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Expectations for kindergarten have increased over the years and more children are entering knowing their letters and sounds but this is not enough for true success. The skills that children need entering school are not purely academic. Children need to be able to sit, to listen and to follow directions. Allowing your child social experiences outside your home can help prepare your child to attend better in the classroom. These experiences do not need to be expensive or formal, play dates with and without parents are excellent opportunities for young children to exercise these skills. Give your child the opportunity to listen to other adults and to follow different rules. Check your local church or town hall for inexpensive activities. Leaving your child with a different adult will also help with separation difficulties. Fine motor skill development is another area that helps kindergarten success. Allow your child the chance to play with clay and dough to strengthen hand muscles. Giving your child the opportunity to manipulate clothesline pegs, opening, closing and attaching to materials will also help. Have different writing materials available so that your child can explore with them. Under adult supervision give your child the chance to use scissors and glue. Learning to cut along straight and curved lines is a difficult task that can be made easier with practice. The most important activity to prepare your child for kindergarten is reading together. Explore a book with your child; pointing out the cover,title page, dedication page, and awards. Be sure to point out the author's and illustrator's names. Look at the cover and pictures to make predictions about the book and use the same illustrations to show how the pictures support the text. Point out periods, commas, question marks, exclamation marks and quotation marks. Use your finger to point to words as you read and to demonstrate the left to right sweep. Be sure to ask your child questions as you read and have him retell the story after. A big mistake made by parents is not reading aloud to children once they become independent readers. When reading aloud choose a book that would be difficult for your child to read independently. Choosing a harder books challenges your child's comprehension. As a parent you need to leave behind your own school insecurities, talk up school and the fun of learning!

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Connolly.
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