September 2022 | Jeannette Kahn, SLP, Founder & Co-Owner Buttonloop Children’s Therapies

Interested in learning about some areas you can help with at home to prepare your kindergartner for school?

This blog will focus on:

• Teaching your child how to advocate for themself

• How to practice peer play and grow social skills

• Building Executive functioning skills with their backpack!

• Regulation and learning how to breathe

1. Self Advocacy

   Teach your child how to first attempt to independently problem-solve then verbally communicate their needs by modeling this behavior yourself (pause, raise your hand, and state "I need help, please")

2. Executive Functioning

   Work with your child on organizing their backpack/materials

   Develop a reminder list for when they start school (Hang up coat, backpack) vs. when they leave for day.

3. Social Skills

   Set up peer play dates to practice social skills, including turn taking and sharing thoughts/imaginative play Role play how your child can initiate play and strategies to include children in their play Teach turn-taking with toys and communication to allow for back to back conversation

4. Daily Living

   Make sure child knows how to unzip coat, undo fasteners

   Takes on/off shoes

   Opening/closing their lunchbox and food containers

5. Regulation

   Empower your child with ways to calm their body down when they get upset - taking deep breaths, "sniffing the flower then blowing out candles, " count to 10...

Want some additional support? Check out Buttonloop Children’s Therapies for speech, occupational therapy, feeding and social skills needs. 

Photo Credit: note thanun on Unsplash