how to hold a pencil correctly, color within the lines, how to write her name correctly (capital at the beginning and lowercase for the rest of the letter), how to hold a book, and tie her shoes.

She doesn’t have to know the following but I strongly suggest it to help her do well in Kindergarten.

Letter Identification: Know sounds and name of each letter. I strongly suggest you purchase the dvd: The letter factory from leap frog. Numbers 1-10. Say, count and understand each number. At my school on the first day we test the kids by asking them to draw a picture for me. On the picture write her name or any other words she might know. From there I can assess where she is and where I need to start. Try teaching her how to write some words like: love, mom, dad, cat, etc. Kindergarten today is not like it used to be. It is more focused on academics and rigor. Make sure to talk to your child’s teacher and keep providing her with a loving and supportive environment.

Basic counting, time telling, letter recognition, oral story comprehension, shapes, colors, and as much vocabulary as you can muster are good starts.

Beyond that, the social aspect is important – plays well, understands directions, listens to leaders – should be ingrained.

Good luck in school!