First things first, head over and check out our article on 30 SKILLS YOUR PRESCHOOLER SHOULD HAVE BEFORE GOING TO KINDERGARTEN. Now that you know the skills your preschooler will need for kindergarten, here are some great readiness activities to prepare them ahead of time!
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL SKILLS
Sharing
If you’re looking for the perfect activity to teach your preschooler about sharing, then you have to check out Sunny Day Family for a super fun game called “Pass the Ice Cream” inspired by Mo Willems book “Should I Share My Ice Cream?”
Don’t have the book? No worries, here’s a free read along on youtube!
Following Directions
If your preschooler needs some help following directions check out Playing With Words 365 for some classic games preschoolers should still be playing every day!
Express Feelings
To be able to express feelings, your preschooler must first be able to identify them. Check out this awesome book “The Color Monster” to help your preschooler learn about their emotions in a super creative way. If you love it, grab a copy of it on Amazon.
Then be sure to check out Apperson for some hands-on activities to keep the learning going.
Learn Empathy
Check out The Pathway for Success for some great strategies to teach your preschooler about kindness and empathy.
FINE MOTOR SKILLS
Fine motor skills build the small muscles in your preschooler’s fingers, hands, and wrists. These muscles are important for activities such as cutting, writing, painting, playing with playdough, and so much more. Here’s some great activities you can do with your preschooler to develop these much needed muscles.
GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
Gross motor skills build the large muscles in your preschooler’s arms, shoulders, back, and legs. These muscles are important for performing activities like running, jumping, dancing, skipping, and more! Check out Hands On as We Grow for a tong of great activities to get your preschooler moving and building all of their major muscles.
READING/WRITING SKILLS
By kindergarten your preschooler will be expected to have these reading/writing skills:
- Can hold a book correctly, and flip through the pages
- Know the difference between fiction and nonfiction
- Recognize rhyming words
- Recognize many letters and their sounds
- Read one syllable words
- Can hold a pencil correctly
- Can write at least some of their name
MATH/SCIENCE SKILLS
Shapes & Colors
The Measured Mom has some great ideas for hands-on ways to teach your preschooler about their shapes and colors.
Numbers
Check out Pre-k pages for a list of 40 amazing number and counting games.
Animals
Here’s a great list of activities that teach your preschooler about animals in ways that incorporate all of the skills your preschooler needs for kindergarten.
More!
Head over to Teaching Mama for some great hands-on math activities and then be sure to check out these fun science experiments
ART/MUSIC SKILLS
- Check out this great project that allows your preschooler to create a painting inspired by a song
- Check out Hands On as We Grow for some great art projects for a preschooler who needs a little challenge
- Head over to Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds for some great music and movement activities
- Last but not least, enjoy these art projects from Happy Hooligans
How to Choose a Preschool for Your Child
Arianna Purifoy
Using the techniques of class in my childcare. Not overbearing the parent in all the wrongs but working together towards better results of early childhood education.