eBook about Helping Your Child Get Ready for School - with activities for children from birth through to age 5 - Describes the qualities and skills that youngsters need to get a good start in kindergarten...

What Does It Mean To Be Ready for School?
• Are low in birth weight, making them more likely to have lifelong health and learning problems;

There is no one quality or skill that children need to do well in school, but a combination of things contributes to success. These include good health and physical wellbeing, social and emotional maturity, language skills, an ability to solve problems and think creatively, and general knowledge about the world.

As you go about helping your child develop in each of these areas, remember
• Children develop at different rates, and
• Most children are stronger in some areas than in others.

Remember, too, that being ready for school depends partly on what the school expects. One school may think it's very important for children to sit quietly and know the alphabet. Another may believe it's more important for children to get along well with others.

Children who match the school's expectations may be considered better prepared. You may want to visit your child's school to learn what the principal and teachers expect and discuss any areas of disagreement.

While schools may have different priorities, most educators agree that the following areas are important for success.

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Learning Begins Early

What Does It Mean To Be Ready for School?

Activities
• Birth to 1 Year
• Developing Trust
• Touch and See!
• 1 to 2 Years
• Shop till You Drop
• Puppet Magic
• Moving On
• 2 to 3 Years
• Read to Me!
• Music Makers
• Play Dough
• 3 to 4 Years
• Kitchen Cut-Ups
• Scribble, Paint, and Paste
• Chores
• 4 to 5 Years
• "Hands-on" Math
• Getting Along
• My Book

What About Kindergarten?

Good Television Habits

Choosing Child Care

Ready-for-School Checklist

Notes