Kindergarten here I come! Or should we wait?

“Helping all children start school ready to learn is critical to their future success and to the well-being of society as a whole. Children who start school behind their peers are unlikely to catch up. Children who enter kindergarten with limited word reading skills are the most likely to develop later reading difficulties and require remedial education.”
-Research and Policy Committee of the Committee for Economic Development

This quote has the ability to instill shear panic, doesn’t it? It forces us to ask ourselves the tough questions. Have I done enough to prepare them? As educators and parents we are all too familiar with the debate of kindergarten readiness. Send him early, he’s the youngest of four, he has to be ready. Hold her back, she could benefit from another year of preschool, she is so shy. Elementary schools as well as federal programs like Head Start choose chronological age by a certain month to determine when it is time for kindergarten. This societal norm is a powerful source of anxiety for many teachers, parents and children.

This reality is obviously too complex to solve in this article, however there are a few things to know to help support your decision. When thinking about kindergarten readiness we can focus on four areas of development cognitive, language, physical, and social/emotional. Additionally, self-help skills are critical. Together all of these aspects can provide a glimpse of our children and a step closer to answering the burning question…Is he/she ready for kindergarten? If not, what can I do to narrow the gap?

Cognitive and Language Development incorporate thought process, problem solving skills, reading, reading comprehension, writing and imagination.

What to look for:

1. Are they interested in books and reading. Remember what reading means at this age. It includes making up stories using the pictures as their springboard, retelling a familiar story, holding the book and turning pages and making up tall tales that grow day by day with their imagination.
2. Writing is an important aspect; however a developmentally appropriate lens is imperative to guarantee joy and positive experiences for teachers, parents and the child. Know their first and last name and attempts to write them, identify some letters, some numbers, identify labels and signs in familiar places to them and pretend to write.

Physical Development includes both fine and large motor movement and mastery. Active play is inclusive to this as well. Studies show using their bodies enhances their brain development.

What to look for:

1. Draw with crayons, markers, and pencils with control and copy simple figures and shapes.
2. Put together puzzles; build structures with blocks, lincoln logs, tinker toys, and Legos.
3. Climb play structures, run, jump, and skip. Engage in organized activities like soccer, gymnastics and dance.

Social and Emotional Development is inclusive of mood management, self-awareness as well as the awareness of others thoughts and feelings, self-motivation, empathy, and cooperation with others.

What to look for:

1. An understanding of their feelings and the feelings or others. Know the difference between thinking, feeling and acting; and understanding their actions have consequences in terms of others' feelings.
2. The ability to handle and manage difficult feelings; control impulses; and handling anger constructively.
3. Listen to an adult and follow simple directions and sit still for short periods of time (20 minutes or less).
4. Set goals and persevere towards them with optimism and hope, even in the face of setbacks.
5. Put yourself "in someone else's shoes;” take someone else’s perspective; and show that you care.
6. Make friends, handle friendships; resolve conflicts; cooperate; and collaborative with others to learn.

Self-Help Skills
Taking care of personal needs is not only practical; it’s a sign of independence and growth. The experience of independence provides opportunities for increased self-esteem and self-worth by increasing their sense of pride in themselves and their accomplishment.
What to look for:

1. Use bathroom without assistance and wash hands.
2. Eat without help, using utensils.
3. Dress themselves and work snaps, buttons, zippers and tie shoes.
4. Recognize their belongings (such as a jacket or backpack).
5. Clean up after themselves. Pick up toys and return them to their correct storage place.

At Constructive Playthings, we have products specifically designed to support teachers and parents helping children be ready for kindergarten. These products are a companion with your individual assessment. We know they provide the chance to enrich their experiences, increase their confidence and provide the opportunity for mastery.

Manipulative Kit for Light Table

Hands-on Standards Set

Kindergarten Transition Backpack

Getting Ready for School File Folder Games



Top Ten New Year’s Resoultions Modified for Early Childhood Teachers

10. Spend More Time with Family – The children in your classroom ARE family. Between school and home, teachers are with family all the time.

9. Fall In Love – Caregivers do that with every new child that enters their classroom.

8. Helping Others with Their Dreams – A real perk when teaching young children.

7. Quit Bad Habits – Who has time for bad habits between spending all day caring for children, then going home and raising a family, doing housework, homework, etc.?

6. Learn Something Exciting – Preschoolers teach you something new and exciting every day!

5. Stay Fit & Healthy – Running around with a roomful of children keeps teachers fit!

4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest – Aren’t I doing that already?

3. Spend Less, Save More – Teachers always seem to be spending their own money on preschool supplies for their classroom. Well, that probably won’t change!

2. Getting Organized – Lesson plans, writing documentation, doing assessment, making sure Olivia isn’t around peanuts, keeping Ronald inside because he as a cold, …

1. Lose Weight – Most teachers lose about 400 pounds a day when the children go home!

Out With The Old, In With The New

            Today, more than ever, our children are born into an ever-changing world of technology. As parents struggle with navigating though all these devices, access to the internet and software, and number of hours spent engaged, teachers and early childhood providers must also decide how technology will be utilized in their classroom.

            In a recent survey by PlayScienceLab, a whopping 79% of children ages 2 – 5 years old have access to a smart phone, irregardless of household income levels. An additional 35% of that age group that has access to an Ipod Touch and 19% have access to a tablet! This access includes more than just playing with Mom or Dad’s smart phone. It includes parents downloading between 1 and 5 apps a month directly for children. This definitely shows that young children are immersed in technology!

            This raises the question of whether, or how much, technology is appropriate for the early childhood classroom. Are children already exposed to enough technology at home that they don’t need it in their classrooms? We want children to learn and develop in all areas. Is technology taking away from other areas of development? Is money spent on technology taking away from the preschool supplies dollars? Is open-ended play being sacrificed for technology? Children play with unit blocks and learn mathmatical shapes, cause and effect principles from stacking and building, and social skills such as turn-taking and sharing. Can they learn the same from technology?

            There are mutiple makers of software, games, and interactive books to be scoured through. Do any of these provide comparable learning to playing in the home area, running and skipping outside, or working together to complete a floor puzzle? Do teachers and educators have the time and resources to investigate the everchanging world of technology?

            We want children, including the young, to have the best of everything. It will be a tough decision, with all the technology available, to determine how much is best.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Tips to Avoid Halloween Anxiety

With the fall season upon us, it’s time for pumpkins, scarecrows, and Halloween. As much as we, as adults, enjoy this holiday, Halloween can be a cause of great anxiety for young children. It is important for adults and caregivers to ensure that the sights and sounds that make up Halloween aren’t scary for young children.

Costumes can cause young children to be scared since they are not able to see a person’s face. The cute costumes of old, such as bunnies or pumpkins, have been replaced with gruesome and scary figures, especially with the older crowd. Costumes also pose a safety concern if the costumes are too big, pose a tripping hazard, or restrict children’s vision. A good alternative is to wear face paint or a hat instead. Try a dress rehearsal with your child ahead of time and even rehearse saying “Trick or Treat!” Be sure to have him look in the mirror and see himself in his costume.

Halloween night itself can also be scary for young children. Stay away from extremely dark and noisy areas that may make children fearful. Try trick or treating before dark so children can see where they are going. Visit fewer houses and only go to neighbors that your children know. Going earlier can also avoid those scary costumes worn by older children. Try to stick to your normal nightime routine and keep bedtime at the same time as any other night. These things can help children relax during this busy time.

Fear and anxiety is very real for young children. Although it’s fun for adults, refrain from telling them “don’t be afraid”. It does little to calm their real fears. Young children have a hard time distinguishing between real and pretend and they may not even understand why they are scared. Simple reassurance and a hug might help to make this Halloween season a fun time for all.

Constructive Playthings for all your early childhood education supplies. ADV-4 Animals in Action - Set of 4 Tunics & Hats.