Lessons for 4 Yr Old to Prep for Kindergarten

Flashcards? Curriculum? lessons? ?!?! A child's work is to PLAY!

My son just started 1st grade and is reading at the 2nd/3rd grade level. So he's no dummy there. So, let me tell you what I've done to promote such a good reader (not much, really!)

1. Read with him. Take him to the library, and let him bring home a stack each week. At around this age, I started letting him have a word that was "his" to read. For example when reading Put Me In The Zoo, "zoo" was his word to read. I'd read and point to the words as I went along and pause at zoo, letting him read that. Or "Max" from Where The Wild Things Are, etc. Pick a word that is unique, easily recognizable, and appears often throughout a familiar book. Progress from there to other words like "dog" or "Little Red Riding Hood" and so on.
My purpose in doing this was to help him make the connection between the words of the story and the words on the page, and it must've worked, because he just took off with reading from there (around age 5)

2. Do things with him, it's a little harder/messier/longer when you let him "help" you but it's GREAT! Have him count how many cups & plates are on the table, how many (whatever) go into the bowl you're mixing, keep track of cups of flour (if you bake from scratch instead of mixes) or eggs. Have him find the 1/4 cup from the several you have out.
Have him help you figure out which pile of laundry the dark blue towel or the white shirt goes, etc.
How many people in the family? 4, ok, but baby sister is too little to eat big people food, so how many ___ do we need? If we cut this quesadilla in half, then in 3 pieces each, how many pieces do we have? Just little things like that, talking all day long.

Playing with colored blocks, bears, etc (adding, counting, sorting, subtracting, grouping, etc). Doing puzzles. Teach him to notice how straight edges of puzzle pieces line up with each other, and how two similarly colored areas fit each other.

Anyway... For Kindergarten they need to know...

*Colors
*ABC's
*counting (at least 1-10 to start with, by the end of K, to 100)
*how to hold a pencil & draw/write
*how to cut with scissors
*writing ABC's
*their name
*gluing & pasting (make it fun and combine with math by patterning colored paper chains, for example. use for birthday streamers, hooray days, christmas, etc)
*I think it helps being able to sit and do some drawing/cutting/coloring/reading for 15 mins??
*taking turns & waiting for his turn
*recognizing letters, patterns, etc.

I will admit to having used some of those workbooks out there ;-) We never made it "school" though, and we have not finished most of them.

Oh and TURN OFF THE TV!!! No more than one or two videos/shows a day! My son's attitude & behavior is MUCH better when weaned off TV/computer time! So use it sparingly, as a reward NOT a right.

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Check out www.starfall.com Great website for pre-k & k kids. My daughter learned a lot on this website.

Hope this helps.

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I highly recommend using brighter visions to school your son. http://www.learningadventures.com/ I used it with both of my kids. It was wonderful, to this day they still talk about it and loved doing it. When my daughter was a baby I did this program with my son during the baby's nap times for special mommy time. He loved his special time. The kids really learn a lot with this program. I put them in Kindergarten and they already new everything. We did the school thing for a couple of years but now homeschool both kids. If you can, I would really highly recommend homeschooling, instead of sending him off to school. Another thing to check out is www.sonlight.com We use them to homeschool with now. They have programs for kids your sons age too.

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Hello! I am a former preschool and kindergarten teacher and am now a SAHM. The best things to prepare you child for kindergarten are letter recognition (upper and Lower)- start with just the letters in his name and family members names, number recognition 0-20, shapes and colors. Also work on letter sounds and print concepts, i.e., how to hold a book, that we read from left to right, top to bottom, the difference between a letter and word. The best ways to teach thease things are to read lots of books (look for ones that have simple repatitive text - Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?) and sing lots of songs. Find poems with rhymes and alliteration (words all starting with the same sound). Limit TV! I can always tell teh students who watch a lot of TV versus the ones who don't.

As far as teaching reading, I believe the best way is teaching a balance of literacy instruction. This includes phonics and whole language (meaning leanring how we use words and language in our everyday lives)and working with words. Get letter tiles and build words, take them apart and build new words.

Play is also a wonderful way to learn. Build with blocks, do puzzles, dress up, go for walks and talk about all the colors and things you see and the sounds you hear. I alwasy had my preschool students keep a daily journal - They would practice writing their names and then "write" or draw whatever they were thinking about that day. I believe children learn best from lots of hands-on learning rather than through workbooks. Bring in materials that he can explore and discover new ideas.

Other than that, teach him how to tie his shoes and the biggest thing is to learn patience. When you are doing something else, teach him to wait until it is his turn.

Hope this helps!

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I'm doing the same with my 3 year old son and using a montessori approach. Check out the book "How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way" for some good ideas on activities. I think his learning experience will be much more enriching this way, plus it saves us money. Not only will he be learning, but also bonding with me. I feel like I'm fighting society on this, as it seems like most people I know consider preschool as a necessity. I never went to preschool and I excelled in school and always loved learning. I love spending time nurturing and teaching my children, and I'm putting off the time he's gone from me all day as long as possible. It's nice to see someone else with the same approach. I look forward to the answers you receive. I am a member of MOMS Club and I really enjoy it, and it helps ease my concern over my son socializing and interacting with other children since he won't be attending preschool.

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Hi there-
There are a lot of great resources out there.....when you start digging, it may be a little overwhelming.

Whatever you decide to use remember:
1. Start simple and fun
2. No pressure
3. Keep your sessions short
4. Reward a lot!

For learning to read, Phonics has proven to be the best. So whatever you use, focus on phonics sounds, etc.
A BEKA is a very solid program- just google it and ask them for a catalog. They have lots of stuff for your son's age group. My 3 boys all learned to read through A BEKA and were reading fluently by ages 4-5..... no credit to me (they were in a Christian school then)... but it worked great for them and they really loved it.

I wish you the best and great success. Have fun!

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Kids need to know numbers 1-30, how to write their name, recognize the letters of the alphabet and their shapes and colors.
I liked the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons; it helps kids learn to read through phonics and they learn the sounds the letters make as well as what they look like and how to write them. There are also good workbooks at CVS or the grocery store that say "Getting your Preschooler ready to do Math" etc. I also like the videos by Leap Frog that teach letters and sounds and words, like Letter Factory.
I think if you spend a little time each day on the reading/writing and math book, plus coloring, that he will be fine. The most important things are social and character development, which you are the best one to do! Enjoy time with him, it goes by too fast!

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Hello,

I'm in my 9th year of homeschooling and I have a 9th grader, 8th grader, 3rd grader and Kindergartener. I will give you some suggestions that I found helpful to me! If you want to do "work books" then pick up some cheap ones at Wal-Mart or Barnes and Noble. Read lots and lots of books from the library etc, practice shape and number recognition. You can do this yourself. Have your son draw a picture every day and "write" a story about what he drew. It could be anything. Then ask him what his story is about and you write down what he wrote. You can have him practice writing his name by teaching him one letter at a time. Have him make a calender at the first of every month. You can fill in all of the calender and have him decorate it or you can have him write one or more of the numbers in the squares. Practice counting with the calender, the days of the week etc. Have him go outside and look at the plants, trees, sky, animals etc. then have him draw a picture of what he saw. Have him make a book and have each page answer a question that he can draw or cut pictures out of a magazine. What's your favorite animal, time of year, holiday, book etc. Then staple the pages together and make it into a book. Have him cut out shapes (or you cut them out) and have him glue them to construction paper and make a picture with the shapes etc. The "school" part of pre-school should only last a short time 15 minutes unless he is having fun and he wants to do more. If he is resisting, just read or play a game or play with toys. At this age, this is an important part of "school." I hope that helps. Good luck! PS I also recommend the book "Teaching Your Child to Read in 100 Easy lessons." I used this for all 4 of my kids.

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I didn't read the other replies but I highly recommend the A Beka curriculum. It's a great academic start but it is faith-based if you have issues with that. It is highly structured and will provide a foundation that will supercede his peers.

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There's an article in the new issue of "Parenting" magazine that you may find helpful. I don't have the mag in front of me to be able to give you the article title. To echo one of the points of the article, that supports my own experience as a former preschool teacher, your child's future kindergarten teacher is going to expect your child to have certain social/emotional skills, like the ability to function in a group environment, wait for his turn, and get along/problem solve with other children. Counting 30, knowing colors, and writing his name are good things to know, but those are things that can be learned fairly quickly - the social stuff is harder. I COMPLETELY understand your reasons for not enrolling him preschool. Maybe you could find other parents with simiarly aged kids that you could get together with regularly so all of the kids would have some opportunity to socialize with peers. A gymnastics class or a non-competitive soccer club could also give him valuable opportunities to experience team work and socializing with peers.

As far as the academic skills, children learn best through play. Give him opportunities for open ended exploration indoors and out. Encourage him to engage in pretend play with his toys - alone, with other kids, and with you. Ask him open ended questions about his play, drawings, observations, where he really has to think and problem solve about what he's doing. Learning in real, natural contexts is where the most valuable learning occurs. Let him cook with you - it's a great way to introduce science and math concepts in a developmentally appropriate way. Sorting laundry with you is a great opportunity to discuss color and texture. Do weather and temperature checks at regular points throughout the day. let him help you "write" grocery lists (representing items with drawings is a beginning writing skill). Have him help you "read" street signs, store signs, and cereal boxes when you are out running errands. Count cars, how many blue houses do you think we'll see today - so many possibilities for learning in the everyday. Most of all, have fun and enjoy this special time with him. You are creating a love of learning that will last a lifetime and that is an amazing gift to give your child.

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There is a store called Yuma Teaching Supplies and if you speak with the people there they have programs booklets and educational plans you can follow. It is a relaly great store, it is located by the Applebees on 4th Ave. Good luck and they may have a few fun things for the baby as well!

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Hi CS-

I am a teacher. Make sure that you really wish to do this. They do eventually grow out of the constant illness. Good diet, vitamins, and kind teachers as well as curriculum that they are able to handle are key.

There is an old Christian school curriculum for very young children- I may or may not still have it- think I gave it to a friend who is in charge of a pre-school program. However, the materials are under the name of BECCA with an age descriptor. The Christian part of the curriculum is isolated in case you're not interested in that portion, and they are very though in their descriptions of content and materials. The program is the best I can recommend. The state should also have some info on home-schooling, including suggested programing. Check with your state department of education.

Do not deliver academic content in a heavy way, or he will grow to hate it. Read to him, and answer his questions honestly, but without unnecessary detail. Right now, I would have your child watch "Blues Clues" and "Sesame Street" on TV daily. That will be enough. Introduce him to other children so that he can be part of a playgroup. Look into Montessori methods and materials- they are wonderful. Good luck- S.

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Our 5 yr old is going to go to Kindergarten this year and we prepped him by asking the teacher at the school what we need him to know.... They gave us all the information and he is actually now ready for 1st grade! I asked what do they expect all Kinder's to know at the end of the school yr to pass on to the 1st grade. Ask the teacher at the local school....
It is great to know that there are other parents out there that are interested in helping their child learn!!!

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we currently homeschool our son and have been doing so since he was 2yrs old- now he is four. It has been a mixture of traditional and non-traditional activities. I purchased Hooked on Phonics learn to write set from Big Lots for 20 dollars to help with writing and a have purchased a few other work books from target too. Also here are some sites I really like
www.letteroftheweek.com
www.dltk-kids.com
www.earlychildhoodprintables.com
www.crayola.com

There are tons more just google preschool activities or printouts. Best wishes and remember to have fun.

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I have no homeschool info but I want to applaud you for doing what you feel is best for your son! He will enjoy this time with you and you are so capable of teaching him. There are so many opportunities for learning all around you. Getting involved in a play group will also benefit you and your kids. They will get to play with kids and you will get to talk to adults.

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I googled around for a bit when looking for preschool objectives for my 3 year old and new mexico actually has very detailed standards.

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HI, my kids are in 9th &10th grade. We've been homeschooling since they each were in the third grade. You can look at BJU.com or Abeka.com. You can get just the books which isn't to hard at the younger ages. We've been using Abeka w/ the dvd's, it's a video of the actual classrooms for each subject. You just missed the homeschool convention in July; definately worth the trip almost more info than you take in, in a weekend. The kids love to go. If you allow him use of the computer w/ your supervision the Reader Rabbit learning games are GREAT. The younger they are the easier it is to start. At four yrs old trying to do a "scheduled" school day can be over whelming especially w/ a baby. Check out AFHE.com too. In bigger areas you could probably find a homeschool support group. My grama babysat my little sister and by the time she was 5 she was reading, writing & doing + &-; just using little work books from the grocery stores.
Happy teaching :>).

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As a teacher & mom, I have a couple suggestions. As previously mentioned, make sure the learning is fun. You can put numerals on dessert plates and have him put that many carrots (or whatever) on the plate. Make alphabet flashcards out of seasonal paper or di-cuts. Let him use his favorite colors to practice writing his name, etc... My second suggestion is to teach him the letter sounds before the letter names. This will make reading come along much more quickly. Finally, when you are working on writing his name, make sure you teach him to capitalize only the first letter in his name. Many kinder teachers spend a lot of time correcting all caps in names. But by far, the most important thing is to make the learning fun. Get creative & don't stress. If you have fun working with him, he'll have fun learning.

I can't believe I almost left out reading!!! Read to him as much as he'll let you. Celebrate reading & make sure it's always a positive experience.

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I bought all of the pre-k and kindergarten workbooks that I could find. Walmart has them as well as Walgreens. Walgreens had the better selection.

I also used a phonics program to teach my 4 year old how to read. She could read at a first grade level when she entered kinder.

When her older sisters got on the bus, we would go inside and start our work. I only did it for as long as she was interested. This way, she never got bored of it.

Good Luck!
K. Barreto

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