Getting Ready for Kindergarten

When school started this month I realized that William, my little 6 pound, 8 ounce firstborn, will be starting kindergarten next year. How can this be?!

Our plan is to home school. So I am always on the look out for anything that will help me with that goal. A few weeks ago I picked up the fall brochure for story time at the library. Included was a listing for "Getting Ready for Kindergarten." Basically an evening story/activity time just for 4 year-olds entering Kindergarten next fall. The brochure promised ideas for activities to do at home.

Joel & I agreed that a little individual time with Will would be a good thing. The only problem was the meeting occurred the same day we went apple picking. My momma intuition told me this could be a problem. Spend all morning and afternoon picking apples and playing with friends, THEN go out again in the evening? Could be trouble...

It was. Will had a huge meltdown and did not want to go. In retrospect, I think his issue centered on missing time with Daddy. But since we had registered for the event, we persevered and drove to the library. Ordinarily we would have stayed home but I did not want him to think all he has to do is throw a tantrum to get out of something. No, sir. That kind of behavior will get you no where in this house.

Once we got to the library he calmed down. I knew he would. He enjoys the library. The librarian read a story to us (2 other families were present). We colored and played with stickers. We even made a little snack, which was good since Will refused to eat supper.

AND they gave us a really cool calendar. For FREE! "In creating this calendar, we have used the eight areas of learning from the Rhode Island Early Learning Standards for four-year-olds... Every month has eight activities, one for each area of learning... The activities are designed to encourage your child's curiosity and exploration..." -Rhode Island Transition to Kindergarten Calendar Team. Each month also includes a list of recommended books to read with your child.

That quote sounds pretty academic but the calendar isn't. Here's an example. For October one of the books is The Little Engine that Could. One of the activities reads: "Does your child have a favorite color? Have him cut examples out of magazines and scrap paper. Glue them to white paper and label 'my favorite color". Pretty simple for mom and fun for Will.

I'm excited about the calendar. Will is, too. I've hung it up in his bedroom where he can look at it when he wants to. I plan to do the recommended activities with him while the other two are sleeping. Every couple of days he'll ask me about something on the calendar. He looks forward to the activities.

Hopefully this story time is going to become a monthly activity for Will and Daddy. I think Will is going to enjoy the time at the library as well as time alone with Daddy. At least that's my plan.