| If you have a child under five, you have already | | | | may be on the way. So you can use kindergarten |
| watched many amateur productions of plays that | | | | skits and games to help your child feel less |
| were composed entirely in that sweet little mind. | | | | frightened of that big change and even come to |
| Role play and acting scenes out just seems to | | | | see the coming of kindergarten days as a time of |
| come naturally to children. Perhaps it's because | | | | fun and excitement so when it gets here, she |
| they see it on television and videos. But it's more | | | | welcomes it with glee rather than with dread. |
| likely because children just naturally have strong | | | | You can set up a mini kindergarten room in your |
| imaginations and creating alternate worlds and | | | | living room using play chairs from your child's toy |
| then making them come to life is just a natural | | | | table and using stuffed animals to be the other |
| part of being a child. | | | | students. The lessons can be silly things at first |
| We see this kind of play happen nature when we | | | | like the plot of the Wizard of Oz or the names of |
| witness bear cubs or even kittens in our own | | | | all of her My Little Pony dolls so your child gets to |
| homes as they seem to be all about play every | | | | jump up and yell, "I know teacher, pick, me!" and |
| day. But there is a reason for their play. Often | | | | begin to experience the thrill of being recognized |
| the games they "play act" are their way of trying | | | | publicly for being smart, even if the public are |
| out hunting, stalking, fighting and even running | | | | stuffed bears and Shrek characters. |
| away. In the same way our own children use their | | | | Once your little one sees how fun it is playing |
| creative imaginations to "play act" scenes in life | | | | school, you can begin to do more to make the |
| that they will one day encounter for real In that | | | | game more realistic by implementing a schedule |
| way, nature seems to have put it into babies of | | | | with a time to lay down her head, a time to |
| every species to use play to get ready for life. | | | | draw, and a daily schedule including "single file to |
| As parents, one of our great joys is to join our | | | | the lunch room" and back. These will be fun |
| children in play. We get to sort of "become | | | | games that will get a giggle from your child but |
| children" ourselves all over again for a while which | | | | also introduce these concepts in a fun way so |
| is great fun. And if we think its fun for us, just | | | | when they happen for real when she starts |
| watch as grandma or grandpa get down on the | | | | kindergarten, they wont be frightening but have |
| floor and suddenly become five year olds for a | | | | an association of playtime with mom. |
| while. The only shame is one day our young ones | | | | By taking the time to play out what will be |
| will grow up and then we can't play with their | | | | happening in kindergarten, you can prepare your |
| toys any more. | | | | child for all of the aspects of school she can |
| This impulse to act out scenes of life that they | | | | expect. Its an outstanding exercise and you can |
| will eventually grow into is a wonderful resource | | | | take her through it without ever letting her know |
| you can use to begin to prepare your child for | | | | that this is a big part of the "work" of getting |
| kindergarten. Very often, even though they may | | | | ready for school, even though to her its just a |
| not know they are doing it, children use this skill | | | | game. |
| to cope with fears about life and changes that | | | | |