Preparing for Kindergarten: A Parent's Guide
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The first day of kindergarten may be one of the most memorable in your school-age kiddo’s life. It’s your little one’s first day of “real” school, the first day of formal education, and an important milestone in social and emotional development. As parents, we give them a big hug and send them off hoping that kindergarten sparks a love of learning and creates long-lasting relationships with classmates and teachers.
As the start of the school year approaches, you may be wondering how to help your child prepare for kindergarten.
In this guide, we’ll offer suggestions about preparing for kindergarten—the kinds of supplies your little learner will need, how to adjust their everyday routines to accommodate a new schedule, and ways you can strengthen their development beyond the classroom.
Table of Contents
Gathering Essential Supplies School Supplies Checklist Choosing the Right Backpack and Lunchbox Establishing a Routine Importance of A Good Night’s Sleep Creating a Consistent Morning Routine Social and Emotional Preparation Encouraging Social Skills Managing Separation Anxiety Academic Readiness Introducing Basic Concepts Health and Safety Tips Tips for a Successful First Day What to Expect on the First Day Making the First Day Special Kick Off Kindergarten With Post Peanut
Gathering Essential Supplies
First things first: Filling their backpacks with everything they need. Many teachers will send supply lists before their first day, so be sure to watch out for an email before you hit the school supply aisles.
School Supplies Checklist
While your child's teacher may provide a school supply list, a few kindergarten essentials may include:
A (properly sized) backpack
Art supplies like crayons, kid-safe scissors, and glue sticks
Pencils (the standard No. 2’s with pencil grips work great)
Hygiene products, like hand sanitizer, wipes, and tissues
Choosing the Right Backpack and Lunchbox
To determine what size backpack to get for kindergarten, consider size, durability, and your child’s personal style.
A kindergartner's backpack should be as wide as their shoulders and sit between the bottom of their neck and their waist. Anything bigger may create a tripping hazard or become too cumbersome for them to carry.
Your little one will love having a say in what kind of kid’s backpack they carry! It’s an opportunity for them to show off something unique about them and what they like.
Establishing a Routine
Children thrive in routine. It can help manage big feelings, set expectations, and give a child a sense of control, especially in unexpected situations. Kindergarten may be one of the first times your child has spent all day away from home (or you!), and that’s a big deal! Establishing a daily routine that works best for your family is one way to help prepare them for kindergarten.1
Importance of A Good Night’s Sleep
The night before their first day of kindergarten is an opportunity to set them up for success in the classroom.
Sleep is vital to your little one’s well-being, from building a stronger immune system to stabilizing mood and behavior.2
For youngsters, bedtime is all about mood setting. Set up some “wind down” activities to help prepare your little one for bed, like taking a bath, reading a story, or singing their favorite song. This can help stave off any nerves they may have about going to school and ensure they catch as many mood-boosting Z’s as possible.3
Creating a Consistent Morning Routine
Like bedtime routines, creating a morning routine can help your learner prepare for the exciting day ahead without worrying or getting caught up in the uncertainties.
When you’re new to building a school prep morning routine, you may want to wake up a bit earlier than usual to give yourself and the family enough time to accomplish every task without being late to school or work.4
Additionally, some of the best morning routines start the night before.5 You can set your family up for success the night before school day by:
Packing lunch and snacks
Organizing and packing your kiddo’s backpack
Picking out an outfit for the next day
You may even want to practice these mornings a few weeks before kindergarten to get your kiddo used to (and excited about!) the routine.
What if your youngster isn’t a morning person? Or if they struggle to sleep through the night and wake up grouchy? Consider building incentives into your morning routine,4 like 20 minutes on the iPad for getting dressed and brushing their teeth.
Remember: Not all mornings will go smoothly, and the routines may adjust as your child matures and becomes more accustomed to school. That’s totally okay!
Social and Emotional Preparation
One of the most exciting (and nerve-wracking) parts of preparing for kindergarten is the social aspect. Though your child may know a few students if they attended daycare or preschool together, there will be lots of new faces on their first day!
What’s more, this may be your student’s first time away from you for more than a few hours, which can be intimidating (for you and for them!).
There are a few ways you can help your little bookworm prepare for the social aspects of kindergarten.
Encouraging Social Skills
Children learn social skills like sharing, taking turns, and talking with people through modeling and lots and lots of practice. You can help by practicing basic conversational skills at home, asking your child questions, and maintaining eye contact.1 Once school starts, help your child build relationships by facilitating playdates with their classmates.1
Managing Separation Anxiety
It’s very normal for children to experience separation anxiety when attending school for the first time.5 Don’t be embarrassed if your youngster becomes clingy or throws a tantrum. You’re not the first parent or guardian to go through it!
One way to help avoid separation anxiety is to explain to your child what their day will look like before school starts.3 “Foreshadowing” your child’s day and explaining what they can expect—what time you’ll drop them off, what kinds of activities they’ll do, and what time you’ll be there to pick them up—can help them feel more comfortable.
Academic Readiness
Kindergarten is a great way to show kids how fun learning can be. And it doesn’t have to stop once they’re home for the day! One way to help improve your child's school readiness is by fostering an early learning environment at home that encourages them to be curious. You can continue your little one’s learning at home with a variety of activities like:6
Sorting beans – Have your kindergartener help you sort dried beans into categories, like shape and color, then put them into glass jars. This is also a great way to teach them how to count, pick up messes, and organize their things.
Name collages – Cut out letters from magazines and glue them to construction paper to spell their name, your name, and the names of their pets and/or siblings.
Take a nature walk – Go to a nearby park and take your child out exploring. They can practice their colors and shapes by looking at flowers and collecting leaves.
Introducing Basic Concepts
There are a few skills you can practice with your kindergartner before school to help them feel more prepared, such as:1
Recognizing their name
Using kid-safe scissors to cut out shapes from paper
Finding all their supplies in their backpack
Counting to 10
Dressing themselves
Practicing these skills over the summer through games and hands-on activities can help prepare your child for the year ahead.
Health and Safety Tips
Like modeling social skills, children also learn healthy habits like washing their hands, covering their nose and mouth when they sneeze or cough, and using hand sanitizer or wipes from watching and practicing with you! Take the time to practice these skills as often as possible so your little one will be prepared to do it on their own at school.1
Tips for a Successful First Day
Once you’ve bought all the supplies, practiced important skills like getting dressed and washing hands, and worked through your bedtime and morning routines, it’s time for their first day. There are a few ways you can make the first day of kindergarten one your child will remember fondly.
What to Expect on the First Day
Walk your little one through what they can expect from their first day of kindergarten. Explain that they’ll have a teacher who will warmly welcome them into the classroom when they first arrive. They’ll meet their classmates throughout the day. They’ll learn where to put their backpack and other belongings. Assure them what time they’ll eat lunch and remind them where they can find it. And be sure to tell them when and where you’ll pick them up at the end of the day!
Again, on the adult side of the equation, it’s normal for kindergartners to feel scared, sad, nervous, or anxious leading up to their first day. If you sense that your kiddo is going to be a little extra nervous, let their teacher know in advance so that they can supply extra support and smiles!
Making the First Day Special
Heading off to kindergarten is a huge moment, so take a minute to celebrate with your child.7 Give yourself a little extra time in the morning to pick out a special outfit, eat a special breakfast, and take pictures.
Writing them a little note to hide in their lunchbox is a great way to remind them that you love them in the middle of their big day. When you pick them up, ask them about their day. Who did they play with? What’s their teacher like? Did they do any cool activities? Demonstrating excitement and interest will make the day feel important.
Kick Off Kindergarten With Post Peanut
Your little peanut is all grown up, and sending them off to kindergarten is a big step in their lives. Kindergarten is where the love of learning is fostered, friendships are made, and vital skills are practiced.
One way to prepare for kindergarten is with the right outfit. Posh Peanut’s fashion-forward children's clothing, backpacks, and more are designed from breathable fabrics made to make the everyday extraordinary. Shop the collection and get them ready for class.
Sources:
1 Parents. “8 Ways to Prepare Your Kid for the First Day of Kindergarten.”
https://www.parents.com/kids/education/kindergarten/first-day-of-kindergarten-ways-to-prepare
2 Parents. “The Age-by-Age Guide to Better Bedtimes.”
3 Johns Hopkins Medicine. “How to Get Your Child Ready for the First Day of Kindergarten.”
4 Very Well Family. “How to Create a Successful Morning Routine for School.”
https://www.verywellfamily.com/start-your-school-morning-right-3542381
5 Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. “Your Child’s Separation Anxiety and School.”
6 Great Schools.“Kindergarten Activities and Learning Games.”
https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/kindergarten-learning-games-activities
7 Pleasant Peasant Media. Back to school = Christmas in July.
