Kindergarten Writing: What Happens April to June? (continued)

Learning to read and write, like all developmental milestones, happens at different rates for different kids. If your child is struggling in writing there are a few things you can do to give him a boost:

• Give your child as many opportunities to write as possible. Let her make the grocery list, write a letter to grandma, or write about special events.
• Give your kid a highlighter and the newspaper and have him go on a sight word hunt. He will be amazed how often those “little” words are really used!
• Write together. Write a story where you and your child take turns writing the words.
• Keep it fun! All the phonetic knowledge and sight word recognition won’t mean a thing if your child hates to write.

Your kindergartener has been working hard all year to get to this point, and while writing at the end of the kindergarten year is impressive, it will be your job to keep it going throughout the summer. Make sure your child is writing at least five times a week. Keep a summer journal and make it part of her daily routine. Now that your child has almost finished the first year of school, celebrate the huge achievements she has made this year! First grade is just around the corner, and it holds a whole new set of goals and expectations!