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Preparing for Kindergarden
kbarber1985 March 21, 2011
My daughter will be 5 in May, and will be starting kindergarden in August. She can not recognize her ABC's and numbers. The only letters she knows are the letters that are in her name. I have tried numberous games and activity books, but its like she just doesn't care....What elese is there that I can do and does she need to recognize her letters and numbers before she starts kindergarden?
MagnetMom March 21, 2011
Have you let her "quiz" you? Let her play the teacher, and you be the student. That's often unique enough to pique her interest. Or fill a baking pan with rice, and let her trace the letters in the rice. Or use magnet letters.
Sometimes, kids feel that you're feeling the pressure to teach them something and they lose interest in the "game."
She's still four, and when she does start school, students come in with all types of skill sets. Let the teacher know your concerns, and let the teacher assess her as well.
Good luck.67957
DrHaws March 21, 2011
If she hasn't had an eye exam, the American Optometric Association recommends a first eye exam at 3 years of age and again before entering kindergarten. Perhaps its a lack of interest, but it may be unidentified visual strain that leads her to avoid concentrating on your games and learning books. Find a pediatric optometrist or ophthalmologist (either one would be great).67963
Kindermom55 March 21, 2011
Hi, I'm a retired Kinder teacher, and recognizing all her letter names/sounds and numbers from 0 to 20 is actually a Kindergarten standard, even though they are now being taught in preschools. Perhaps what you are interpreting as not caring is actually your daughter just not being ready for those skills. I happen to believe that all-day, all-academic Kinder is damaging to many students because children learn and develop at different rates, and too much academics actually goes against a young child's developmental milestones. Some of what's being taught in Kinder is what I didn't learn until first or even second grade. However, it is what it is....I would continue with the games and activities, but only if they are fun for her. Once she gets to Kinder, you can stay in close contact with her teacher, who will be doing regular assessments to ensure that she's progressing --she is still only 4, and you will probably see a change once she's actually 5, or even 5-1/2. 67972
AdelaDAlcira June 27, 2011
Read a lot of books whenever you have time specially before bed time. Point every words you read, my son is 27mons, and he even grab my finger when he wants me to read besides saying the "read please" words. Display posters of ABC's and Numbers from her room and next time you know she's reading them. I think I read a thousand times already for one book...lol..but it is worth it. Needs a lot of patience and non-stop talking to make them response to you. Goodluck!71265
antkeddie September 20, 2011
Starfall.com is the BEST! Even if she does not know how to use a computer. You can teach her the basics of using a mouse and tell her to "click on anything that sparkles", she will TAKE OFF!! Both my girls learned soooooooooooooooooooo much from that site! It blows my mind! My youngest will beg me to get on "her games", sometimes even cry if I'm not quick enough about it =) For example my 4 year old knew about 5 different letters by sight and sound before starfall, 2 weeks of playing on the site (when she wanted to) she knows 3/4 of her alphabet, all numbers 1-10, she's counting ALL the time, she knows all her colors without hesitation. It is wonderful!!! I can't say enough about it, it really makes learning fun. After a couple weeks of playing on starfall, hand her a stack of ABC Flashcards and see what she does with them, it will blow you away!! And another great part is, it's FREE!! You can subscribe to an expanded version of starfall for..... I think $12.00 or so? I forget exactly, but it pays for a whole year! The expanded version is not necessary though. The free version covers all ABC's, some numbers, colors, music, reading, printables and alot more. Oh I forgot to mention, this website came recommended to me by my 9 year olds preschool teacher some time ago. Even though it was great then, it has evolved over the years into a WONDERFUL learning site from pre-k on up to the older kids with multipication and division. Hope this helps a little =)73591
TeacherParent September 23, 2011
What she needs to know for Kindergarten varies from community to community really. In some areas, preschool has been very standard and many families enroll their children in preschool for a year or even two years before Kindergarten. Those children learn their alphabet and numbers and enrolling your daughter in the right preschool or nursery school this year might help to prepare her for next year in Kindergarten.
If most families in your area though don't put their children in preschool, then your community's Kindergarten will teach the basics. Things like shapes - circle, square, rectangle, triangle - and certainly knowing colors and their names. Those are two basic skills taught in preschool along with the alphabet and numbers.73663
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