Ten small things you can do before first grade

Ten suggestions

1. Let your child pack a small bag themselves and check what is inside. How tidy it is matters less than the feeling that it is their bag, and that they know what is in it.
2. Read a story together and ask questions about the characters and what happened. Not for reading comprehension. To get used to holding a story in mind and talking about it.
3. Play board games that require waiting for a turn. Half the day in first grade is waiting. Here they practise it at no cost.
4. Practise opening and closing a lunch box and a water bottle. It sounds small, but a child who cannot open their food does not eat at break time.
5. Let your child choose their clothes and dress independently, as far as they are able. Even if the colours do not go together. Choosing is part of the point.
6. Talk about situations where you need to ask an adult for help. Who to ask, how to approach them, and what to say. A ready sentence is worth more than general encouragement.
7. Walk the route to school together, when it is possible and safe. A familiar route removes a large part of the anxiety of the first day.
8. Play with letters, sounds and numbers for enjoyment, with no pressure to succeed. Road signs, friends’ names, bus numbers. The world around you is full of material.
9. Encourage meeting and playing with other children. A few children often is better than a large group once a month.
10. Ask your child what they are curious about and what they want to know about first grade. Their answer will tell you what to focus on far better than any list.

You can tick off the ones you have done on the family activity list.