Summer is almost upon us, and this school season will be ending. As parents of preschoolers, it is scary and exciting to see what the next year will hold for our little ones. There are some things we can do to help prepare them for their first year of grammar school.
It was surreal for me when we picked our daughter up from her last day of preschool. I could not believe she was getting ready to start kindergarten in just a few short months. Then the panic of whether we had set her up for success had kicked in. Surely there was something we could do over the summer break.
First of all, we wanted to play to her strengths. She is very creative and artistic. We made sure to get her involved in a couple art classes we found in the local area. Simple online searches will reveal events and camps in your area that would appeal to your child. Look for those that will keep their interest alive and expand their minds in the area. In other words, make sure it is a little challenging to where they have to apply themselves but not so much that stresses them out.
This will help them maintain the structure of a classroom setting but still be something they enjoy. Not to mention, many things about school will come easily to them; however, some things will not. Another great thing to do is continue to work on reading with them. Reading in kindergarten is a bigger focus now than it was when I went in the 80’s. Read with them at night or right after work and help them pick out the words on the page. By now, they should be able to spot a couple they know.
Finally, have fun. They are kids about to start their school careers. Let them be kids. There aren’t too many innocent years left and we need to soak up every moment. I know parents care so much about the futures of their children and get them tutors or push activity after activity upon them. Yes, they are getting some great experiences and such, but they’re missing out on their childhood. There is plenty of time for them to stress over school topics and subjects later on. Find the balance that works for you and your kid.
This is the last summer before they begin their long school career. We can prepare them and still make it very enjoyable.