Preparing for kindergarten: what you can do

Helpful skills in kindergarten

In kindergarten, your child learns to fit into a group, to assert themselves and to deal with conflicts. Your child will be better able to cope with these new challenges if they already have the following skills:

• Motor Skills : Your child should have basic motor skills appropriate to their age .
• Ability to separate : Your child can separate from you and play with other children (for example at a friend’s house) for about two hours without crying or screaming.
• Sociability : In order for your child to get in touch with the other children in kindergarten, they should have the desire to get to know other children and new games.
• Ability to concentrate: It is good if your child can sit still for about 15 minutes and concentrate on a game or other activity.
• Language skills: It helps your child a lot in day-to-day kindergarten if he/she can make himself/herself understood verbally and, for example, can speak short sentences, ask and answer questions. Instructions such as “put on your jacket” or “wash your hands” should be understood and, if possible, carried out on your own.
• Independence: The children are involved in many everyday tasks. It is therefore good if your child can do smaller tasks independently.
• Know Boundaries : Your child should know that there are rules and boundaries to respect and stick to.

If your child is in a U3 group, they may not have all of these skills yet. Here it is supported accordingly in the kindergarten.

What can you do to prepare your child for kindergarten?

• Practice letting go : Before your child goes to kindergarten, you should practice letting go a little. You can have your offspring looked after by friends, relatives or a good babysitter on an hourly basis.
• Children, children, children: You strengthen the self-confidence and sociability of your offspring through contacts with other children. Whether in a play or toddler group, on the playground or playing with friends’ children.
• Practice dressing and undressing: You should help your child to put on and take off their own shoes, sweater or jacket.
• Help : Your child should also take on small tasks and help you, for example, with setting the table . Even if this takes longer, be patient and praise your child for being independent.
• Books about kindergarten : Look at picture books about kindergarten with your child. Talk to him about the kindergarten, for example, what there is to discover there. However, do not describe the kindergarten in an unrealistically positive way, otherwise your child may be disappointed later.
• Rules of the game : Teach your child that there are rules of the game and boundaries they must respect and follow.