Preparing Child for Kindergarten Schedules: Here's How
Kindergarten Schedule
Of all the things your child has to adapt to, the kindergarten schedule might be the one you are most grateful for. When our children are babies, we work around their schedule. If they are hungry at 2 a.m., then we feed the at 2 a.m. As the child grows they know what you will and will not work around. Perhaps they can stay in their pajamas all day long. Maybe they are glued to the PS2 all day. Is lunch served at a particular time or is it served when someone yells that they are hungry? These are all things that need to be taken into consideration when preparing child for kindergarten. That’s because kindergarten readiness includes the ability to work within a schedule. Honestly, children do work better on a schedule since they know what to expect and when to expect it. Use the tips in the next section to help prepare you and your child for the new schedule.
Preparing for Kindergarten
These days, most kindergarten classes go all day. There are still some schools that permit the half-day kindergarten classes. Preparing your child for kindergarten means you need to be aware of what the schedule is so that you can be ready at home. For instance, if your child does go for a half-day, then they need to be fed the appropriate meal before going. This will be either lunch or breakfast. If they go for a full day then they need to have breakfast before going and you need to decide if they will take their lunch or buy it at the school. Use the tips below to guide you in preparing your family for the new schedule.
- Try to get a copy of the class schedule.
- Begin using the class schedule in your own home a week or two before class starts. For instance, if the children go to lunch at 11 a.m., then start making sure lunch is ready at that same time so your child can get used to eating at that time.
- Begin the school year bedtime a week or two before school actually starts. By the time school starts, your child will be used to the sleeping schedule.
- Wake your child up at the wake up time for school for a week or two before it starts. This helps them and their bodies get used to the waking up routine.
- Try to keep your child focused on activities during the day. If they are used to this when they go to school, it won’t be so hard for them to be able to keep on task during school hours and know that playtime begins at a specific time.
- If you extend the routine into the rest of the day, you will find that your child will be more cooperative and will probably end up reminding you that certain things are supposed to be done at certain times!
These are just some of the ways to begin the process preparing child for kindergarten. The idea is that the change from home to kindergarten won’t be so traumatic to anyone if everyone is prepared for it. Talk to the child’s teacher to learn more about specific kindergarten readiness skills that your child will need.
This post is part of the series: Kindergarten Readiness Skills
Is your child ready for kindergarten? Make sure they are prepared with the kindergarten readiness skills they need to do their best academically and socially.
