Getting Ready for KINDERGARTEN United Way of Champaign County www.UnitedWayChampaign.org Follow us on facebook.com/UWChampaignCounty A Calendar of Family Activities for 2021–2022 United Way of Champaign County — Helping all children succeed in school and in life It’s Never Too Early to Get Ready for Kindergarten! ne of the most exciting days for with suggested daily activities based on doing activities that are fun and Oyou and your child is the first day Illinois Early Learning Standards and interesting. of kindergarten. This calendar is designed strategies developed by early learning Children develop at their own pace to help you and your child get ready for experts. and “typical” development can vary greatly that special day. Use this calendar as a guide for fun from child to child. Let’s get started! ideas. Include family members and friends School readiness is much more than This calendar is for 3, 4, and 5 year olds in the activities. Have a wonderful year knowing letters and numbers. Children who are preparing for kindergarten. The together as you get ready for the big day! who are kindergarten ready have good calendar runs from September through Remember that play is an important social, self-help and physical skills and are August; similar to the school year. part of learning. Your child learns best developing a love for learning. Each month focuses on a different topic when he/she is spending time with you and Kindergarten Readiness Checklist This checklist is a guide to help Good Health and Physical Well-Being Language and General Knowledge prepare your child for school. It’s My child: My child: ■ Eats a balanced diet ■ Has many opportunities to talk best to look at the items on the list as ■ Gets plenty of rest and listen goals to aim toward. If your child lags ■ Receives regular medical and ■ Is read to every day dental care ■ Has access to books and other behind in some areas, don’t worry, ■ Has had all the necessary reading materials remember that children grow and immunizations ■ Is learning about print and books develop at different rates. ■ Runs, jumps, plays outdoors and does ■ Has television viewing monitored other activities that provide exercise by an adult and help develop large muscles ■ Is encouraged to ask questions ■ Puzzles, scribbles, colors, paints and ■ Is encouraged to solve problems does other activities that help develop ■ Has opportunities to notice similarities small muscles and differences ■ Is encouraged to sort and classify things Social and Emotional Preparation ■ Is learning to write his/her name My child: and address ■ Is learning to explore and try ■ Is learning to count and plays new things counting games ■ Is learning to work well alone and ■ Is learning to identify and name shapes to do many tasks independently and colors ■ Has many opportunities to be with ■ Has opportunities to draw and to other children and is learning to be creative cooperate with them ■ Has opportunities to listen to and ■ Is curious and motivated to learn make music and to dance ■ Is learning to finish tasks ■ Has opportunities to get first-hand expe- ■ Is learning to use self-control riences and to do things in the world— ■ Can follow simple instructions to see and touch objects, hear new ■ Helps with family chores sounds, smell and taste foods ■ Is learning to use words to identify and express emotions • Store your child’s books in a special • Children enjoy and learn by repeti- Read place that’s easy to reach such as a tion so it’s OK if they want you to SEPTEMBER basket, drawer or a low shelf. read the same books over & over. together • Place a small rug or pillow nearby • Talk about the story as you read. 2021 to create a comfortable space for Ask questions, point out details in every reading. the pictures. day • Get a library card for your child • Ask your child to retell the story in (and yourself if you don’t already his/her own words. have one). • Talk about characters as you read • Find a place to read together away together. from distractions. • Count out loud with your child • Hold your child as you read to help every day while reading, cooking, develop a positive attitude toward and shopping, etc. reading. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday ■ Do you feel like you’re being watched? You are! The best way to help children learn how to act is to Using a news- Talk about Play a match- Play a board show them through your own words and actions. paper article, 1 book 2 ing game or 3 game or card 4 They are master imitators. When they hear you say circle words characters match items game with please and thank you, they learn to be polite. When that begin as you read you have your child. they see you help others, they learn to be helpful. with the first together around the When they hear you call someone a name — they letter of your today. house. will do it too. So don’t just tell children what to do child’s first — show them! name. Count out Labor Day Practice fire Have a Library Day! Help your Visit www. loud with your dance party. Take your child write pbs.org/ 5 Rosh 6 safety: stop, 7 8 9 10 11 child every child to the his/her parents and Hashanah drop & roll. day while library and name. click on the begins at reading, get a library “Fun and sundown cooking and card. Games” tab. shopping. Grandparents’ Practice Practice Yom Kippur Look for Practice Pick a new Day 12 writing your 13 counting from 14 begins at 15 words that 16 bouncing a 17 book and 18 child’s name 1 to 10. sundown begin with ball. Count encourage together. the same the number your child to first letter of bounces. guess what using books, the story will magazines be about by and looking at the newspapers. cover. Yellow week: Look through Read a poem Autumn Library Day! Find food Play a look for 19 magazines 20 together. 21 Begins 22 Have your 23 items or 24 matching 25 things that and books to child invite a animals that game or are yellow find things friend to the begin with match things this week. that are library. the same you have yellow. sound. Name around the the letter. house. Go for a walk Practice Play writing your 26 with your 27 28 29 hopscotch 30 child. Talk child’s name together. about what together. you see. Good • Help Wanted, Must Love Books by Janet Sumner Johnson, books Illustrations by Courtney Dawson • The Book Hog by Greg Pizzoli for • One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree by Daniel Bernstrom, four- Illustrations by Brendan Wenzel and • Noisy Night by Mac Barnett, Illustrations by Brian Biggs five-year • Five Little Monkeys Reading in Bed by Eileen Christelow olds • Again! by Emily Gravett • This Book Just Ate My Dog! by Richard Byrne • The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read by Curtis Manley, Illustrations by Kate Berube • Decide on simple rules for using drawing & writing tools, “Markers may be School used at the kitchen table or outdoors.” Or “Scissors are for cutting paper.” OCTOBER • Draw pictures together about family events, daily experiences, etc. tools • Praise your child’s efforts. Perfection is not the goal. Display some of their 2021 work and change it from time to time. • Plan a healthy meal together. • Make a grocery list together. • Label belongings with your child’s name. • Encourage your child to use the tools to write a letter if he or she is interested in writing. • Practice how to hold scissors, how to open and close it, and how to hold the paper. • Try snipping paper first or even play-doh or plastic straws. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday ■ Thanks for the memories. Chances are your own happy memories revolve around things you did with While out- Take your those you love. Really enjoy your child doors, allow 1 child for a 2 by taking time to have fun together every day. Sing your child to walk and songs while making dinner or driving the car. Take a draw on collect walk and look for ducks or interesting sticks. Play the sidewalk different ball, play house, play cards, play ANYTHING — with chalk. kinds of just do it together! leaves. Read your Child Health Cut pictures Do jumping Library Day! Cut shapes Talk about Day jacks out of paper fall and have favorite 3 4 of expressive 5 6 7 8 9 children’s faces from together. to make a your child book to magazines picture. draw a your child. and make picture of a feelings a tree. collage. Make a Columbus Write a note Clap your Sort or count Show your Arrange a grocery 10 Day 11 with your 12 hands to the 13 things like 14 child how to 15 play date for 16 shopping list (observed) child to a beat of a socks, write his/her your child. grand parent, canned name using together. Indigenous song. relative or soups, upper- and Peoples Day friend. buttons, etc. lowercase letters. Count to 20 Make the bed Find food Practice Library Day! Practice fire Look at the or higher. 17 together. 18 items or 19 zipping. 20 21 safety: stop, 22 pictures in 23 animals that drop & roll. a book with begin with your child the same before sound as reading. your child’s first name. Name the letter. Orange week: Act out a Help your Plan a Make a neck- Clap your look for healthy meal 24 favorite story.