Parents often ask us to what they can do to help their child with their learning. Each grade level has their own set of learning expectancies that are taught and learned within that grade level. These are some simple things you can do with your child at home to help your child meet just a few of the many learning expectancies for kindergarten.
Pray with your child. Each child needs to master the Sign of the Cross (words and correct actions), the Hail Mary, Our Father, and the Prayer Before Meals.
Count with your child. Your child should be able to recognize, write, and count accurately through 20. Many students learn to count to 100 in kindergarten. The students should be able to count by fives and tens and may be counting by twos to 100 later in the year.
Tell time. Help your child learn to tell time to the hour. Once this becomes easy, you could even practice telling time to the half hour.
Use coins. Students will identify a pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters and name their value. They will learn to count coins up to 12c.
Practice right and left with your child.
Name shapes. Students need to identify squares, circles, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, and ovals.
Work with patterns. Encourage your child to find patterns, build patterns, and continue patterns.
Name rhyming words. Work with your child to see how many words you can name that rhyme with a word like cat, star, or jam.
Teach your child to learn to tie their shoes.
Encourage your child to write. They can make birthday cards for relatives, write a note to a family member, write a sentence or two to go with a picture they have drawn, make a grocery list to help you, or just write for fun!
Read, read, read! Read fiction and nonfiction books to your child and discuss the stories you read. Have fun making predictions or ask your child to retell the story in his/her own words. This is a great way to build comprehension skills. Listen to him/her read the books they will bring home (later in the year), and encourage the whole family to spend time reading. Take time to read signs, captions, directions, and posters with your child when you see them.
Pray with your child. Each child needs to master the Sign of the Cross (words and correct actions), the Hail Mary, Our Father, and the Prayer Before Meals.
Count with your child. Your child should be able to recognize, write, and count accurately through 20. Many students learn to count to 100 in kindergarten. The students should be able to count by fives and tens and may be counting by twos to 100 later in the year.
Tell time. Help your child learn to tell time to the hour. Once this becomes easy, you could even practice telling time to the half hour.
Use coins. Students will identify a pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters and name their value. They will learn to count coins up to 12c.
Practice right and left with your child.
Name shapes. Students need to identify squares, circles, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, and ovals.
Work with patterns. Encourage your child to find patterns, build patterns, and continue patterns.
Name rhyming words. Work with your child to see how many words you can name that rhyme with a word like cat, star, or jam.
Teach your child to learn to tie their shoes.
Encourage your child to write. They can make birthday cards for relatives, write a note to a family member, write a sentence or two to go with a picture they have drawn, make a grocery list to help you, or just write for fun!
Read, read, read! Read fiction and nonfiction books to your child and discuss the stories you read. Have fun making predictions or ask your child to retell the story in his/her own words. This is a great way to build comprehension skills. Listen to him/her read the books they will bring home (later in the year), and encourage the whole family to spend time reading. Take time to read signs, captions, directions, and posters with your child when you see them.
