Entering first grade can be an exciting and nerve-wracking time for both children and their families. There are big changes afoot, and even the most adventurous kiddos will need support to get the most out of the coming year.
“First grade is a time of tremendous growth in four developmental areas: cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically, too,” notes Michele Myers, Ph.D., co-author of The Educator's Guide to Building Child & Family Resilience and Revolutionary Love. “To help your child feel confident and prepared, here are some ways you can support their development this summer.”
Cognitive Skills
Make reading a daily activity. Myers suggests reading to your child and letting your child read to you each day — and letting your growing reader’s interests lead the way. Whether your kiddo is into dinosaurs or dragons, princesses or unicorns, choosing reading material that aligns with their interests increases motivation, builds reading comprehension, and develops vocabulary.
“It is also important to talk with your child about what they are reading,” says Myers. “Ask questions about the text and respond with follow-up questions to extend their thinking, when possible.”
Her suggested follow-up questions include:
What do you think will happen next?
What would you do if…?
How do you think this story is going to end?
What interesting facts did you learn?
Can you explain what this picture is showing?
Myers also recommends encouraging kids to write about the stories you read together to support literacy development.
Explore numbers. Opportunities to build basic number sense are all around us. Myers recommends encouraging kids to hone these skills by calling out numbers on billboards and traffic signs, adding and subtracting toys, and practicing recognition of numbers up to 100.
Want more practice? Scholastic Early Learners: Write-and-Repeat Number Practice includes 32 pages of fun with numbers and a magic pen that wipes away so kids can use it again and again.
Sort and categorize. Kids can practice these skills with objects you already have lying around the house, including toys, blocks, buttons, rocks, etc. Have them sort each item by size, shape, color, or other characteristics.
Practice writing. Myers suggests having kids write everything from shopping lists to notes to friends in order to get in regular writing practice. And when you do, remember that “practice” is the operative word here; don’t expect perfection from brand-new spellers.
“Accept spelling approximations over accuracy,” says Myers. “For instance, if they are making your shopping list and want to add the word ‘cereal,’ but they write it as ‘crel,’ accept that approximation.”
Or, for example, if you tell your child that you need milk and your child writes the letter M, Myers recommends that you “affirm that and connect it to something you already know. For instance, you can say, ‘Yes, milk begins with M like the word Mom.’”
Myers notes that this helps children identify sounds and connect them to letters (otherwise known as phonemic awareness and phonics).
Need some portable sight-word practice? Take a look at Scholastic’s 100 Write-and-Learn Sight Word Practice Pages, featuring words from the Dolch Word List, a commonly recognized core of sight words, plus fun games and extension activities.
Social Skills
Model the behaviors you want to see, including kindness, empathy, and taking turns. Actions speak louder than words. Myers reminds us that, “Children tend to replicate what they see those significant others in their lives do. For example, the simple gesture of holding the door for someone or sending flowers to a friend just because you thought about them models the social skills of kindness.”
You can also demonstrate behaviors like taking turns that are essential for self-management (not to mention getting along in a classroom environment).
“A simple, yet easy and enjoyable way to help children learn these skills can be done through playing board games or participating in organized games or sports in groups,” says Myers. “Such activities reinforce concepts of patience, fairness, taking turns, and collaboration.”
Use favorite characters to model open communication. Myers recommends engaging kids in regular conversation about social challenges like making friends, dealing with anxiety, or respecting differences. Using favorite characters and stories can help facilitate these discussions.
For example, kids who are nervous about starting a new school year might relate to Sam’s adventures at Eerie Elementary (even if their classroom is significantly less spooky), while little ones who struggle with anxiety will recognize themselves in the Worrysaurus (and be relieved when everything works out in the end).
“When children are comfortable to talk about their feelings openly without judgment and shame, they are more likely to do so,” Myers says. “Children, like adults, just want to know that they are seen, heard, and valued for who they are.”
Find a healthy balance with screentime. Time spent on screens isn’t all bad, especially when kids use educational apps. However, Myers notes that balance is key.
“Too much screen time reduces children’s attention span and may delay language development,” she says. “It’s important to balance screen time with social activities so that your child learns to interact with others. Encourage outdoor playdates, crafts, or building activities that require them to talk and engage with others.”
Emotional Skills
Teach kids that words matter. “It’s important to teach your child how to use their words to ask for help, express themselves, solve problems, and voice their opinions,” Myers says. She suggests helping kids name difficult emotions and then practice strategies to manage them.
These strategies can include:
The 4-6-8 breathing technique, in which the child inhales while slowly counting to four, holds while counting to six, and then exhales for a count of eight.
Repeating self-affirming mantras such as “I love myself,” “I am kind,” and "I can be brave.”
Using the Ask-Answer-Elaborate technique. For example, if you ask your child how their day went and they say “fine,” you then ask them to elaborate and tell you what made their day fine.
Build independence. It can be tempting to swoop in and do most things for younger kids. Resist the urge! Encouraging kids to practice independence and learn from their mistakes builds essential skills and boosts their confidence.
“You can aid your child in this regard by letting them practice daily routines like getting dressed, packing a bag, making a snack, or tidying up their own rooms,” says Myers. “Encourage them to do things for themselves and celebrate their efforts and growing independence.”
Prioritize sleep. “Sleep is essential to a child’s overall well-being,” says Myers. “It directly affects their physical, emotional, and mental growth.” She suggests setting a regular bedtime and morning routine before school starts in order to make the transition easier.
Again, books can be helpful in encouraging routines. For example, sleep-resistant kiddos will relate to the heroes of How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? (And hopefully be ready for some shuteye once bedtime stories are done.)
Physical Skills
Practice fine and gross motor skills. Make time every day for both fine motor skills (making crafts, playing with small toys) and gross motor skills (running, jumping, dancing, playing outside).
Develop spatial awareness. “At this age, kids are learning to move confidently in different environments — on the playground, in the classroom, in the hallway, and in group activities,” Myers says. “Knowing where their body is in space and how to control it is key for both safety and physical competence. It reduces accidents and improves coordination and balance which helps them prevent bumping into each other.”
Want to practice at home? Myers suggests developing an obstacle course at home using objects like pillows, ropes, and boxes. Kids can gain confidence while building spatial awareness and having fun at the same time.
Looking for reads to help your kids get ready for first grade? Search The Scholastic Store by grade and age, format and subject, series and character, and more.
Michele Myers, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Wake Forest University. As a holistic, social justice educator, Dr. Myers is committed to ensuring that all children receive a humanizing education that honors their histories, heritages, literacies, languages, cultures, family structures, and communities as assets for learning. Dr. Myers is the co-author of The Educator's Guide to Building Child & Family Resilience (Scholastic, 2023) and Revolutionary Love (Scholastic, 2020).