Kindergarten Ready in More Ways than One

What does it mean to be Kindergarten-Ready? This is a difficult question to answer because school presents a child with so many different challenges. Even a child coming from preschool will find kindergarten brings new social, emotional and intellectual puzzles. We talk about four touchstones for kindergarten readiness: language and literacy, cognitive skills, self-confidence and self-control.

It’s a sure bet that parents can help their children get ready for kindergarten by helping to nurture their developing thinking skills and self-confidence. How do these two sets of skills go together?

Curiosity and confidence are important school readiness skills. Children develop curiosity and a desire to explore from the first weeks of life and their caregivers help children learn about their world through play and exploration. Learning to explore and to puzzle through new discoveries helps to build key cognitive skills. Magically, this same developmental process also bolsters a child’s self-confidence. When children are nurtured and encouraged, they learn that they – literally – can change the world!