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With all of our major changes this summer – from our big move from Ft. Lauderdale to Gainesville to planning our home renovations to Richard’s new job – I have hardly had time to think about the kids beginning at a new school in just a week and a half! Now that Lydia is going into second grade and Bryce is going into Kindergarten, this will be the first time they attend school together. Lydia’s already an elementary school pro, so now it’s time to get Bryce prepared for Kindergarten!
Create a “My Kindergarten Journal”
I designed a little book that Bryce could complete with minimal assistance. This is a great way to get kids talking about starting Kindergarten. Last year, he went to half-day PreK at a small neighborhood temple, so this is a huge transition for him. We talked about the name of his school, how he will get to school, and his favorite school lunch. Want to make your own Kindergarten journal? Just click on the highlighted text below to print the three pages.
Kindergarten Journal page 1 | Kindergarten Journal page 2 | Kindergarten Journal page 3
Walk your child through each page of the journal. If you have an older child who can help read each prompt, that’s even better! Your child will fill in the words {if needed} and create an illustration for each page. Lydia even used a marker board to help Bryce spell some of the words he provided to her.
Get back to a normal schedule
Between traveling to Orlando for two different multi-day blog events and traveling to South Florida to visit family for my 20-year high school reunion and all the fun we’ve had exploring our new town, the kids’ sleep schedules are all out of whack! The week before school begins is time to get the kids used to falling asleep earlier. We will implement a more rigid schedule, eat meals at normal times, begin bedtime around 7, and hopefully by the first day of school, the kids will be used to a better schedule.
Plan school lunches
Bryce loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, so why not teach him how to make them? I purchased Jif Creamy Peanut Butter and Smucker’s Strawberry Jam at Dollar General. I showed him how to spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread, the jam on a second slice, and slap the two slices together. He loved it!
Along with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, we pack some of Bryce’s favorite foods, like carrots, grapes, and cookies for a treat. He prefers to drink water, so we pack that in reusable bottles. He’s ready for a balanced school lunch on his first day of school!
Read books to prepare for the school year
I compiled a list of books that are perfect for preparing your Kindergartener for the first day of school. I placed all the books in a basket in Bryce’s room so he can look at them during the day and we can pick one to read at bedtime each night leading up to his first day of Kindergarten. You can find the printable list to take to a book store or library here: Gearing Up for Kindergarten Reading List 
Pick out the perfect first day of school outfit
Looking great can really help a child feel more confident. We already did some back-to-school shopping for new school clothes. I let Bryce pick out pieces that he liked, and I found items to complement them. He’s not the most focused shopper, so he definitely needed a little assistance. I think this outfit looks great on him! I hope he does, too.
Are your preparing your child for Kindergarten? Head to Dollar General where you can find back to school supplies and your child’s lunch box favorites. Save $1.00 on Jif and Smucker’s Fruit Spread when you buy 1 Jif Peanut Butter and 1 Smucker’s fruit spread {offer ends 8/20}.
How do you prepare your child for Kindergarten?
Any Comments?