By Michelle Bruderer
May 4, 2026

Hey Parents! Starting kindergarten is a huge milestone for your child—and for you! It’s the beginning of an amazing journey filled with new friendships, big discoveries, and lots of learning. As you look ahead to the next thirteen years (or more!) of school, giving your child a strong, positive start is truly one of the best gifts you can offer.

Here’s the exciting part: in just the next three or four months, you can make a big difference in your child’s readiness for kindergarten. By focusing on three key activities—oral language immersion, purposeful play, and building independence—you’ll help set your child up for success when August rolls around!

1. Talk, Talk, Talk!

The more you chat with your child, the better! Kids who grow up surrounded by conversation come to school with a head start in knowledge and language. So, talk about everything—while making dinner, cleaning up, or shopping together.

• Think out loud: Share your thoughts as you go about your day.
• Ask questions: Encourage your child to explain and describe things. Try starting with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how” to get those little brains thinking deeper.
• Mix it up: Use different types of questions to boost their creativity and expression.

2. Let’s Play!

Play is powerful! Make everyday activities into games to help your child build essential skills for kindergarten.

• Get creative: Color, draw with sidewalk chalk, paint, or use markers. We draw and color every day in kindergarten because they’re great for building pre-writing skills!
• Letter hunt: Look for letters everywhere—on signs, in books, or at the store. Point out the letters in your child’s name and practice saying the sounds together.
• Name writing: Practice writing their name with one capital letter followed by lowercase letters. Mastering this before school starts makes those first days much easier and less stressful.
• Scissor skills: With supervision, let your child cut paper or Play-Doh. Practicing now builds their confidence and ensures safety when they start school.

 

3. I Can Do It!

Kindergarten is a big step toward independence, and it’s amazing to watch your child grow!

• Personal care: Make sure your child is fully potty trained, can manage their own clothes, and wash up on their own.
• Take charge: Practice zipping and unzipping jackets and backpacks and cleaning up after playtime.
• Manage belongings: Encourage your child to take care of their personal space and items.

We’re in This Together!

Your child’s kindergarten teacher is just as excited as you are for this new adventure. We love watching our students grow and discover new things, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Thank you for helping your child get ready for kindergarten success—let’s make this an unforgettable journey together!

 

 

About the Author

Michelle Bruderer is a kindergarten teacher at Middle Canyon Elementary. She brings joy, energy, and creativity into her classroom each day and is passionate about helping young learners build confidence and curiosity. She is dedicated to creating a warm, supportive environment where students feel excited to learn and grow from the very start of their educational journey.

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