Ready for Kindergarten

Taken from Growing Concerns -- A childrearing question-and-answer column with Martha Erickson of the University of Minnesota.

Question: Our son will enter kindergarten next fall, so each day I set aside time to have him practice counting and the alphabet. But he has no interest in learning these things and gets angry when I try to teach him. How can I be sure he learns the things he needs for starting school?

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Answer: What's most important at this stage of your son's life is that he discover a love of learning. That will happen best through activities that tap into his natural curiosity and help him see the relevance of basic skills (such as knowing numbers and letters) to his own interests. It's not at all unusual for a young child to resist drill and practice; but the same skills can become exciting when they are woven into activities the child enjoys. Here are a few things you could try:

To make counting meaningful and rewarding, bake your son's favorite cookies and have him count out equal portions for each family member. Or give him five shiny pennies each morning, then have him help you count to see how many he has by the end of the week.

Have a tower-building contest with blocks, and have your son help determine the winner by counting the blocks. Or, when the snow outside is wet and sticky, use medium-size snowballs to create long caterpillars (stones and twigs can be eyes and antennae). Then count to see whose caterpillar has the most sections.
As you approach a birthday or special event, check off the days on a calendar, letting your son count to see how many days remain.

Read the stories and poems your son enjoys, moving your finger under the words as you read aloud. This will help him see the link between the words on the page and the words you say, which is an important step in preparing him for reading.

From your local library, check out alphabet books that are entertaining. Kids especially love ones that rhyme or have silly words or fanciful pictures. Donít worry about whether your son can name the letters. Just have fun with the books and his learning will come naturally over time.

If your son likes to do art projects, let him make his own alphabet or number book, using bright paints or markers to illustrate the letters and numbers youíve printed on each page. Or turn each page into a small poster and mount them around the walls of his room.

Most of us first memorized the alphabet by singing the age-old alphabet song. If your son likes to sing and dance, try singing the alphabet song in different rhythms and make up dances to go with it.

Have your son tell you a story while you write it down just as he says it. Have him draw pictures to go with the story, then read his very own book back to him. When children discover the power of language, they are more eager than ever to learn to read and write on their own.

Finally, keep in mind that letters and numbers are only one small part of early childhood learning. To become enthusiastic lifelong learners, children need to explore nature, hear stories of people and places around the world, listen to all kinds of music and ask countless questions. And they need to learn to share, take turns and cooperate with others. Playing--alone, with adults, or with peers--is the "work" of early childhood. It is the primary way young children learn.

Editor's Note: Dr. Martha Farrell Erickson, director of the University of Minnesota's Children, Youth and Family Consortium, invites your questions on child rearing for possible inclusion in this column. E-mail to mferick@tc.umn.edu or write to Growing Concerns, University of Minnesota News Service, 6 Morrill Hall, 100 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455.