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Signs Your Child Is Ready for Kindergarten

Making the transition from preschool to kindergarten is a big step for your little one, and as a parent, you want to make sure they are ready. Not only does kindergarten help build a foundation for the rest of their educational career, but it can also mean the difference between a half day of school and a full day of school. While there’s no doubt that starting kindergarten will be an adjustment, it’s important to make sure your child is ready for the change. In today’s post, we will discuss some of the signs to look for that indicate your little one is ready to take that next step in their education.

At Ivy League Academy in Port St. Lucie, we make it easy for children to make the transition from preschool to kindergarten. In addition to offering preschool education classes, we also offer grades K-8, allowing your little one to stay in a familiar environment as they transition to different grades. If you’re worried about how your kiddo will do in kindergarten, you have the option of registering for VPK to help prepare them for the next year. What are you waiting for? Explore our website to learn more about our private elementary school, and give us a call to schedule a visit!

They Have Good Social Skills

When your child starts going to school, they will have the opportunity to meet numerous other kids their age. Because of this, it’s important to make sure your little one has the proper social skills to interact with their peers, as well as the teacher. Proper social skills include being comfortable in a group, asking for help when it’s needed, sharing, and more. These skills are learned in the early stages of development, which is why it’s important to socialize your child at an early age, whether you schedule play dates with other children in the neighborhood, take your little one to the park, or encourage interaction between siblings.

They Show an Interest in Learning

Showing an interest in learning comes in many different forms. We don’t expect children to want to know all the answers to life’s questions on the very first day of kindergarten — instead, an interest in learning can be a child listening intently to a story or having a general curiosity about the things around them. As a parent, you can tell your little one is ready for kindergarten if they are constantly wanting to read a book or even asking you numerous questions throughout the day. While these signs may be a little annoying, they indicate that your little one is ready and excited to learn!

They Can Follow Simple Directions

Kindergarten classes often follow a specific schedule, focusing on various lessons and subjects throughout the day. For this reason, it’s important that your little one is able to follow simple directions. For example, if the teacher wants the children to complete some practice work, your child needs to be able to listen to the teacher and follow instructions. With that in mind, we understand that children at this age have a limited attention span, and we don’t expect them to be able to follow complex instructions — one- to two-step instructions are about as much as kindergarten-aged children can manage.

They Can Deal With Separation

Depending on where your child’s situation, kindergarten may be the first time they’re away from you for an entire day. As you can imagine, being away from their parents for long periods of time can be difficult for a child, especially if they’re not used to it. It’s understandable for children to feel sad or homesick the first day or two of kindergarten, but it’s important for your little one to be able to stay the whole day and have a great time. Children who spend the entire day screaming or crying after their parents leave may not be ready for full-day kindergarten. A child who is ready for kindergarten, on the other hand, may cry a little the first time their parents leave but is then easily distracted by their friends or the toys in the classroom.

They Recognize Numbers and Letters

While kindergarten helps build a foundation for learning, children entering this stage should already have a basic knowledge of numbers, letters, and shapes. We don’t expect children to be able to read an entire book on their own or write entire paragraphs, but they should be able to recognize a few letters and a few numbers. The great thing about these basic skills is that once they learn a few, it doesn’t take long for the rest to follow, and even something as simple as learning the letters in their name can prepare your little one for kindergarten.

Sign Up for Ivy League Academy!

If you think your little one is ready for kindergarten based on these signs, then Ivy League Academy in Port St. Lucie is the place to go! In addition to offering a high-quality preschool program, we also have a private elementary school for grades K-8. Explore our website to learn more about our curriculum, and if you want to make sure your child is ready for their kindergarten education, sign up for our free VPK program today!

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