School Readiness Exercises
Kindergarten Pretend Play:
Set up a room in the house to look like a classroom. You can include tables and chairs and a whiteboard. This can also be done with dolls and toy furniture. Your child can take turns being a teacher and also a student. Dolls can take on these roles as well. Practice everyday school routines during play such as storytime, lining up, sharing news, putting your hand up to answer questions. This activity will support your child to become familiar with the school experience in preparation for experiencing it in real life.
Storybooks about going to school:
Read stories about school experiences. Throughout the story, take the time to look at the illustrations and encourage your child to ask questions. This is a good opportunity to talk to your child about their feelings about starting school. Some examples of storybooks are as follows:
file:///C:/Users/Evergreen/Downloads/Daisys_First_Day.pdf
Starting School Social Narrative (NSW Department of Education)
Social narratives can be an important resource when preparing children for change, new environments and life transitions. They support continuity between settings by explicitly illustrating:
details about the setting
things that typically happen in that setting
the actions or behaviour that are typically expected in the setting.
The starting school social narrative is a template for schools to use as part of their transition practices and to share with families when welcoming new children to the school. Social narratives can help children understand what to expect at school or they can be used to support orientation.
Playing Cooperative Games:
Cooperative play is one of the last stages of play that may occur from 2-3 years and above. During cooperative play, children play and cooperate with others to achieve a common goal. Playing cooperatively allows children to practice a number of social skills including communication, active listening, turn-taking, sharing, following instructions and taking understanding others perspectives.
Some examples of cooperative games include:
Duck Duck Goose
Simon Says
Tag or Tip
What’s the time Mr Wolf
Hot Potato
Red Light Green Light
Exploring my Lunchbox:
Invest in a lunchbox for your child to enjoy at home or on the weekend. Pack a lunchbox with your child supporting them to make choices about snacks they enjoy. This will be a great opportunity to talk to your child about healthy snacks and foods that fuel their minds and bodies. Practice opening and closing the lunchbox with your child, including any wrapping or containers that you may use when it comes to packing their lunch box for kindergarten.
https://www.healthyliving.nsw.gov.au/healthy-lunchboxes
www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/downloads/file/campaignsprograms/HealthyLunchboxes.pdf
Nature Scavenger Hunt:
Plan a nature walk and create a list of things to find on your walk. Your list can include images of objects or names. To add some challenge you can categorise object by size or colour. This simple activity supports children to practice a range of skills from reading, writing, observation and concentration skills, identifying and categorising. They can practice their numbers and colours and simply a great opportunity to get some exercise and fresh air.
(can include a free printable scavenger hunt template)
Sensory Play with Letters and Numbers:
Set up a sensory tray for your child. This can include different materials that can be used together or separately. Such materials can include sand, coloured rice, shaving cream, coloured salt. Encourage your child to use their finder to write letters, numbers and practice writing their name in the tray. Ask them to say the letters or numbers out loud as they are writing. This is a great sensory experience that helps children with letter and number recognition and fine motor skills.
Yoga and meditation:
Yoga, meditation and other relaxing mindful activities are a great way to support your child to self-regulate and manage their emotions. Do stretches with your child while listening to relaxing sounds. Practice breathing exercises to teach them how to feel calm. Lie down outside with your child and watch the clouds move or trees sway in the breeze. Support them to identify their emotions. These exercises will support your child’s emotional development and regulation.
Magazine Collage:
Put your old magazines to use and get some child-safe scissors. Show your child how to hold a pair of scissors and let them practice snipping and cutting pictures out. They can even practice opening and closing a glue stick when may be a common practice at school. Encourage them to glue pictures on a page creating a collage. This activity will improve your child’s hand-eye coordination, fine motor strength and control, and concentration and it can also be a lot of FUN!
Correcting Pencil Grip:
The tissue trick is a great technique to teach your child the correct pencil grip in preparation for school. With this technique you fold a tissue into a small rectangle and place it under the pinky and ring fingers. Then have your child use the remaining fingers to pick up their pencil. Not engaging the ring and pinky fingers encourages a good grip. Your child can practice this until holding a pencil correctly feels comfortable and natural.
