first day of school can be scary. Especially if you are starting school for the first time in your life. Kayden has been at home with me for 3 years, and will be starting kindergarten right before his 4th birthday.
as parents, we want to make the transition to kindergarten as seamless as can be. we have been working with him to become more independent, stepping up the potty training etc. The only thing we havent been able to give kayden is a school environment with kids. Thank goodness for the community center. We had enrolled Kayden in one activity in the fall , and really enjoyed the setup of it and most importantly, the price.
I found an activity which helps toddlers prepare for kindergarten. It mimics a classroom and does similar activities. There are about 15 children in Kaydens class, accompanied by 1 teacher. When the children enter the class they have about 5 minutes to play. Then it is circle time, which consists of the teacher reading a story. Afterwards they do a craft, one week Kayden did a Valentine's themed one, and this past week be did an easter one. Then it is back to play time. Everytime the children are playing the teacher spends a few minutes setting up an activity then she interacts with the children. the last activity they do is more focused on education, matching, counting etc. Right before class ends they sit in a circle and do an interactive song and then they gather up their work and go home.
the goal of the class is for parents to drop off the kids then walk out, similar to what you would do in kindergarten. The teacher will suggest when you should leave the room, and every class she wants you to leave earlier and for longer periods of time.
We stayed for the first class and never left. At the second class we left within 5 minutes, and kayden didn't seem to care. he was fine by himself, and didnt care that we wernt in the room. I was so relieved. I always worry whether or not kayden would feel comfortable with a teacher, and how long it will take him to get to that point. i was glad to see him playing alongside other kids. there are kids at all different levels, which helps kids bounce off of each other. unlike his last activity, there is a lot more interaction and doing things together. there will be two or three kids playing with one toy, and they will work on it together/play together, then clean it all up together.
Because kayden's speach isn't at the level it should be (which he is getting help for), i often worry about his transition to kindergarten. it is refreshing to hear other parents talk about their children and their fears as well. Seeing Kayden playing with other kids and following the teacher's instructions eased my mind. Since I can see in the classroom, it eased my concerns. Kayden transitioned perfectly (even if its for an hour), and loves going. He loves doing the activities, and there are toys there he has never seen, so that is also a plus.
I would reccomend these kind of programs to all the mamas/parents out there. I know a lot of parents can not afford daycare/preschool (not practical on one income at $1000 a month), so see if your city offers programs to help with the transition.
