Starting kindergarten is an exciting time for you and your child. There are many things to consider and ways to help your child have a healthy and successful start to school.
There are a number of things you can do as a parent/caregiver to support your child’s development and check if your child is ready for school. You can also help your child develop social, persistence and speech and language skills.
Social Skills
Being friendly, working together, sharing, taking turns, listening and giving a compliment.
- Model social skills with your own behaviour such as helping, sharing, listening and complimenting.
- Encourage your child by giving them the words to use.
Example: “Look at what your friend has made. Do you think you can give him a compliment?”
- Praise the social behaviour that you want to see continued.
Example: “Thank you for sharing or thank you for waiting your turn.”
Persistence Skills
The ability to stay on task.
- Praise your child’s efforts when they work on difficult or challenging tasks.
Example: “That is frustrating and you are staying calm and trying to do that again.”
Speech and Language Skills
Reading and speaking
- Talk to your child and answer their questions
- Encourage your child to try new words, to imagine and watch the world around them
- Describe behaviours and objects when playing with your child.
Example: “You have the red car and the yellow truck.”
See Preschool Speech and Language Program for ways you can support your child’s speech and language development.
