Getting Ready for Kindergarten with My Library (Part 1)

 

 Getting Ready for Kinder using the

“Colorado Day by Day Family Literacy Calendar”

And our Libraries

 

 

Part 1: Social Emotional Development

 

Social development is a huge part of growing up, but what is Social Development? Social development involves learning the values, knowledge and skills that enable children to relate to others effectively. This kind of learning is passed on to children directly by those who care for and teach them, as well as indirectly through social relationships within the family or with friends, and through children’s participation in the culture around them.

What we know is that children learn best through play (dramatic play, organize play and free play).Play has been called “the work of children” because it is through play that children learn how to interact in their environment, discover their interests, and acquire cognitive, motor, speech, language, and social-emotional skills (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2007).

Children need social development skills all through their lives and they will be able to develop these skills with family, friends, and neighbor interactions and with school as well. But before they start formal education, there are some skills our kids should develop and we can help them through PLAY, SING, READ, WRITE and LAUGH!

 

The following are 5 skills we considered top skills to develop. For a complete set of the guidelines, visit https://earlylearningco.org/.

Please note: each child develops at his/her own pace.

 

1. Be able to take turns, share and work cooperatively with other children. Kindergarteners will spend a lot of time sharing materials, toys, resources, and working in groups.

You can help develop this skill by playing games and doing activities you will find at your Colorado Day by Day Family Literacy Calendar  and visiting your local library.

• Play “What Comes Next” Visit your library and check out your favorite book. Read the first half of the book and then ask, “What do you think comes next”?
•  Take turns, playing the “I Spy” game.
• Play Simon Says. Take turns with your child.
• Play pretending to be an animal. Take turns pretending to be different animals and guess which animal the other person is pretending to be.
• Do you know the sounds jungle animals make? Take turns making animal sounds!
•  Take turns being the leader and march in a circle singing: Follow the leader wherever he goes. What he does next, nobody knows!

 

2.  Verbally communicate needs and feelings in an appropriate manner. Teach young children to control their emotions and express themselves. You can make it easier and funnier reading a book about feelings.

You can help develop this skill by playing games and doing activities you will find at your Colorado Day by Day Family Literacy Calendar  and visiting to your local library.

• Discuss feelings and let children freely express themselves on a daily basis.  Visit your library and check out books about feelings and emotions; read them together and talk about what makes us feel happy, sad, angry, nervous, scared, anxious, etc.
• Read Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Talk about his feelings throughout the book. How did the book make you feel?

 

3. Understand the difference between right and wrong, act accordingly and be aware of the feelings of others.

You can help develop this skill by playing games and doing activities you will find at your Colorado Day by Day Family Literacy Calendar  and visiting to your local library.

 

• Role Playing is a great way to reinforce right and wrong and appropriate behavior.
• Let’s draw Let your child draw pictures of the family; cut out the pictures and make them into puppets by taping them to popsicle sticks or straws. Put on a puppet show about your family. Provide scenarios such as brother playing happily with a toy and in comes sister and takes the toy away. Ask – What should “brother” that lost his toy do? Discuss whether the “sister” should have taken the toy away and what would have been a better course of action (ask to play, wait turn, etc.). Take the opportunity to discuss not just the appropriate behaviors/actions but the feelings involved. Developing a sense of empathy for other children is a crucial part of social development.

 

4. Follow directions, understand rules and respect authority. Your child must be able to listen to and respect their teacher and follow simple directions in the classroom.

You can help develop this skill by playing games and doing activities you will find at your Colorado Day by Day Family Literacy Calendar  and visiting to your local library.

• Exercise by giving the children a sequence of two things to do. “Jump up, then sit down.” Increase to three things. “Touch your nose, turn around, and then sit down.” Also sing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes to keep up the energy!
•  Draw safety signs like “Stop” and “Yield.” Talk about what they mean when crossing the street. Talk about traffic lights and their colors. Have everyone play the game Red Light, Green Light.
• Everybody dance together “Hockey Pockey”
•  Take turns playing, the “I Spy” game.

 

5. Adapt to transitions in a positive manner. A day in Kindergarten is busy. Children must be able to make the necessary transitions smoothly.

You can help develop this skill by playing games and doing activities you will find at your Colorado Day by Day Family Literacy Calendar  and visiting to your local library.

• Try to have an established routine at home. Play “school” and practice how a school day might run.
• Do a daily schedule and add things like: Storytime, arts and crafts time, snack time, outdoors time, etc.
• Make a giant heart for your library or librarian. Take it to them the next time you visit and tell them why you love your library.
• Make some paint from yogurt and food coloring! If you don’t have yogurt, use shaving cream. If you have a copy, read I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More!
• The three basic colors that make up every other color are: red, yellow, and blue. Mix the paint of two primary colors to create secondary colors!

Visit your local library and ask for a Colorado Day by Day Family Literacy Calendar, it’s full of activity ideas, arts and crafts and book lists you can check out at the library!