Will your child start Kindergarten in the fall? -- Use summer TV time to help him get ready!

Friday June 19, 2009

I know it sounds crazy to let your kid watch TV in order to prepare for school, but research has shown that preschoolers' shows are effective at teaching basic skills. If kids are going to watch a little TV anyway, why not make it productive? TV can never be a substitute for play time or hands-on learning, but programs like Sesame Street and Super Why! can reinforce what your child is learning in preschool or at home, so a limited amount of TV time can be a good thing.

Kindergarten readiness is a topic that I am passionate about. My oldest child just graduated from KG, and watching her and the other kids progress over the year was so amazing. There was definitely a gap, though, between those kids who came in knowing the basics, and those who had to struggle to grasp all of the new material. While there is more to being prepared for kindergarten than just knowing the ABCs, a little foundational knowledge certainly doesn't hurt.

If you are using summer's lazy days (Ha! We wish, right?) to help your child get ready for kindergarten, you can chose programs that will help solidify the concepts you are teaching. Whether it's math, letters, reading or science, shows for preschoolers cover a variety of subjects. You can also get DVDs that focus on helping kids learn the alphabet and early reading skills.

Here are some more kindergarten related ideas and resources from around About: