8 ways to get your child ready for Kindergarten
By Rachel Angrisani
Director of Early & Elementary Learning
July 30, 2025
Preparing your preschooler for the exciting adventure of kindergarten doesn't have to be a daunting task. With a sprinkle of creativity, a dash of playfulness, and a little help from your Kindies deck, you can help your child develop the necessary skills while fostering a love for learning.
At Teach PlayLearn, we take a developmental approach to kindergarten readiness, integrating key developmental domains that create a strong foundation for learning: Social-Emotional, Speech & Language, Gross & Fine Motor, Cognitive, and Executive Functioning. The activities below, as well as all of the activities in our Kindies deck, are meant to be recommendations as a reference of skills. The goal isn't to master every skill, rather to expose your child to new experiences, build their confidence, and equip them with an "I can" attitude that will help them navigate new learning environments and social situations with ease.
Here are some of our favorite ways to harness these skills at home for kindergarten readiness before the fall:
Transitions
Transitioning from one activity to another can sometimes be a challenge for preschoolers. To make it more enjoyable, incorporate music! Create a playlist of their favorite tunes and play it when it's time to clean up toys or move on to the next activity. Watch as your child grooves to the beat and transitions with a smile.
2. Language & Communication
As your child prepares for kindergarten, create more opportunities for language and communication. Ask your child to give you the steps to make their favorite snack, one step at a time. Make it a silly adventure by strictly following their directions, even if it means using a toy car to spread peanut butter! This activity not only helps develop their language and sequencing skills but also encourages creativity and imagination.
3. Early Literacy
After enjoying a read aloud together, close the book and let your child retell the story in their own words. Encourage them to recall the characters, main events, and key details. This activity strengthens their comprehension skills, enhances vocabulary, and boosts their confidence in expressing themselves. For additional ideas and information about read alouds, check out our Read Aloud Blog Post. And, here are some of our favorite books to ease the jitters as your child gets ready for that first day of kindergarten!
4. Fine Motor Skills
Tripod Grasp: Fine motor skills play a crucial role in a child's ability to write and manipulate objects, something they’ll be doing plenty of in kindergarten. Try our favorite rock crayons, which are specially designed to encourage a tripod grasp (holding a pencil with thumb, index, and middle fingers). Let your child explore the vibrant colors and engage in drawing and coloring activities. This will develop their hand-eye coordination and strengthen the muscles needed for writing. There are more activities included in our Kindies deck to strengthen fine motor skills that don’t involve writing or coloring at all, such as fun scissor work and playing with pompoms!
5. Routines & Schedule
Routines in a kindergarten classroom, whether in a brick-and-mortar school or at home, are important to ensure children know what to expect each day. Create a visual schedule for the day using a poster, whiteboard, or even a simple piece of paper. Sit down with your child and discuss the activities they will engage in throughout the day, emphasizing the order in which they will happen. Refer to the schedule regularly to provide a sense of structure and organization. Your child will learn about time management, sequencing, and responsibility while enjoying a sense of accomplishment as they check off completed tasks.
6. Pattern Recognition
Recognizing patterns is an early math skill that your child will be learning about in their kindergarten year. Practice this at home by turning snack time into a delightful learning experience! Incorporate different colored fruits like berries, strawberries, and grapes onto their plate. Help your child line up the fruits in a row to create patterns together. Explore alternating colors, repeating patterns, or even making symmetrical designs.
7. Gross Motor Skills
We want our kiddos to feel strong in their bodies as they go into kindergarten, and practicing gross motor skills will help them feel confident in their movements. Engage big muscles by bringing the zoo to your living room! Encourage your child to act out the movements of various zoo animals, from slithering like a snake to hopping like a kangaroo. Take it a step further by pairing the movements with corresponding animal sounds. This activity promotes gross motor skills, imaginative play, and a lot of giggles.
8. Executive Functioning Skills
Kindergarten comes with new expectations around independence for your little one. Encourage your kiddo to begin to be independent with their belongings, such as hanging up their coat when they walk in the door or putting their shoes away as soon as they take them off. These seemingly small acts will be important for them to have practice with as they begin kindergarten.
Preparing your preschooler for kindergarten can be an enjoyable and rewarding journey. By incorporating the fun and engaging activities above into your daily routine, you'll not only enhance their cognitive, fine motor, and social-emotional skills but also foster a love for learning. And grab a Kindies deck for an easy, hands-on way to embrace the playfulness and watch your child's confidence bloom!
