Kindergarten Readiness
The start of kindergarten is a big occasion in a child’s (and their parents’!) life. The pre-kindergarten year is an important time for children to develop the skills they will need for kindergarten. In addition to cognition and general knowledge skills, four other areas of development are considered to be just as important: 1. social and emotional development, 2. approaches to learning, 3. language and literacy, 4. physical development and health. If you have concerns about your child’s development in any of these areas, therapists at the Pediatric Development Center (PDC) may be able to help.
Social and Emotional Development refers to how a child interacts with others and how he/she expresses and manages emotions. Therapists at PDC help children learn important social skills such as turn-taking, sharing, complimenting others, sharing and going along with ideas, and having back and forth social interactions. They also help children develop an understanding of their emotional states, how to manage their emotions, and how to respond to the emotions of others. Having these skills allows children to feel comfortable and confident around others and to reap all the benefits of social interactions.
Approaches to Learning refers to the self-regulation and executive functioning skills that children use to learn, as well as their levels of curiosity and creativity. Occupational therapists (OTs) help children develop self-regulation and executive functioning skills such as impulse control, attention to task, problem-solving, and organization. The activities used encourage curiosity and creativity.
Language and Literacy - Speech-language therapists help children develop language, including written language, and reading comprehension skills important for communicating with others and participating in learning tasks.
Physical Development - In school, the way that children express their knowledge is often tied to tasks that require motor development. For example, children often demonstrate their knowledge through completing worksheets that require coloring, drawing, cutting, gluing, and/or writing. Children must also be able to “sit-up” during seatwork and group lessons on the floor. This can be fatiguing for a child with limited trunk strength. Occupational therapists help children develop these important motor skills.
If you have concerns about your child’s development in any of these areas, please contact us today. To qualify for therapy services your child will be evaluated and will need to demonstrate a delay in one or more areas of development. Sometimes, given skilled 1:1 help, children can make big gains over a short period of time. Often it isn’t just developing new skills that is most beneficial, it’s the development of the increased confidence that comes with learning new skills that is most beneficial. If your child is struggling in one or more of these areas addressing these skills BEFORE kindergarten can lead to your child feeling more at ease and confident in kindergarten.
