Kids get ready for kindergarten

Sisters Library welcomed the class of 2028 to "Get Ready for Kindergarten" on Friday morning.

Community Librarian Paige Bentley-Flannery gave the children a taste of what kindergarten will be like with lots of fun, interactive learning activities beginning with a lively song and acting out different ways to get to school - walk, bike, skip, run, take a bus - all with the spirit of "Kindergarten, Hooray!"

Flannery read to them from popular children's books and encouraged the kids to participate.

A fun way to teach kids appropriate behaviors at school is Todd Parr's Back-to-School Checklist to which Flannery added waving hands up or down for dos and don'ts. It's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to be different. Do wear new underwear - don't wear it on your head. Wash your hands. Do use a tissue to wipe your nose - don't use your finger. Wash your hands again. Make new friends. Be kind. Thank your teacher for being a teacher. Don't be afraid. Be who you are.

This year's pre-kindergarten class consisted of 16 students, seven boys and nine girls. Some were more excited about the opportunity than others, but by the time Flannery passed out coloring pages and crayons at the end, everyone joined in enthusiastically and creativity flourished.

Parents were given a list of ways to get their child ready for kindergarten:

•Get into a bedtime routine now and stick to it.

• Have your child practice writing their first name then their last name, then other letters and numbers.

•Count things out at home: napkins, placemats, fruit, treats.

•Take your child with you when running errands and talk to them about what you're doing, seeing, hearing, touching.

• Visit the library routinely and teach them how to use it. Get them their own library card. Talk about the books you read; sound out letters and words. Teach them the sounds of the alphabet.

• Encourage your child to make choices (Do you want an apple or a banana?), try new things, solve problems on their own.

• Watch TV and movies with them and talk about what you see.

•Prepare a special "study spot" with paper, crayons, scissors. Set aside a time each day for drawing and creativity. Once school starts this can become the place and time they do their homework.

Before the first day of kindergarten, your child should know their name, address and telephone number; be able to use the bathroom on their own and wash their hands; and button and zip their clothes. They should know how to share and play with other children. This will help them to adjust to their new classroom quickly. And most of all, experts say: Read, read, read. Read to your child every day.