Before the First Day of School

Personal Information

Your child should know the following personal information before leaving for school:

• Full name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Emergency contact person's name

If your child does not know this information, write it down and put it inside a lunchbox, pocket, or backpack. For safety, do not place this information on the outside of your child's clothing.

Bus Routine

Do a "practice" walk to the bus stop. Point out landmarks along the way. This is a good time to talk about safety issues.

Visit School

Take your child for a visit to the school. If you are planning to drop off and pick up your child, practice this procedure. Introduce your child to the teacher. Walk around the school. Find the cafeteria, office classroom, art room, computer room, playground, etc. Try to arrange a tour of the school building or check if one will be given at kindergarten registration)

Use Public Restrooms

Many children don't have a great deal of experience using a public restroom. Give your child opportunities to use restrooms in public places. Talk about health and safety issues such as: how to check if the stall is clean enough to use, how to wash hands, etc. This enables your child to feel more comfortable with using the restrooms at school.

Schooltime Schedule

Establish a schooltime schedule. Consider bathtime, bedtime, wake-up time, time for dressing, packing lunches, and getting supplies together. Have your child help you in making this schedule. Make it clear which responsibilities are yours and which are your child's. Also, the school schedule may be quite different from the one your child is used to at home. He may have to awaken earlier, eat earlier, and take a nap at a scheduled time. Find out when your child's kindergarten class will be eating lunch. In many schools kindergarteners eat as early as 11 a.m. For increased continuity between settings, begin to change the schedule your child is on to better match what he will be experiencing in kindergarten.

Self-help Skills

Encourage your child to take responsibility and accomplish tasks independently. Self-help skills that will help your child in kindergarten are:

• Being able to use the toilet independently.
• Being able to put on a coat or sweater (use zippers, buttons, snaps, etc.).
• Being able to tie her shoes.
• Being able to wash his hands.
• Being responsible for putting away her own materials.
• Using good health habits (covering nose and mouth to sneeze or cough, using tissues, etc.).

Safety Rules

Make sure your child understands and obeys safety rules such as:

• Cross the street only at crosswalks
• Walk on sidewalks
• Refuse gifts or rides from strangers
• Remain seated until the bus is completely stopped
• Listen to teachers, bus drivers, crossing guards, principals, etc. They may have important safety information to tell your child.