Tips for Kindergarten Parents
by Lois Johnson
November 10, 2009
Below are some helpful ideas for all kindergarten parents. Happy Reading!
Kindergarten:What to do at home
Talk often with your child to build listening and talking skills
- Talk with your child often...as you eat together, shop for groceries, walk to school, wait for a bus. As she gets ready for school, ask about the stories and poems she is reading and what projects she has in science or art time. Ask about friends and classmates (encourage her to use their names) and to describe the games they like to play together. Ask questions that will encourage her to talk, and not just give "yes" or "no" answers.
- Have your child use his imagination to make up and tell you stories. Ask questions that will encourage him to expand the stories.
Parent Talk
"Why didn't the dog just run away?"
"Where did the boy live?"
"What kind of eyes did the monster have?"
- Have a conversation about recent family photographs. Ask your child to describe each picture: who is in it, what's happening, and where the picture was taken.
- Listen to your child's questions patiently and answer them just as patiently. If you don't know the answer to a question, work together to find one (look things up in a book or on the computer, for example).
- Talk about books that you've read together. Ask your child about favorite parts and characters and answer his questions about events or characters.
- Pay attention to how much TV your child is watching. Set aside "no TV" time each day and use that time to talk together.
- Tell stories about your childhood. Make a story out of something that happened, such as a special birthday or a visit to a zoo or city.
Show your child how books and print work
- As you read with your child, have him point out such things as front and back covers and the title. Have him point out the names of authors and illustrators and tell what those people do. Have him show you where you should start reading on a page.
- Help your child make connections between print and pictures as you read. Have him find details in the pictures, then help him find and point to the words that name those details.
Focus your child's attention on the sounds of spoken language
- Sing or say nursery rhymes and songs.
- Play word games.
Parent Talk
"How many words can you say that rhyme with fox? With bill?"
- Read a story or poem and ask your child to listen for words that begin with the same sound. Have her say the words. Then have her say another word that begins with that sound.
- As you read, stop and say a simple word. Have your child say the sounds in the word, write the letters for the sounds, and then read what he wrote.
Parent Talk
"'The dog is big.' Big. Can you say the sounds in big? Now can you write the letters for the sounds? Good. Now read the word to me."
Have your child identify and name the letters of the alphabet
- Point out letters and have your child name them.
- Make an alphabet book with your child. Have him draw pictures or cut pictures from magazines or use old photos. Paste each picture into the book. With your child, write the first letter of the word that stands for the object or person in the picture (for example, B for bird, M for milk, and so on).
Support what your child is learning in school about the relationship between letters and sounds
- Point out labels, boxes, newspapers, magazines, and signs that display words with letter-sound relationships that your child is learning in kindergarten.
- Listen to your child read words and books from school. Be patient and listen as your child practices. Let your child know you are proud of what he is learning.
Encourage your child to spell and write
- When your child is writing, encourage him to spell words by using what he knows about sounds and letters.
- Encourage your child to write notes, e-mails, and letters to family members and friends. You may have your child tell you the message for you to write and include with her original work.
- Have your child create his own picture book made with his own drawings or with pictures that he cuts from magazines. Help him to label the pictures. Include pictures that illustrate the new words he is learning.
Help your child build vocabulary, knowledge of the world, and comprehension
- As you read aloud, pause from time to time to ask him about the meaning of the book. Help him make connections between his life and what's happening in the book. Explain new ideas and words to him. Encourage your child to ask questions about the book. Ask him to retell the story, or to tell in his own words what the book was about.
Parent Talk
"What was your favorite part of the story? Why did you like
it?"
"What new things did you learn from this book?"
"Why do you think Sam got lost? Sam said he wanted to explore the
forest. Explore means he wanted to find out what was in the
forest."
- Use and repeat important words such as names of buildings, parks, zoos, cities, and other places that you visit.
- Help your child develop an interest in the world. Read to him from your magazines and newspapers, as well as from informational (nonfiction) children's books. Help him to explore ideas and interests by using appropriate web sites.
