Your child is entering Kindergarten in the fall. There is talk of a second wave of Covid-19 that could possible close schools again. Though I am a Kindergarten teacher, I am also a parent of a child who will be starting Kindergarten this fall. I worry about what her school year will look like. Will there be a typical start to the school year? Will schools shut down in the fall if the virus worsens again? How will this impact my child and her education? What can I do now, that will help with academics when school starts?

On my other pages I list what parents can do to prepare their child for Kindergarten for a typical year. However, we are not in typical times and the start of the school year may not be typical. We need to expect disruptions to the school year. Distance learning (school from home) will be implemented in most school districts. I have compiled a list to help prepare your child for Kindergarten with these disruptions kept in mind. Preparing your child may help prevent academic difficulties at the beginning of the school year.

  • Letters/sounds
  • Number ID 0 – 20
  • Write numbers 0 – 10
  • Count to 100
  • Shapes
  • Write first and last name
  • Sight Words –Downloads
  • Sight Word Stories
  • Read CVC words – for example: cat, sit, hot, sun, pet
  • Read to your child – talk about the characters, problem, solutions, events

Helpful Websites

The following are websites that I personally use with my daughter. Most of these sites require a fee or yearly subscription. However, I have found these sites to be very helpful and beneficial. For your child to get the most out of these sites, it is best sit with your child as they complete the programs. You can provide support as needed and also observe your child’s areas of strength and weakness. These sites are an additional resource for your child to practice skills. They are not replacement for directly working with your child.

  • Duolingo ABC – Learn to Read – This is an app for iOS on iPhones and iPads. It teaches letters, sounds, numbers, and sight words. This is a free app.
  • http://abcmouse.com – This site focuses on reading, math, and science. This site requires a yearly subscription.
  • http://raz-kids.com – This site has various subscription levels. The basic level – Reading A-Z, has books of all reading levels to print. Each book has a guided reading lesson that you can use with your child.
  • Square Panda – This is a program that allows children to practice letter identification, phonemic sounds, and decoding. It comes with letters for children to manipulate. This program can be purchased on http://squarepanda.com. My daughter uses this program and I feel it has greatly beneficial.
  • http://allkidsnetwork.com – This site offers a variety of worksheets in letters, math, reading, and writing. This is a free site.

*Please note I do not receive any compensation for promoting these sites. I chose these sites based on my own personal experience as a teacher and parent.

When Should I Register My Child?

My advise is to register your child as soon as the district announces they are ready for registration. Many districts will be registering students online, rather than in person. If you unsure of when your district will be holding Kindergarten registration, please contact your district’s central office or the elementary school your child will be attending.

There has been discussion among parents that they want to register their children later in summer before school starts, as they want to see how the virus unfolds and how it may impact the school year. While this is understandable from a parent’s point of view, it can be detrimental to both the students and the teachers.

My grade was just informed that we will be moving from 5 Kindergarten classrooms to 4 classrooms. This is due to the lack of students registering for Kindergarten. Is there really a lack of students registering, or are parents waiting until the start of the school year?

During a normal school year, our grade will usually have 10 to 15 students register for Kindergarten the week before school starts. This causes havoc, as our class sizes now jump from 15 to 17 students to 18 to 22 students. So imagine if more parents waited to register their children this year. If my school is already eliminating a classroom, we are already starting the school year with at least 18 in a class. Now if parents wait until right before the school year starts, we could potentially have at least 25 students per class. Large class size will have a negative impact on students receiving proper, individualized academic support from one teacher. There will be more students with behavioral issues in each class, which will also impact the classroom environment. It is best to register your child as soon as the district allows, so the district can prepare for an adequate number of teachers and resources.