Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten: Part 2

Written By: Barbie Jones, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood

Building Early Literacy Skills

Strong literacy foundations make kindergarten a smoother transition. These simple activities can

nurture your child's reading readiness:

Daily Reading Routines

Reading together for just 15 minutes daily significantly impacts your child's vocabulary and comprehension. Let them choose books sometimes, and don't worry about reading the same story repeatedly—repetition builds familiarity with words and concepts. Allow your child to turn the pages of the book as you read the story aloud.

Letter Recognition

Point out letters in your everyday environment—on signs, food packaging, or license plates. Focus on helping your child recognize letters in their name first, as this has personal significance.

Rhyming Games

Play with rhyming words during car rides or waiting times. "Can you think of a word that sounds like 'cat'?" “Can you point to something that rhymes with ‘red’?” These activities develop phonological awareness—the ability to recognize and work with sounds in spoken language.

Print Awareness

Show your child that text has meaning by running your finger under words as you read. Point out that we read from left to right and top to bottom. These concepts may seem obvious to adults but are new discoveries for young children.

Remember that literacy development should be playful and pressure-free. The goal is to nurture

curiosity and positive associations with books and language.