Post on 29-Mar-2016
description
Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley
www.valleysmartbeginnings.org
(540) 568-8968
It’s Time for
Kindergarten:
A Resource for
Parents
Dear Families,
Beginning Kindergarten! These two words paint a
vivid picture of children heading off to school for the
first time. Feelings of excitement and anticipation for
what the future holds! New experiences, new learning,
and new friends are on the horizon.
This transition is an important milestone in a child’s
and family’s life. It is a time filled with wonder and
excitement about what is to come. Along with this
wonder and excitement, questions may arise that can
lead to anxiety or worry by children and parents. The
purpose of this book is to help answer some of those
questions before sending your child off to school on that
first day. It was designed with parents, grandparents,
and caregivers in mind. Throughout this book, you will
find helpful information about kindergarten registration,
community resources, simple family activities to
prepare for the first day of school, and frequently asked
questions. Remember, you are always encouraged to call
your local school system for more assistance. Phone
numbers are located in the Resource Section of this
book.
Sincerely,
Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley
Transition to Kindergarten Team
Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley would like to thank all the partners
who provided feedback and suggestions for material included in this book.
Most especially, we’d like to thank the following people for their
collaboration, dedication, and contributions to this project. Without them,
this project would not have been possible. Their commitment to families
across the Shenandoah Valley region as they prepare their children for the
exciting transition to kindergarten was tremendous!
Dr. Susan Barnes Ms. Cathy Cook
Assistant Professor Education Services Coordinator
James Madison University Shenandoah Valley
Regional Preschool Network
Ms. Kelley Davis, Teacher Ms. Sharon Dove, Teacher
Page County Schools Ren’s House Family Child Care
Preschool Program
Ms. Ronda Heatwole, Teacher Ms. Stacie Jackson, Coordinator
Rockingham County Public Schools Smart Beginnings Shenandoah
Valley
Ms. Delores Jameson, Director Ms. Nancy Lantz
Harrisonburg Rockingham Child Director of Preschool & Title I
Day Care Center Rockingham County Schools
Ms. Vicki Lucas, Teacher Ms. Gladys Remnant, Teacher
Building Bridges Family Child Care Rockingham County Schools
Preschool Program
Ms. Maryann Sherry, Teacher
Shenandoah County Schools
Augusta County Public Schools
Page County Public Schools
Shenandoah County Public Schools
Waynesboro City Public Schools
Harrisonburg City Public Schools
Rockingham County Public Schools
Staunton City Public Schools
We would also like to thank the school systems who participated in this
collaborative process:
Table of Contents
Section #1 Getting Ready for Kindergarten
Section #2 Asking About Kindergarten
Section #3 Practicing for Kindergarten
Section #4 Going to Kindergarten
Section #5 Being Healthy in Kindergarten
Section #6 Resources & Contacts
Section #7 Acknowledgements
Section #1
Getting Ready for
Kindergarten
Section #6
Acknowledgements
Agencies:
2-1-1 is an easy to remember phone number that connects callers to a trained
professional who provides free information about health and human services
anywhere in Virginia. It’s available 24/7. www.211virginia.org
ChildCare Connection is a child care resource and referral service
providing parents with referrals to child care providers and offers training
and support to caregivers throughout the Shenandoah Valley. 540-433-4531
Department of Social Services provides individuals and families with
support, services, and training to help deal with issues such as poverty,
abuse, and neglect as well as helping them to be self-sufficient and
productive in their family and community.
www.dss.virginia.gov
540-574-5100 (Harrisonburg and Rockingham)
540-245-5800 (Augusta/Staunton)
540-942-6646 (Waynesboro/Staunton)
540-778-1053 (Page)
540-459-6226 (Shenandoah)
Family Resource and Referral Center is located in Staunton, Virginia. It
houses one of six regional 2-1-1 call centers; Project STAR serves families
with children ages 0-3 through home visits, developmental screenings, and
group meetings; Quality Child Care Initiative provides local listings of child
care settings, offers suggestions to parents on how to find quality care, and
coordinates training for early childhood professionals including center-based
and family day home providers. 540-245-5899
Virginia Department of Health helps individuals and families lead a
healthy life by offering programs, services, and clinics that educate the
community in areas such as family planning, medical/nursing services,
nutrition, overall health education, dental health, and disease control.
www.vdh.state.va.us
540-574-5100 (Harrisonburg and Rockingham)
540-332-7830 (Staunton and Augusta))
540-949-0137 (Waynesboro)
540-743-6528 (Page)
540-459-3733 (Shenandoah)
Virginia Relay Service assists those people that are deaf or speech disabled
in communicating by phone. www.varelay.org
Children develop in their own unique way.
Kindergarten teachers are ready to welcome all
children and their families to ensure each child
achieves their fullest potential. Regardless of the
special talents or challenges your child brings on
that first day of school, there are some basic
skills that will make the transition easier. The
following skills are general expectations for
typically developing children:
Follow rules, routines, and 2 step directions
Adjust to new situations
Interact positively with adults and peers
Use words to express ideas and needs
(including asking for help)
Cooperate, share, and help others
Resolve simple conflicts
Focus for a short period of time (5-10 minutes)
Listen to a story in a group setting
Take care of their things
Clean up after themselves
Attend to and finish tasks
Social Skills
Follow rules, routines, and 2 step directions
Adjust to new situations
Interact positively with adults and peers
Use words to express ideas and needs
(including asking for help)
Cooperate, share, and help others
Resolve simple conflicts
Focus for a short period of time (5-10 minutes)
Listen to a story in a group setting
Take care of their things
Clean up after themselves
Attend to and finish tasks
Hold a pencil or crayon correctly
Walk, run, jump, climb, and other large muscle skills
Take care of their own needs:
*Wash their hands
*Use the restroom by themselves
*Zip, snap, and button their clothes
*Put on their coat and shoes
*Carry & unpack their backpack
Know the names and sounds of some letters
Know the names and quantities of some numbers
Sort objects by color, shape, and size
Count to 20
State their first and last name
Identify their first name or letters in their name
Write their given first name (not a nickname)
Identify basic colors and shapes
Hold & look through a book correctly
Cognitive Skills
Motor Skills
Surrounding School Systems: Augusta County Schools Harrisonburg City Schools
www.augusta.k12.va.us www.harrisonburg.k12.va.us
540-245-5100 540-433-3644
Page County Schools Rockingham County Schools
http://eclipse.pagecounty.k12.va.us www.rockingham.k12.va.us
540-743-6533 540-564-3200
Shenandoah County Schools Staunton City Schools
www.shenandoah.k12.va.us http://staunton.k12.va.us
540-459-6222 540-332-3920
Waynesboro City Schools
www.waynesboro.k12.va.us
540-946-4600
In this section, you will find a list of schools and
agencies in your area:
Get ready to “jump in” to kindergarten! Contact your
local school system to find your child’s home school,
kindergarten registration date, and other important
information before school starts.
Birth Certificate Application
www.vdh.state.va.us/Vital_Records/vtlapp.htm
Section #2
Asking About
Kindergarten
On that first day of school, your house may be full of
excitement and nervousness. Knowing the answers
to questions such as those below may ease
nervousness. Consider taking this checklist with you
to kindergarten registration or to visit the school
during the summer. Use the additional space to add
any questions you may have.
What time does school start & end?
How do I find out what bus my child will ride?
Where is the bus stop?
What time will the bus pick-up & drop off my child?
Who do I call if I have concerns about my child’s
development?
What do I do if my child has a medical condition such as food
allergies, asthma, diabetes, bee allergies, etc.?
When should I keep my child home from school?
(common medical problems, fever, etc.)
Is my child eligible for free or reduced lunch?
May I eat lunch with my child?
How do I volunteer in my child’s classroom?
Do I need to send a snack to school for my child?
How do I find out my child’s home school?
How do I register for kindergarten?
How old does my child need to be to enter school?
Co
me
on i
n!
Kin
der
gar
ten r
egis
trat
ion w
ill
begin
the
wee
k o
f______
________
_. F
or
spec
ific
regis
trat
ion d
ays
duri
ng t
hat
wee
k o
r an
y q
uest
ions
you
may h
ave,
ple
ase
conta
ct y
our
loca
l sc
hool
or
school
syst
em
lis
ted b
elo
w. R
ou
nd ‘
em
up a
nd h
ead ‘
em
in!
August
a C
ounty
Sch
oo
ls
540-2
45-5
100
Pag
e C
oun
ty S
chools
540-7
43-4
252
Rock
ingham
Cou
nty
Sch
ools
540-5
64-3
254
Shen
andoah C
oun
ty S
chools
540-4
59-6
222
Sta
unto
n C
ity S
chools
540-3
32-3
920
Wayn
esboro
Cit
y S
cho
ols
540-9
46-4
600
Reg
istr
atio
n f
or
all
Har
riso
nburg
Cit
y
Sch
ools
occu
rs a
t th
e H
arri
sonburg
Cit
y
Wel
com
e C
ente
r. P
leas
e ca
ll 5
40-4
33-3
64
4
for
more
info
rmat
ion.
How
dy p
artn
ers!
If
you h
ave
a ch
ild w
ho w
ill
be
5 y
ears
old
on o
r b
efore
Sep
tem
ber
30th
, it
’s t
ime
to r
egis
ter
them
for
Kin
der
gar
ten. R
egis
trat
ion f
or
all
schoo
ls i
n A
ugust
a, P
age,
Rock
ingham
, an
d S
hen
andoah
Counti
es,
as w
ell
as a
ll s
chools
in
Har
riso
nburg
, S
taunto
n,
and W
ayn
esboro
Cit
ies,
wil
l beg
in t
he
wee
k o
f __
_________.
Ple
ase
rem
emb
er t
o b
rin
g t
he
foll
ow
ing d
ocu
men
ts w
ith y
ou t
o r
egis
ter
yo
ur
chil
d. S
ee y
a’ll
ther
e!
Wh
at
you
wil
l n
eed
to b
rin
g:
1.
Bir
th c
erti
fica
te
2.
Pro
of
of
resi
den
cy
3.
Imm
uniz
atio
ns
and p
hysi
cal
form
s
This is how I write my name and draw a picture of myself:
Additional notes from the PreK teacher:
Section #3
Practicing for
Kindergarten
�Read to your child or let them read to you (children
reciting favorite stories from memory is a first step in
reading)
�Point out simple words seen every day on clothing,
signs, in stores and on menus
�Visit the local library for a free library card and great
books to read
�Create a grocery list together and let your child help
you find the items
�Use “waiting time” at doctors’ offices, in store lines,
or other trips to read or point out words
�Keep magnetic letters on the fridge to play with or to
leave messages for your child
�Teach your child to write their name with a capital
letter in the beginning followed by lowercase letters
Children love to learn! Building reading and
writing skills through play and every day
activities will help your child in school. Reading
and writing are foundation skills in school. These
skills are used in everyday life, all the time. Here
are a few simple activities you can do at home to
give your child a jump start in learning these
skills:
Reading and Writing
PreK Assessment for _____________________________________________
Completed by: __________________________________________________
Date:
Setting:
April
May
Private PreK ___________________
Social & Emotional
Development
Most often during free choice,
I play:
circle one:
by myself with friends
My favorite thing to do during free
choice is:
I can adjust to new situations:
circle one:
usually rarely
I can follow rules and routines:
circle one:
usually rarely
I can ask for help when I need it:
circle one:
usually rarely
Cognitive Development:
I can name _____ out of 26 uppercase letters
I can name _____ out of 26 lowercase letters
I can name _____ out of 8 basic colors:
(red, blue, yellow, purple, orange, green, black, brown)
I can name _____ out of 4 basic shapes:
(circle, square, triangle, rectangle)
I can name _____ out of 10 numbers in random order: (0 to 9)
I can count to _____
These are some of my favorites:
story or book
person
toy or game
animal or pet
TV show/movie
food
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
By signing above, I give the staff permission to share this
report with my child’s K teacher at the school listed below:
_____________________________________________
Center _______________________
Family Day Home ________________
Public PreK ____________________
Physical and M
otor Development
Locomotor Activites
A. sh
ow p
rogre
ss in
walking, ru
nning,
gallo
ping, jum
ping, etc
.)
B. walk a
nd run p
roperly
Non-Locomotor Activites
A. bala
nce w
ithout fa
lling o
r m
oving a
gre
at deal
B. bala
nce w
hile
spinning
C. bala
nce w
hile
walking a
line
D. bala
nce w
hile
clim
bing sta
irs or
horizo
nta
l ladder on the flo
or
E. perform
criss-c
ross p
attern
activities
Movement Concepts
A. change d
irections (R
,L, up, down,
forw
ard
, back), levels (hig
h, m
edium
,
low
), p
ath
ways (straig
ht, c
urved, zig-
zag), a
nd e
ffort (fa
st, slow
, hard
, so
ft)
B. know fundam
enta
l movem
ent pat-
tern
s
C. use
movem
ent vocabula
ry
D. perform
movem
ents fro
m le
tter “a”
above w
hile
listening to m
usic o
r ver-
bal instru
ction
Personal Fitness
A. perform
activitie
s to
raise h
eart rate
and b
reath
ing
B. know w
hen h
is/h
er heart is beating
faster (w
hat it feels like)
C. perform
activitie
s to
strength
en
musc
les
D. perform
activities to
incre
ase
flexibility
Resp
onsible Behaviors
A. be safe
when follo
wing rule
s
B. sh
are
equip
ment and take turn
s
C. liste
n a
nd follo
w d
irections
Physically
Active Lifestyle
A. id
entify a
ctivities he/she likes or
dislik
es
B. desc
ribe h
ow to b
e fit a
nd d
o
activities he/she likes
C. perform
structu
red a
nd
unstru
ctu
red a
ctivities daily
D. perform
activities at diffe
rent
pro
ficiency le
vels
E. id
entify p
laces in h
om
e,
neig
hborh
ood, and c
om
munity to
pla
y safe
and b
e a
ctive
Manipulative Skills
A. m
anip
ula
te o
bje
cts
B. use
one h
and, th
en the o
ther, then
both
to
manip
ula
te
created by Kelley Davis M
arch 2009
Children are naturally curious explorers who
want to learn about the world around them.
Scientific concepts such as observing, predicting,
comparing, and drawing conclusions help
children make sense of how thing work. Asking
questions and talking to adults teaches them
about the world around them. Consider one of
these science activities:
�Plant and tend a small garden
�Take a nature walk around the neighborhood and
talk about what you see-collect and sort objects from
your walk such as leaves or rocks to build
vocabulary and provide practice in classifying
objects
�Talk about the weather each day and make a graph
or chart together to record observations
�Care for a pet, such as a fish or earthworm, and talk
with your child about what the pet does, what care it
needs, etc.
Science
Math concepts including counting, sorting,
recognizing shapes, and measuring can occur
naturally in children’s play. For instance, they
learn that a parent is big and a child is small. By
the time they enter kindergarten, many children
understand math concepts without having the
words to describe them. To build math concepts,
invite your child to:
�Count aloud with you when setting the table, i.e.
count each plate or glass as it is placed on the table
�Sort the laundry by color, size, and shape
�Sort the plates, cups, and silverware when
unloading the dishwasher
�Help you cook by measuring, mixing, or serving
the finished product
�Help you at the grocery store and point out math
symbols such as numbers, dollar signs and the cent
signs
�Talk with you at the grocery store using math
language by asking questions such as:
Which jar has more or less?
How many bananas are in this bunch?
Math
Personal and Social Development
Self-C
oncept
A. know first n
am
e, la
st n
am
e, gender,
age, and b
irth
day
B. exp
ress e
motions/fe
elin
gs in w
ord
s not
actions
C. know h
e/she is
uniq
ue a
nd resp
ect
oth
ers d
iffe
rences
D. develop p
ersonal pre
fere
nces in c
lass
E. sh
ow self-d
irection w
hen u
sing
mate
rials
F. show in
cre
ase
d in
dependence
Self-C
ontrol
A. contrib
ute
ideas fo
r ru
les and routines
B. fo
llow rules and routines
C. use
mate
rials c
orrectly a
nd
resp
ectfully
D. adapt to
change a
nd tra
nsitions
E. sh
ow p
ositive resp
onse
s to
challe
nges
Approaches to Learning
A. sh
ow in
tere
st in le
arn
ing n
ew things
B. learn
fro
m e
xperiences
C. sh
ow in
cre
ase
d a
ttention span
D. se
ek a
nd a
ccept help
fro
m o
thers
Interaction w
ith O
thers
A. initia
te in
tera
ctions with p
eers
B. m
ake n
ew friends
C. coopera
te, help
, and share
D. particip
ate
E. use
resp
ectful a
nd p
olite vocabula
ry
F. identify o
thers n
eeds, rig
hts, and
em
otions
Social Problem-Solving
A. exp
ress feelin
gs appro
priate
ly
B. id
entify c
onflic
t and try to solve
C. ta
ke turn
s
D. sh
are
E. include o
thers
History and Social Science
Sim
ilarities and Differences
A. desc
ribe h
ow p
eople a
re a
like a
nd
diffe
rent
B. desc
ribe h
ow h
e/she/o
thers a
re u
niq
ue
C. know h
e/she is
a fam
ily m
em
ber AND
a c
lassro
om
mem
ber
D. pre
tend p
lay to u
ndersta
nd self/o
thers
E. le
arn
about oth
er traditio
ns/culture
s
Changes Over Time
A. desc
ribe h
ow b
abies change in
to a
dults
B. use
the w
ord
s befo
re, after, n
ow
, and
then to d
esc
ribe p
ast a
nd p
rese
nt
C. put events a
nd o
bje
cts in
ord
er
D. ask
questio
ns about com
mon o
bjects
from
the p
ast
E. re
tell stories/episodes from
the p
ast
F. a
ct out a role fro
m the p
ast
G. desc
ribe the p
ast b
ase
d o
n sto
ries, p
ic-
ture
s, visits, a
nd songs
Location
Desc
ribe featu
res in the c
lassro
om
,
school, neig
hborh
ood, and
com
munity
B. pla
y u
sing m
inia
ture
vehicle
s,
people
, and b
locks
C. m
ake a
nd w
alk o
n p
ath
s from
one
pla
ce to a
noth
er
D. re
pre
sent obje
cts in
ord
er lik
e in
environm
ent
E. lo
ok fro
m d
iffe
rent elevations
Desc
riptive W
ords
A. use
word
s to
desc
ribe lo
cation
B. use
word
s to
desc
ribe featu
res of
locations
C. use
the w
ord
s on, under, o
ver,
behind, near, far, a
bove, below,
toward
, and a
way
D. use
the w
ord
s clo
ser, farther away,
talle
r, shorter, h
igher, lo
wer, a
like,
diffe
rent, inside, and o
utsid
e
E. use
the w
ord
s hard
, so
ft, ro
ugh, and
smooth
fluently
F. u
se la
bels a
nd sym
bols for what th
e
child
has se
en
World of Work
A. id
entify n
am
e jo
bs people d
o
B. desc
ribe w
hat people
do a
t work
C. m
atc
h tool to
job
D. m
atc
h job site to w
ork d
one
E. ro
le-p
lay jo
bs
Making C
hoices
A. Id
entify c
hoices
B. know e
veryone h
as wants
C. choose
daily
task
s
D. ro
le-p
lay h
aving to m
ake c
hoices
when p
urc
hasing
Citizenship
A. work togeth
er
B. ru
les are
needed to g
et alo
ng
C. help
cre
ate
cla
ssro
om
rules
D. have a
pla
n a
t learn
ing c
ente
r
E. help
solve c
lass p
roble
ms
F. share
thoughts/o
pinio
ns in g
roup
G. help
care
for cla
ss m
ate
rials
H. know o
thers n
eeds and h
elp
�Talk about feelings and use words rather than their
hands to solve problems or get help
�Use good manners and polite words like ‘please’
and ‘thank you’
�Clean up their own toys or room, pick out their own
clothes, and help with other chores around the house
�Spend time with other children in the
neighborhood, at the park, at daycare, or in a play
group
Talking and interacting with others helps
children learn to express themselves. These
interactions also help them develop self-control
and problem solving skills. Their self images
are developed as social skills are learned. Below
are some ways to build your child’s social skills:
Social Skills
Opportunities for children to practice movement,
balance, and coordination result in better physical
and academic growth. Both small muscle (holding
an object with your fingers) and large muscle
(running and jumping) practice is necessary to
develop strength and coordination. Brain
development is connected to the physical
development of children. Consider any of the
following to support muscle development:
�Do simple puzzles together
�Teach your child to use the mouse to play computer
games or visit children’s websites
�Create an “art” center at home and let your child make a
picture with paper scraps, practice cutting with scissors,
and use a “little bit” of glue when designing their art-
work
�Spend time outside exercising— playing tag, learning
hopscotch, riding a bike, swimming, or climbing a jungle
gym
Physical Development
Science
Scientific Investigation, Reaso
ning,
and Logic
A. desc
ribe a
n o
bje
ct by o
bse
rving
B. use
pictu
res and w
ord
s to
desc
ribe a
n o
bject
C. put item
s in o
rder by size
D. m
ake two g
roups using o
ne
chara
cte
ristic
(colo
r, e
tc.)
E. com
pare
length
/weig
ht of objects
F. identify five sense
s and m
atc
hing
body p
arts
Force, Motion, and Energy
A. use
word
s “attra
cte
d to” and “not
attra
cte
d to” to
desc
ribe h
ow
magnets e
ffect obje
cts (stic
k o
r don’t
stick)
B. know that m
agnets stick
togeth
er or push
apart
Matter
A. id
entify 8 b
asic c
olo
rs (re
d, yello
w,
blue, gre
en, purp
le, ora
nge, bla
ck,
and w
hite)
B. te
ll th
e shape o
f an o
bject (c
ircle
,
square
, tria
ngle
, and recta
ngle)
C. use
the w
ord
s ro
ugh, sm
ooth
, hard
,
and soft to d
esc
ribe texture
s and feel
D. use
the w
ord
s big
, little, la
rge, sm
all,
heavy, lig
ht, w
ide, th
in, long, and short
to d
esc
ribe size/w
eig
ht
E. use
the w
ord
s over, u
nder, in
, out,
above, below
, fa
st, and slow to de-
scribe p
osition a
nd speed
F. know that wate
r can b
e a
solid
,
liquid
, or gas
Life Processes
A. know that liv
ing things need food,
wate
r, a
nd a
ir
B. know that baby p
lants/a
nim
als a
re
sim
ilar but not id
entical to
pare
nts a
nd e
ach o
ther
Earth/Space Systems
A. m
ake a
shadow a
nd tell how it w
as
made
Earth Patterns, C
ycles, and C
hange
A. m
ake d
aily
weath
er obse
rvations
B. so
rt a
nd d
esc
ribe n
atu
ral ite
ms lik
e
seeds, c
ones, a
nd le
aves
C. be fam
iliar with the sta
ges of
anim
al a
nd p
lant gro
wth
Reso
urces
A. know that so
me ite
ms can b
e
recycle
d
B. know that so
me ite
ms can b
e
reuse
d
C. le
arn
how to c
onse
rve e
nerg
y
Mathematics
Number and Number Sense
A. count to
20 (using o
bje
cts)
B. one-to-o
ne c
ounting (to
uch
and c
ount each o
bje
ct)
C. count 1-5
obje
cts a
nd know the
last n
um
ber is “how m
any”
D. com
pare
2 g
roups using the
word
s: m
ore
, fe
wer, a
nd sam
e
Computation
A. know that when you c
om
bine 2
gro
ups, you h
ave “added ”
B. know that when you separa
te
gro
ups, you h
ave “ta
ken a
way”
Measurement
A. use
the w
ord
s longer and
shorter to
d
esc
ribe le
ngth
B. know the n
am
es fo
r to
ols: clo
ck,
cale
ndar, therm
om
ete
r, rule
r,
measu
ring c
up, and scale
C. use
the w
ord
s hot and c
old
to
desc
ribe tem
pera
ture
D. use
the w
ord
s hour, d
ay, week,
month
, m
orn
ing, aftern
oon, nig
ht,
and d
ay to d
esc
ribe tim
e
Geometry
A. m
atc
h a
nd sort shapes (c
ircle,
square
, tria
ngle
, and recta
ngle)
B. te
ll how shapes are
sim
ilar and
diffe
rent
C. point to
a shape w
hen the
teacher sa
ys its nam
e
D. use
the w
ord
s next to, beside,
above, below
, under, o
ver, top,
and b
ottom
to d
esc
ribe p
osition
Data C
olle
ction and Statistics
A. colle
ct info
rmation to a
nsw
er
child
ren’s q
uestio
ns
B. use
more
, fe
wer, a
nd sam
e
when d
esc
ribing d
ata
in o
bject
and p
ictu
re g
raphs
Patterns and Relationships
A. so
rt a
nd c
lassify ite
ms using o
ne
or m
ore
tra
its (c
olo
r, size, sh
ape,
and texture
)
B. lo
ok a
t sim
ple p
attern
s
C. use
pattern
s to
help
you p
redic
t
Section #4
Going to Kindergarten
Children will begin their journey to “the big
school” filled with a huge range of emotions…
happy, sad, excited, worried, anxious, curious, and
scared. They will look to you for encouragement.
By modeling excitement about kindergarten, you
can reassure your child that school is fun! Any of
the following ideas can help make those first few
days easier for both of you:
�Establish routines such as going to bed at the same
time every night, even on weekends
�Eat a healthy breakfast every morning
�Read together at the same time each day
�Ask your child how they feel about going to school
�Visit the classroom, school, and teacher before the
first day
�Tour the school to find the office, cafeteria, gym,
library, and clinic
�Visit the school’s playground on the weekend
�Eat lunch at the school with a sibling or neighbor
who already attends the school
�Attend the school’s family orientation evening
Literacy
Oral Expression
A. liste
n w
ith g
rowing a
ttention
B. id
entify c
hara
cte
rs, objects, and
actions in b
ooks and spoken sto
ries
C. m
ake p
redictions
D. use
2 w
ord
s to
ask
/answ
er
E. use
appro
priate
language
F. take turn
s/polite c
onversations
G. liste
n d
uring g
roup
Vocabulary
A. la
bel o
bje
ct with w
ord
B. liste
n w
ith g
rowing
understa
nding
C. fo
llow o
ne-ste
p d
irections
D. ta
ke turn
s while
talking
E. use
new vocabula
ry a
nd
desc
ribe feelin
gs and id
eas
F. b
e e
xpose
d to n
ew e
xperiences
to h
elp
build
vocabula
ry
Phonological Awareness
A. id
entify sim
ilar and d
iffe
rent
sounds
B. id
entify a
nd m
ake rhym
ing w
ord
s
C. dete
ct beginning sounds
D. liste
n to w
ord
s with m
ore
than
one sylla
ble
Letter Knowledge and Early W
ord
Recognition
A. id
entify 10-1
8 u
pperc
ase
letters
(random
ord
er)
B. choose
a le
tter to
repre
sent a
sound (8
-10 le
tters)
C. pro
vid
e m
ost c
om
mon sound for
5-8
letters
D. re
ad sim
ple
, fa
miliar, c
om
mon
word
s (n
am
e too!)
E. notice le
tters in
environm
ent and
ask
how to spell word
s
Print and Book Awareness
A. find the fro
nt of a b
ook
B. find the title
of a b
ook
C. sh
ow w
here
to b
egin reading o
n
a p
age
D. sh
ow the c
orrect direction to read
E. know the d
iffe
rence b
etw
een
pic
ture
s and w
ord
s
F. turn
one p
age a
t a tim
e fro
m fro
nt
to b
ack o
f a b
ook
Written Expression
A. sh
ow the d
iffe
rence b
etw
een
print and p
ictu
res
B. copy &
write
using d
iffe
rent writing
mate
rials
C. w
rite
first n
am
e
D. write
5-8
letters w
ith a
writing tool
E. copy 3 to 5 sim
ple w
ord
s
F. u
se in
ventive spelling (th
e w
ay it
sounds to
them
)
Pre
K Foundation B
locks
In this section, you will find a few resources that
child care providers and preschool teachers may use
to prepare your child for kindergarten as well as a
birth certificate application in case you need it before
registering your child for kindergarten.
PreK Foundation Blocks: This document shows skills
preschoolers should be working on before entering
kindergarten. There are six different sections, one for each
content area. As you play and interact with your child, note
what skills your child can do by themselves.
Pre-K Assessment: This document is available for all
preschool teachers and child care providers. It is a short, one
page form that provides parents and receiving
kindergarten teachers with a quick snapshot of what each
child knows upon entering kindergarten.
Kindergarten Registration Process: Kindergarten
registration takes place each spring and is for any child who
will be 5 years old by September 30. Families are asked to
register children in the spring and need to bring the child’s
birth certificate and proof of residency. A school physical
and immunizations can occur after registration but must
happen before school starts.
Birth Certificate Application: All school systems require a
copy of your child’s birth certificate. In case you may have
misplaced it or need a copy, you may complete this form and
mail it to the address listed on the bottom of the application.
Resources
Section #5
Being Healthy in
Kindergarten
All children benefit from healthy habits. Established
while they are young, healthy habits help children:
build strong hearts & brains, muscles & bones
grow
have energy
maintain a healthy weight so they can avoid obesity-
related diseases like type 2 diabetes
feel good about themselves
be ready to learn in school
Talk with your child about why you and your family
are making healthy choices.
How can I help my child eat better?
shop, cook, and plan for healthy meals with your
children
offer your child a wide variety of fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains
give children over age 2, fat-free or 1 milk
encourage water instead of soft drinks
limit the amount of sugar, salt, and fat
let your child decide whether and how much to eat
keep serving new foods even if your child does not
eat them at first
have family meals & serve everyone the same thing;
turn off the television
make sure they eat a healthy breakfast
know how much food to serve your child
do not use food as a reward or withhold food as a
punishment
Section #6
Resources & Contacts
How can I help my child be active?
play as a family
focus on fun
include children in household activities like walking
the dog
limit TV & other screen time to less than 2 hours a day
be a role model, let them see you be active
aim for a total of 60 minutes a day
keep TVs out of children’s rooms
don’t make exercise a punishment or withhold exercise
as a punishment
Quick child’s health reminder:
10, 5, 2, 1, 0
at least 10 hours of sleep each night
at least 5 servings of fruits & vegetables each day
no more than 2 hours of TV & screen time each day
at least 1 hour of physical activity each day
0 sweetened beverages such as soda or fruit punch
Adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics
“Parents are often their children’s most important
role model. Children who see parents enjoying
healthy food and being physically active are more
likely to do the same.”
-Office of the Surgeon General
Simple Snack Ideas:
dried fruit and nut mix
fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables or fruit served
plain or with low-fat yogurt
low sugar cereals served plain or with low-fat milk
pretzels or air-popped popcorn
whole grain crackers or bread with low-fat cheese,
fruit spread, or peanut butter
***young children can easily choke on foods that are hard to chew,
small & round, or sticky; carefully select snacks for children in this age
group
How Much Is Enough? Most children, ages 2 to 5, need between 1,000 and 1,600
calories a day. The amount your child needs depends on his/
her age, gender, body size, and physical activity level.
To find your child’s pyramid, go to MyPyramid.gov. Do not
use the pyramid to force more food or stop your hungry
child from eating. Appetites change from day to day and
each child’s needs are different. Your child may not eat
much at one time. That is okay. Small amounts may be
enough for a small stomach.
� Serve small amounts
� Start with 1 tablespoon of each food for each year of his or her
age
� Plan for second helpings
� Let your child’s appetite guide you
Provided by: NIBBLES FOR HEALTH 2 Nutrition Newsletters for
Parents of Young Children, USDA, Food and Nutrition Services