Kindergarten registration has begun and this time of year brings out a lot of questions from parents especially if this is a first experience with the school system. One of the biggest questions asked is, “What do I need to do to prepare my child for Kindergarten?”

This is a great question, and the answer is not what you may have expected. Of course, academics is important but more importantly for each Kinder student is independence and confidence in social situations. This requires the building of everyday skills that will help your child to feel successful at school.

Here are some simple yet practical ideas that you can do with your child to help build these skills.

Over the summer months practice putting on shoes, putting on coats, doing up buttons and zippers, carrying a backpack and opening lunch items. Make these activities fun. Take your child shopping to choose their own backpack and lunch bag. This can be exciting for them. Go on a picnic and have your child carry their lunch bag in their backpack. Teach them how to open the containers and to unpackage food items. Use a water bottle and encourage them to fill it when it is empty.

As you put on your coat and shoes, sing silly songs and be silly. Pull the sleeves of the coat inside out. Say, “Oh, Oh, I’ve messed your coat up. Can you fix it?” This will teach them how to fix their sleeves and pant legs of splash and snow pants. Use stickers on their shoes to show them which shoe goes on which foot. Simply cut the sticker in half and place them on the shoes. When the shoes are on the right feet, the sticker is whole again.

Practice toileting, washing hands and cleaning up after themselves. Remember, students need to be able to manipulate their clothing so choose comfortable clothing over stylish (ie. Elastic waist instead of button and zipper closures)

Kindergarten is full of social interactions. Your child will not always win the game or be the first to try something new. Knowing how to lose a game but try again, wait for their turn and encourage others are important skills. This is learned by playing games at home, sharing toys, and interacting with other peers. As well, learning that we all make mistakes, is an important part of Kinder. We try, we try again, and we try again, and that is OKAY!

Practice simply interactions with people in your family, your church and your neighbours. Saying hi, asking for help, and learning to take turns will help your child feel more comfortable at school.