We appreciate caregivers engaging in our Preparing for Kindergarten series. Our series is complete, but we wanted to wrap up with a few suggestions for some summer fun.  

One of the most important things we can do for our children is facilitate play! Play is truly the work of the child. Play benefits all brains, even adults!

Here are some ideas to have fun this summer and develop important skills that will help children participate in kindergarten! The focus of the activities below is on the importance of outdoor play.

• Make a mud kitchen outside!
  • No, this doesn’t mean your child is rolling in the mud—it’s a term for an area where children can explore materials using common kitchen utensils. Their imagination is the only limitation. Explore these simple ideas to create this in your outdoor space. It can be as simple as some plastic bins and recycled kitchen tools!
• Water play!
  • This summer is shaping up to be a warm one. There are several ways you can cool down, learn and have fun! The backyard pool and sprinkler are always a hit, and it’s easy to incorporate water play into your activities. Create your own backyard water table or design a waterway to play with water. All water activities should be supervised by an adult.
• Take the toys outside!
  • Does your child have some favourite cars, plastic animals, blocks or other washable toys? Bringing them outdoors opens a whole new world of possibilities when combining with some elements from nature.
• Time for messy play!
  • What better location than the outdoors for painting, chalk, sensory materials and other items that come sometimes create a mess. Easier clean up and still getting the benefits of being outdoors. Do you have an easel? Bring it outside. Or make one by adding some clips to a fence. You can also create a simple clothesline to dry and display your child’s creations.
• Loose part play!
  • Have you heard of loose part play? This very simple idea takes materials and lets children make creations, games and stories of their choosing. The materials are all things that can be used in multiple ways. The ‘parts’ can be a wide range of things—check out a thrift store or recycle depot for some interesting additions. You can also provide clipboards, paper and writing utensils to provide meaningful opportunities for children to either document or add to their creations through drawing or print.

Are you a bit stuck on figuring out your child’s play and what kinds of materials they would enjoy? This chart may give you some ideas.

We hope this series has provided a few new ideas and thoughts around all areas of your child’s development. We’d also like to thank our partners at Strathcona County for their contributions to the series. While we called it Preparing for Kindergarten, know that your child—exactly who they are and where they’re at—will be welcomed warmly by our educational staff. Our staff are busy preparing as well!

We look forward to welcoming your child in EIPS kindergarten classrooms this fall. Refer to your school’s website throughout the summer for all the back-to-school information you may need.