Pre-K Parent Resources
Tips for starting Pre-Kindergarten
1. Read to your child. He/she gets his/her values from you. If you think books are interesting and important, so will your child. Make reading together an enjoyable time with the child sitting near you. The closeness, touching, affection, and your undivided attention are important to your child. Do not make reading a chore. If five minutes is all the child wants, stop after five minutes. You can stretch it to six minutes later.
2. Provide a special place to display school papers and projects. Give the child time to tell you about his/her day and to share his experiences. Praise your child for his/her efforts and provide encouragement for attempting new tasks.
3. Help your child learn to be independent about appropriate toilet habits. Dress the child in clothing that is comfortable for play and can be easily fastened (buttoned, zipped, etc.) by the child. Being able to button a paint shirt or to zip his/her own pants is great for self-esteem in a young child.
2. Provide a special place to display school papers and projects. Give the child time to tell you about his/her day and to share his experiences. Praise your child for his/her efforts and provide encouragement for attempting new tasks.
3. Help your child learn to be independent about appropriate toilet habits. Dress the child in clothing that is comfortable for play and can be easily fastened (buttoned, zipped, etc.) by the child. Being able to button a paint shirt or to zip his/her own pants is great for self-esteem in a young child.
4. If your child has never been cared for by someone else, start to leave him/her for short periods of time with friends or relatives for a smooth transition. Reassure your child that you will return and that they are safe with others.
5. Give your child duties around the house to develop self-confidence and responsibility. (Putting away toys, taking out the trash, placing silverware on the table)
6. Establish a regular pattern for sleep (10 hours), meals (keep snacks to a minimum), and play.
Remember, a child’s parents are his/her most important teachers. Talk to your child and listen to him/her. Be patient and understanding with your child’s curiosity. He/She is working hard on the person he/she will be one day!
5. Give your child duties around the house to develop self-confidence and responsibility. (Putting away toys, taking out the trash, placing silverware on the table)
6. Establish a regular pattern for sleep (10 hours), meals (keep snacks to a minimum), and play.
Remember, a child’s parents are his/her most important teachers. Talk to your child and listen to him/her. Be patient and understanding with your child’s curiosity. He/She is working hard on the person he/she will be one day!
Early Childhood Texas https://earlychildhood.texas.gov/
Texas PreKindergarten Guidelines http://tea.texas.gov/pkg.aspx
Star Fall http://www.starfall.com/
Colorin Colorado http://www.colorincolorado.org/
What will I do?
Activities in the pre-kindergarten program are planned to involve the whole child in the learning process. Hands-on projects allow children to use manipulatives as they count, pattern, match, and sequence. Storytelling props, flannelboard figures, masks, and puppets allow youngsters to participate in language arts activities. Singing games and seasonal songs develop musical ability and a sense of rhythm. Working within a group setting gives the children an opportunity to develop cooperation and social skills. Independent activities allow a child to learn to use time wisely and to solve problems alone. Experimenting with different media in art projects enhances creativity.
A typical day finds the students engaged in language arts activities such as listening to stories, using puppets to repeat rhymes, or dictating thoughts for a teacher to record in a class book. Math activities could involve counting and classifying objects, working on shape recognition, or matching patterns. Social studies presents holiday customs, community helpers, self-concept activities, and other interesting themes. Science time allows children to experiment with everyday materials and observe the seasons, weather, and practice personal health habits. Physical activities allow students to practice fine motor skills such as lacing, tracing, and building. Gross motor skills such as jumping, hopping, balancing, tossing, and catching receive attention, also. Activities are planned so teacher directed activities and student initiated experiences complement one another. The student learns to function in a group and independently. Most importantly, pre-kindergartners have fun learning about themselves and the world around them!
What will I Learn?
The pre-kindergarten curriculum is designed to provide readiness activities in language arts and math and provide interesting experiences in social studies and science. Students listen to stories and books for enjoyment and to recall story details. Repetition of fingerplays and rhymes foster oral language development. Students dictate their thoughts and feelings for the teacher to record in class books and as individual “stories.” Art activities let children express their creativity while developing fine motor skills. Counting, classifying, and matching challenges children as they use manipulatives to develop math skills. Youngsters learn about themselves and the world around them during social studies and science times. Singing songs and playing rhythm instruments provides an enjoyable way for children to express themselves. Group games and physical activities develop cooperation and gross motor skills. Center time allows children to make choices and to practice skills presented in other settings. Daily activities are balanced so the social, emotional, mental, and physical needs of the children are met.
Some of the units studied in the pre-kindergarten program include:
| Nursery Rhymes | Community Helpers |
| Zoo | Exploring the Earth |
| Transportation | Family |
| Indians | Texas, Cowboys, Rodeo |
| Dinosaurs | Space |
| Farm Animals | Pets |
| Circus | Insects |
| Birds | Me, Myself, and I |
Holiday units and seasonal activities are taught at appropriate times during the year. Topics are presented with much student involvement and in an enjoyable format. Children learn that school is a great place where they are accepted and successful. This first year in school can set the tone for the rest of a student’s academic career. Students who learn to believe in themselves are successful lifelong learners. Our goal in pre-kindergarten is for children to love to learn!