and I say that she did struggle in he early years but eventually caught up and did well in school.

 

[An_Island_Girl]

Our DD5 was an early reader, and I too am worried that she will be board with the academia of Kindergarten next year. I know the emotionally she is age appropriate and needs the social interaction of her peers, but at what point do you ask for different work for her?

 

[mjkacmom]

My ds7 started K knowing all of his letters, able to write them, knew the sounds, knew his numbers 1-10, colors, shapes, etc. He was BORED to death in Kindergarten while the other kids were learning these things. This allowed him much time to get into trouble. His teacher tried giving him "extra" things to do, but that didn't help. I hate to say it but I don't think he left Kindergarten knowning much more than he went in except for a few sight words. The rest of the class caught up with him in 1st grade. Now in 2nd grade, he's having trouble in reading because he's not fast enough.

My dd5 is attending preschool 3x a week and will be going to K in the fall. Other than what the preschool is teaching her, I am not doing nothing. They just gave out the slips this past week concerning screening for Kindergarten readiness - they told me she didn't need screened that she was ready. She knows her letters, colors, shapes and numbers, can write her name and does smiple math - 1+1, 1+2, 2+2, etc.

My dd24 did not have any preschool or daycare exposure before school and I say that she did struggle in he early years but eventually caught up and did well in school.

I think the majority of kids here know all those things before entering kindergarten - the preschools are told what the kids need to know. I can't imagine sending a child to school without knowing shapes, colors, letters, numbers, phonic awareness, etc. Four of mine were reading before kindy, and one was even reading chapter books at that point. I didn't mind that they really didn't learn anything academically that first year (even my non-reader knew all the sightwords before kindy) - I wanted them to learn to love school (which they did).

I think it all levels out in 3rd/4th grade - I don't think my older kids got less than 100% on anything until that point.

 

[mjkacmom]

Our DD5 was an early reader, and I too am worried that she will be board with the academia of Kindergarten next year. I know the emotionally she is age appropriate and needs the social interaction of her peers, but at what point do you ask for different work for her?

I'm guessing about 1/2 of the parents ask for extra work - I was one of them with dd#1. Now I know that lots of kids are reading, and they do just fine!

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

You know, if you think your DD is pretty typical and she hasn't had any problems picking up her letters, letter sounds and numbers ... I wouldn't worry about teaching her sight words. I think she will probably pick them up fine with the rest of the class in K.

 

[RMulieri]

I really wouldn't stress about it.As long as they know the basics.It is not a contest as to which kid knows more, and quite honestly if they are too advanced they may get bored very easily.There are plenty of kids in my DDs preschool that can read, Dd can't yet and I am not pushing her to.I read to her every night and she can recognize some words.It is no contest.I have had a certain mother in my DDs class pretty much say that her kid is superior because look at all they can do, and imply that my kid is not um..smart enough.Each kid learns at a different pace.I would rather my dd develop social skills as well as academic, and I want her to love school.I have seen parents push their kids to the point that the kids rebel and hate school.

 

[nessz79]

Her teacher said they need to know the alphabet,numbers,colors,shapes,first and last name and how to write them,birthday,address and phone number.

I teach preschool and the above is a good list. Having them know how to write their name (first and last) in lowercase is the major thing I would work on. Since it's different for each child (obviously) it will save the teacher a lot of time.

We try to have them know the basic phonics as well. I wouldn't prep too much. My DD could read fluently (her doing.. not mine) and felt very out of place in K when she figured out the other kids couldn't read.

Ditto. My son is 4 and will be entering K in the Fall. He knows and can write his letters. He's learned both upper and lower case, but we're always working on the lower case more. He knows his numbers and writes them, counts, etc. He knows our phone # and we're working on address. I expect he'll be working on beginning phonics at the end of the school year as my older son was.

My older son learned all of the above in preschool and is doing very well in Kindergarten this year. He has all "outstandings" on his academics and his teacher loves him.

I think what he's learning is plenty and he'll do great.

 

[lalagrace]

we made the right choice! We just decided to wait one more year before my son starts K.
He just turned 4 in Nov, and although we read to him every night, and he can recite his alphabet and numbers he is no where close to being able to write, read or do math!
We are working with is letter and number recognition, and phonics, but his "child care center" does no academics.

 

[mom2princessj]

My dd is in a very academic preschool so she's been writing her name since right after she turned 4 last year. I'm also afraid she'll be bored in K next year. She does simple math fairly easily, she's starting to read and knows several sight words, she writes in upper and lower case very well, knows her address and phone number, and we are actually working with her right now on time and money. I only do this because she WANTS to learn. She'd much rather do learning computer programs or workbooks than anything else. She does preschool 3x per week and will probably do all day K next year.

My ds is going to be 4 in a few days and he's no where near interested in any of that. He knows his address and we are still working on the phone # but his writing skills are very lacking. I have them enrolled at different preschools because I truly thought hers was too advanced for his maturity level. He does fabulous in his school but its much less academic and more focused on basics in his two day program...cutting, pasting, coloring, play time, circle time, etc. Thankfully I have one more year of him in preschool so we can ready him a bit more. I'm worried he'll be lagging behind in writing and coloring...the rest...shapes, colors, numbers (1-20)...he was ahead of his sister as before 3 he knew all of it.

I'd say she's on track. If you think she wants to learn more than don't hold her back but I wouldn't put any stress on you or her to do anymore than necessary. Sounds like she's doing really well with what she knows already!

 

[TheAngelForever]

My oldest son is currently in kindergarten. I am a teacher and was in the classroom when while he was one to almost four, so he was in daycare and then went to PreK last year. It really is amazing what the PreK's are teaching kids now. Going into PreK he knew his letters and how to count to 100+, could recognize his name and many other words. I started reading to him daily when he was days old and still do. Thanks to fine motor troubles, writing was slow, but he could do it.

Kindergarten teachers are ready for anything and everything. Some children come in with no previous schooling, others come in already reading. When I was teaching elementary grades it was interesting to see how it would shake out by the end of the year.

I talked with his kindergarten teacher at the end of June and she told me not to stress and just to make sure he had a fun summer (he was already ahead of the game). During open house his teacher warned parents that "Kindergarten is the new 1st grade" - a very accurate statement. When I was student teaching years ago kids learned their letter sounds in kindergarten, and in first started word families and more intense phonemic awareness skills. By early October my son was reading and decoding multi-syllabic words on his own. Each week I am amazed with increased writing skills, reading, and overall knowledge about the world around him.

Try not to stress and let do things in a fun way. Go to Starfall.com for great early reading skills. My son's teacher actually uses this in the classroom with the kids early on that do not have as much background.

Good luck!

 

[MJAJmom]

Lots of great things already mentioned. My son is currently in K. I would work on 2 things:

1. Independence - make sure they can button/unbutton pants. Put on a jacket by themselves and zip it up. Put on/off shoes. Open their lunch box and backpack. Open their thermos, juicebox, tupperware containers, ziploc bags. They will be expected to come into school and manage themselves in the bathroom, at the lunch room, on the playground, before/after school.

2. Writing/fine motor skills - have them write with pencils, pens, crayons, chalk, use the scissors for cutting, string small beads. If you want to work academics, then write letters, shapes, numbers.