Parents who want their children to enjoy kindergarten and experience success in their first contact with school can best encourage them to be active learners who enjoy themselves and the world around them.
I stress the word "active" because many of the things that children do now are passive.
Young TV watchers are passive learners. Young children need to use their bodies in active play.
Parents who squander time with their children in pencil and paper tasks like school workbooks are missing opportunities for more enjoyable and worthwhile activities.
Dr. Jack Cassidy who writes the Gifted Child Newsletter put it well when he said, "Teaching the preschool youngster to read should not be a prime objective of any parent."
Introducing the child to a broad range of experiences--talking to the child in simple, but adult language and reading to him--are all more valuable activities."
Teaching the preschool youngster to read should not be a prime objective of any parent.
Research indicates that 80% of gifted children did not learn to read before entering kindergarten and these 80% were not less gifted than the other 20% who did learn to read.
Learning to read before kindergarten should not be considered a prerequisite in being classified as gifted nor should it be considered a general characteristic of gifted children.
There are many things parents can do to help their children get ready for school.
The most important thing is to read to them. In addition to nursery rhymes, read other poetry. Develop skills in classifying by having children put away groceries. Have them put all of the cans in the closet and all the boxes on the shelf.
Have them help sort the laundry by matching the socks.
Teach color by having the child put on his red shirt to match the socks.
Children can learn number concepts by helping in the kitchen.
They can count the eggs, set the table, count the utensils and napkins.
Children can record their height and weight.
They can use the calendar to record important events. They can recall the events of the day, in order if possible. They can listen to music and learn the words to a song. Developing of motor skills is particularly important because children are not using their bodies as much as they should. They should be running, jumping and climbing.
I would also suggest that parents play games with their children. Card games, puzzles, and cooperative games can be fun. In cooperative games children learn to take turns, follow the rules, share, and have fun because nobody looses and children do not have to fear failure or rejection.
One game called "Housebuilders" has the hug rule.
Players must use all of the blocks to make a structure that doesn't fall down, but the same color blocks cannot touch.
Any player that knocks down the structure gets a hug from the others.
There is another Trivia type game which asks questions of family members so they can get to know each other better.
For example, do your children know what is your favorite ice cream flavor or what year you graduated from high school? Do you parents know what TV commercial your child knows by heart or which vegetable your child really hates to eat?
Children who are active and have a sense of fun and who are in tune and aware of the world around them see to learn easily and well when presented with new information.
Parents who attempt to teach children to read before attending school may do them a disservice mainly because it can be a stressful and unrewarding experience.
Reading and learning to read should be perceived as enjoyable activities and can be so when the child is both emotionally and physiologically ready to accomplish the task.
Parents can prepare children better for kindergarten by provinding them with positive, active experiences which enhance their feelings of self-worth.
First published in 2001
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