After The Kindergarten School Year Is Over: Prepping For First Grade

The kindergarten school year is over and it's almost time for your child to start elementary school. Okay, so technically she's already into the elementary years. But, for many kids, kindergarten is a half-day class that is separate from the rest of the school. That means starting first grade is a major transition. Don't stress. Chances are your child is more excited than anxious. As the days draw nearer, use the out-of-school time to prepare your child for what's to come. How? Check out these tips for helping your post-kindergarten student get ready for the elementary experience.

Talk to the Teacher

Who is your child's first grade teacher? Answering this question is the first place to start. Most schools provide this information before the end of the kindergarten school year. Send an introductory email to your child's new teacher, asking what you can do at home over the summer to get her ready for first grade. This might include content that she should review from kindergarten, new content, or specific activities. The teacher may be able to provide links to educational websites or lessons that cover subjects such as math (counting, adding, subtracting, geometry, making measurements, etc.), reading, writing, science, or social studies.

Visit the Library

If your local public library has a summer reading program, encourage your child to participate. Even if your library doesn't have a formal program, visiting the library will still benefit your young student. Look for first grade-level books to read together. Check the books out or spend time at the library paging through them. You can also look for books that help your child to investigate new school subjects, such as science or social studies concepts.

Enroll in a Camp

Summer-time is packed with camps—not just the go into the woods type of camps, but educational ones as well. Of course, the outdoorsy camps can help your child get out and get active. They can also help your little learner explore science and what the environment has to offer. But, you can also schedule your child for a few academic or content-related camps. These might include classes at a local science center, a history museum, or an art museum. If your child only had a half-day kindergarten class, look for full-day camp programs. A one-week full-day camp gently eases your child into the longer schedule.

The kindergarten to elementary school transition doesn't have to happen overnight. You can slowly get your child ready for first grade over the course of a whole summer. Talk to her new teacher, do some at-home (or at-library) reading, and try a summer camp or two.

For more information, talk to companies like Carden Academy.