Kindergarten Readiness "Tips of the Week" May 15, 2012

By Kevin Smith, Ph.D., Bethel schools superintendent

Kindergarten Readiness "Tips of the Week" May 15, 2012

Bethel Public Schools has created a website chock full of kindergarten readiness information and activities. It can be easily accessed by clicking here.   Information is in English and Spanish

This information is taken from the Math section:

Activities to help your child learn patterns

• Make patterns with fun food and have your child continue the pattern:

o   Blue skittle, yellow skittle, blue skittle, _____

o   Raisin, cheerio, raisin, _____

• Make patterns with blocks
• Draw patterns in the sandbox
• Play with active patterns:  jump, skip, jump, _____
• Point out patterns in nature

o   Patterns on animals

o   Patterns on leaves and flowers

• Make a bead necklace with different colored beads
• Ask your child questions: “Do you see a pattern?” “Can you explain the patter?” “What do you think comes next?”

Activities to help your child use their problem solving skills based on data 

• Sort toys or other objects into like groups based on an attribute (size, color, shape).  Ask your child to decide which pile has the most, least, or the same?
• Ask your child to predict what will happen if you change the attribute for the sort…. Now let’s sort these toys by size. Will the number in each group stay the same?
• Count M&M’s or jelly beans (or any colored candies) make a bar graph that shows the number in each color.
• Interview family members: do you like vanilla or chocolate ice cream? Collect the data and make a poster of the results
• Estimate: Guess how many?

o   Ask your child to guess how many steps to get across the room? Then have them take the steps and count

o   Ask your child to guess how many apples will fit in a lunch bag? Then have them put the apples in and count for the correct answer.

   Kevin J. Smith, Ph.D.Superintendent of SchoolsBethel Public SchoolsP.O. Box 253Bethel, CT 06801(203) 794-8601