Getting Kindergarten Ready With Walkabouts

Is your child Kindergarten-ready? If not, there is a lot that parents and pre-kindergarten teachers can do to set up their children for success in kindergarten.

In her article, Teacher Voice: It’s tough to prepare children for kindergarten if parents and teachers don’t collaborate, Nicole Spinks details several things that teachers and parents can do to get students ready for kindergarten. According to the article, “Children who are ready for kindergarten have had both a sound, structured pre-K program, and support from their parents or guardians.”

WHAT TEACHERS CAN DO

By using Walkabouts in the classroom, teachers can help children prepare for kindergarten in the following ways:

• Pre-kindergarten Walkabouts cover the social/emotional topics of feelings, emotions, and manners.
• Walkabouts cover academic concepts such as letter names, letter sounds, number recognition, shapes, colors, and patterns.
• Walkabouts are structured group activities that expose students to technology in the classroom.
• During Walkabouts, students are expected understand and follow rules, pay attention, follow directions, and make independent decisions.
• Walkabouts require students to move their bodies and respond to lessons through physical activity.
• Walksheets are a supplement to Walkabouts. Walksheets are traditional worksheets that include a movement component. Walksheets help students practice fine motor skills and reinforce the skills covered in Walkabouts.

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO

Walkabouts are not just for use in classrooms. Parents can also use Walkabouts at home. Teachers can provide recommendations for the best way to supplement usage at home, as collaboration between teachers and parents means children get maximum benefits.

• Because Walkabouts are web-based and a subscription includes access at school and at home, parents can play Walkabouts at home if they have a computer and internet access. This educational technology exposes children to age-appropriate lessons and concepts.
• Some kindergarten Walkabouts include read-alouds during which a story or nonfiction text is read aloud and the text and illustrations or photographs show on screen.

If you don’t already have Walkabouts and are interested in learning more, contact us via the website. And if you are already using Walkabouts, make sure to take full advantage of the Walksheets as well!