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KINDERGARTEN NEWS
Updated: May 2010
We can't believe that we are so close to sending our kindergarten students off to first grad! This is such an exciting time for the children, and we will be very busy in the upcoming weeks as we prepare for our annual graduation ceremony. We love incoporating new songs and surprises into the program every year, and we hope you are looking forward to the big event on Friday, May 28!
As the end of each academic year approches, we are often asked how the children can keep their skills sharp over the three-month summer break. Of course, everyone will be enjoying family vacations, swimming trips, cookouts, and all kinds of special activities during this time, but the best part is that there are always opportunities to squeeze in a little extra learning, even when you and your child aren't thinking about it! The possibilities are endliess, but here are a few quick ideas to get you started:
1) Incoming first graders us their knowledge about phonetically spelled words to write about personal experiences, people, objects, and events that are familiar to them. Picking up a notebook from the store is a fast, easy way to keep your child focused on this over the summer. Alway encourage them to brainstorm ideas, then think about what they want to say before they even pick up their pencil.
2) Our kindergarten "dice game" is a popluar favorite that you can always enjoy at home, with different variations to keep it interesting! Have your child throw two or more dice, identify the numbers, and create an equation (e.g. 5 + 3 = 8). If you future first grader really wants to get creative, he/she can come up with "story problems" to solve with a parent, sibling, or friend. For example, they can say "There were six dogs in the park when we got there, and two of them went home. How many are left?"
3) Looking to organize anything in your house? Your children can help out with this while utilizing some skills that they learned in kindergarten! What are some different ways to sort the magazines in the rack, or that growing colleciton of stuffed animals in their bedroom (color, shape, size, animal type, etc...)
4) We alsways like telling our students' parents that a visit to the grocery store can be an educational experience in itself. You can discuss the food pyramid by asking your child if ice cream or apples belong in the dairy group, or what types of cereals might be considered more nutritious than those that fall in the "sweets" category. If there's something special they want to buy in the store, set a price limit (one dollar, for instance), and as they are looking around, show them where they can locate the price on the item.
5) The Elmhurst Public Library is truly a "hot spot" at this time of year, when the annual Summer Reading Program kicks off for children of all ages. Children should always be allowed to read what they love, but encouraging them to try different types of stories is also important. Learning to use the computer catalog is a lifelong skill that your child will use, and now that they are so close to first grade, there's never been a better time to learn about it!
6) The Summer Bridge activity books, located at the library and even some grocery stores, are appropriately levelded and designed to five you an idea of what your child will be exposed to at school next year. You'll be surprised how many excellent ideas these books off, and you can always put your own variation on anything in there to meet you child's needs.
More classroom updates will provided to you as the month of May continues. Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Mrs. Krajewski
Mrs. O'Sullivan
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