A Message for Kindergarten Parents

K-  Kindle excitement about kindergarten. Visit your school and meet your child's teacher.

I-    Invite new school friends home to play and help your child build strong friendships.

N-  Never forget safety. Teach your child safety rules-whether walking or taking the bus.

D-  Discuss what your child will be learning in school - colors, numbers,shapes,and letters.

E-  Explore your neighborhood together. Talk about the world you live in.

R-  Review the good behavior expected of your child,such as following rules and taking turns.

G-  Get involved at your child's school. Join the PTA or PTO. Volunteer in the classroom.

A-  Answer your child's questions about school. Reassure your child that school is fun.

R-  Read to your child daily. Visit the library together.

T-  Turn every day into a learning experience. Let your child help with everyday chores.

E-  Encourage your child to eat well,get enought sleep,bathe daily,and brush teeth 2x a day.

N-Notice the new things your child is learning to do. Reinforce your child's progress with praise.

Some Kindergarten Rhymes

Hey! diddle, diddle

The cat and the fiddle,

The cow jumped over the moon;

The little dog laughed

To see such sport,

And the dish ran away with the spoon.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baa, baa, black sheep,

Have you any wool?

Yes sir, yes sir,

Three bags full;

One for my master,

One for my dame,

And one for the little boy

That lives in our lane.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hickory, dickory, dock,

The mouse ran up the clock;

The clock struck one,

The mouse ran down;

Hickory, dickory, dock.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack and Jill went up the hill,

To fetch a pail of water;

Jack fell down, and broke his crown,

And Jill came tumbling after.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating of curds and whey;

There came a spider,

And sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One, two,

Buckle my shoe;

Three, four,

Shut the door;

Five, six,

Pick up sticks;

Seven eight,

Lay them straight;

Nine, ten,

A good fat hen;

Eleven, twelve,

Who will delve?

Thirteen, fourteen,

Maids a-courting;

Fifteen, sixteen,

Maids a-kissing;

Seventeen, eighteen,

Maids a-waiting;

Nineteen, twenty,

My stomach's empty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake,

Baker's man,

Bake me a cake

As fast as you can;

Prick it and pat it,

And mark it with T,

And put it in the oven

For Teddy and me.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rock-a-bye, baby,

In the tree top:

When the wind blows,

The cradle will rock;

When the bough breaks,

The cradle will fall;

Down will come baby,

Cradle and all.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,

Home again, home again, dancing a jig;

To market, to market, to buy a fat hog;

Home again, home again, jiggety-jog;

To market, to market, to buy a plum bun,

Home again, home again, market is done.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,

Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown,

Rapping at the window, crying through the lock,

"Are the children in their beds, for now it's eight o'clock?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two Twin Aeroplanes

Flying High

Circling and Turning

In the Sky

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Engine Engine Number Nine

When its ready it will shine

Engine Engine Number Nine

Then we will ride on Mumbai line

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Little Bo Peep

Lost her Sheep

And cant tell where to find them

Leave them alone

And they will come home

Bringing their tails behind them

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five little freckled frogs

Sitting on a hollow log

Eating some delicious bugs

Yum Yum Yum

One jumped into the pool

Where it was nice and cool

Now there are four little freckled frogs

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Four little monkeys

Jumping on the bed

One fell down and broke his head

Mamma called the doctor

The doctor said, No more monkeys jumping on the bed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A tisket A tasket

My green and yellow basket

I wrote a letter to my mother

On the way I lost it

A postman found the letter

And put it in my basket

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goosey Goosey Gander

Where shall I wander

Upstairs and Downstairs

And in the Lady’s chamber

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One Two Three Four Five

Once I caught a fish alive

Six Seven Eight Ten

Then I let it go again

Why did you let it go

Because it bit my finger so

Which finger did it bite

The little finger on the right

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hot cross buns

Hot cross buns

One a penny, two a penny

Hot cross buns

If you have no daughters, give them to your sons

One a penny, two a penny

Hot cross buns

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pat a cake

Pat a cake

Bakers man

Bake me a cake as fast as you can

Bake it and prick it

And mark it with T

And put it in the oven

For teacher and me

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rolly Polly Rolly Polly

Up Up Up

Rolly Polly Rolly Polly

Down Down Down

Rolly Polly Rolly Polly

In In In

Rolly Polly Rolly Polly

Out Out Out

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Open Shut them

Open Shut them

Give them a little clap

Open Shut them

Open Shut them

Lay them on your lap

Creep them Creep them

Creep them Creep them

Bring them to your chin

Open your mouth

Ahhhhhhhhhh

Do not put them in

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a bath

I try try try

To wipe myself

Till I am dry dry dry

Hands to wash

And fingers and toes

Two wet legs

And a shiney nose

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

Had a wife but could not keep her

He then kept her in a pumpkin shell

And there he kept her very well

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Row Row Row your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily

Life is such a dream

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mary Mary Quite contrary

How does your garden grow

With silver shells and bobtail shells

And pretty maids all in a row

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I love you, you love me

We are all a family

With a great big hug

And a kiss from me to you

Then you say

You love me too.

Kindergarten: What Will They Learn?

In kindergarten, the major goal is to help your child become comfortable in school. She'll learn to get along with others, follow rules, and some of the basic skills needed to read, write, and do math. Find out what else your child will learn this year.

• Recognize and form uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

• Match sounds to each alphabet letter.

• Recognize and use rhyming words.

• Begin reading words by using initial consonant sounds and such sound patterns as -an and -at (fan, man, can) and (sat, rat, pat).

• Recognize a few frequently used sight words such as: the, and, is.

• Capitalize the first and last name of a person and the word "I".

• Count, recognize, and write the numbers up to 20.

• Identify, draw, cut, and name squares, circles, triangles, ovals, diamonds, and rectangles.

• Classify and group objects according to such characteristics as shape, color, size, texture, and so on.

• Understand how people in communities work together.

• Use their five senses to make simple scientific observations.

Good parenting in kindergarten increases chances of good kids in fourth grade

How you interact with your children when they’re just starting kindergarten helps determine their behavior by the time they finish fourth grade. The early parent-child relationships, including warmth, good communication and parental tracking of child behavior, serve as important building blocks for later monitoring (knowing where your child is, with whom, and what he or she is doing outside the home) later in childhood. To determine this, researchers tracked 267 boys and girls from kindergarten through fourth grade, 43 percent of whom lived in intact families with two biological parents at the start of the study. They found that while early parent-child relationships served as important early building blocks for effective later monitoring, problems such as aggression, lying and stealing that appeared early in a child’s life interfered with the development of effective monitoring during the transition to adolescence, probably because children with conduct problems avoided their parents’ surveillance, didn’t want to provide information, and/or became angry and resistant when their parents attempted to monitor their behavior outside the home.


A key finding is that effective early interventions need to focus on warmth and communication in the parent-child relationship, which, this study suggests, reduces the early appearance of child conduct problems and also provides the foundation for effective monitoring in adolescence. Even in the absence of early intervention to promote effective parenting, school-based or child-focused interventions to reduce conduct problems in elementary school may facilitate later monitoring efforts by parents.


"Our findings indicate that both parents and children contribute to the development of effective monitoring practices, and the building blocks that promote effective monitoring in adolescence are laid down in the early elementary school years,"
 

Tips for the Kindergarten Parent

Starting kindergarten is a big transition for most children because it is the start of a new experience in a new environment. Children may be very anxious about entering kindergarten because they are fearful of the unknown. It is also a big transition for parents, because you begin to realize how quickly your child is growing up and becoming more independent. It is extremely important for parents to take a proactive role in assisting their children to help them adjust to kindergarten and to enjoy the new journey that they are about to embark on.



Help to prepare your child academically

Find out what skills the teacher expects your child to know and weave these skills into everyday activities


Reading
Read with your child and connect what you read with real life situations. For example if you are reading a story about a vacation, relate it to your last trip to DisneyWorld. In addition, read your child's favorite book for the 100th time! As you read, pause and ask your child about what is going on in the book.

Letter Recognition
Play the trace a letter game: Have your child use a finger to trace a letter while saying the letter’s name. Tell him/her the sound of that letter and give a word example. You can trace letters on paper, in sand or even a plate of sugar. Once they get to know their letter try and do it on their back to see if they can figure it out. I did this with my children and we actually got to the point where we would spell out words on each others backs. It makes for great fun while they are learning their letters and how to spell words. Continually, talk about letters and sounds to help your child learn the names of the letters and the sounds that the letters make. Turn it into a game! "I'm thinking of a letter and it makes the sound mmmmmm." Pick a letter of the day and see how many thing you can find that begin with that letter.

Counting
Play games that involve counting while you do your everyday errands and chores.

Practice self-help skills
Teachers don't have much time to help each individual child, so make sure your child can zip, button, tie shoes, and tell which shoe goes on which foot. Make sure he/she is independent in using the toilet and washing hands.

Review bus safety
Make sure you child understands the importance of staying far away from the bus. Never run toward the bus. Keep all papers, snacks and other belongings in their backpack in order to eliminate them dropping something and then attempting to retrieve it around the bus.Be sure you child is familiar with your neighborhood so that they can find your house if the bus approaches from a different direction.Make sure they realize they ONLY get off at their own stop. A bus driver can make a mistake – it is easy to confuse names and faces at the beginning of the year. If you need your child to get off at another bus stop make sure you give the bus driver a note.Teach your child his or her name and address so if they need to repeat it to another adult they are capable of doing so. Arrange a tour of the school bus. Walk through the process of getting on the bus. Bus drivers can help explain this and offer safety tips. Walk to and from your bus so that your child can see where he/she will be getting on and off the bus.

Visit the school
Let the child see the inside of the school and visit their classroom so that they feel comfortable being there. Show them where the bathrooms, gym, and library are located.

Involve your child
Have your child shop and pick out supplies that they will need for school Let him/her organize the new backpack with their supplies. Be sure to label everything that they will take with them to school: hats, gloves, coats, supplies, backpack, and lunch box.

Establish a routine
At night have your child to pick an outfit for the next school day, and pack their book bag. This will help eliminate confusion in the morning. Prepare your child for a more structured day, so set a schedule and keep to it. It is important for you to include mealtime, play time, homework time and reading time in the schedule.

Get Involved in your child’s school
Create a relationship with your child’s teacher and principal to ensure you are up to date with your child’s progress. In addition learn the names of other important people at school, it will make it easier to discuss your child's day with them if you can use names that they are familiar with.
Become familiar with school programs and events. You need to set a good example for your child, if you are positive and encouraging towards school, your child will be too. Teachers appreciate your involvement and assistance in school activities and kids love to have their parents both in the classroom and on field trips. You can do as little or as much as time permits. A great way to get involved, if you have the time, is to become a home room parent. You will then have the opportunity to plan and participate in the classroom activities such as holiday parties. It is also beneficial for you to get involved in school activities because it will give you the opportunity to meet other parents.

Emergency clothes
School will most likely ask you to provide them with a change of clothing, in case of an accident. This is for spills as well as bathroom accidents.

How to prepare your child for kindergarten?

Kindergarten will be a time of many changes for your child. He or she will have to adjust to new teachers, new children, new schedules, and routines. Having a successful entry into kindergarten will help your child have a positive attitude about school and learning. To get your child ready for kindergarten, you should:

• Read books about starting kindergarten.

• Talk enthusiastically with your child about starting kindergarten.

• Reassure your child’s feelings of anxiety or fear.

• Plan for your child to visit his or her new school.

• Tell your child about the kinds of work he or she will be doing in kindergarten.

• Talk about and practice new routines.

• Spend extra time on the first day of school but do not “drag out” saying good-bye.

What is Kindergarten Schooling?

Kindergarten  (German, literally means "children's garden") is a form of education for young children which serves as a transition from home to the commencement of more formal schooling. Children are taught to develop basic skills through creative play and social interaction. In most countries kindergarten is part of the preschool system[1] of early childhood education. Children usually attend kindergarten any time between the ages of two and three years.

Children attend kindergarten to learn to communicate, play, and interact with others appropriately. A teacher provides various materials and activities to motivate these children to learn the language and vocabulary of reading, mathematics, and science, as well as that of music, art, and social behaviors. For children who previously have spent most of their time at home, kindergarten may serve the purpose of helping them adjust to being apart from their parents without anxiety. It may be their first opportunity to play and interact with a consistent group of children on a regular basis.