Five Great Books for Kindergarten Readiness

This guest post was written by Wendy Graham, a stay at home mother and freelancer who often writes about education for Online College Guru, a directory of online colleges.

Parents and children often look forward to the first day of school with a mixture of anticipation and worry. It can be especially stressful for parents who are uncertain if their children are ready for kindergarten. Ensuring that children have the skills necessary to succeed in those first crucial years of school can be difficult; fortunately, there are a number of outstanding children’s books that can help parents teach their children the basics needed for early educational success. Here are five of the best books to prepare your child for kindergarten.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

This delightful rhyming book teaches children the alphabet with humor and rhythm. By turning each letter into a character, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom allows them to interact and quarrel with each other as they compete to see who will be first to the top of the coconut tree. Available in a simplified board book version for the youngest readers, the longer hardcover version offers pre-kindergarteners a bright and colorful way to make learning the alphabet fun.

The Complete Adventures of Curious George

Generations of children have cherished the antics of George and the Man in the Yellow Hat. Today, his adventures still teach valuable lessons about choices and consequences. George gets into all sorts of trouble, but in the end is forgiven and repairs the damage done. This message is especially important for children preparing to enter kindergarten; the idea that mistakes and accidents happen from time to time can help children cope with the anxiety of a new environment, while the fact that George works to fix his mistakes can serve as a valuable guideline for even the youngest children.

Where the Wild Things Are

One of the most beloved children’s books of all time, pre-kindergarteners will thrill to the adventures of Max in the land of the Wild Things. The book helps children understand their own emotions and the emotions of others while spurring imagination and creativity. Winner of the Caldecott Medal for 1964, Where the Wild Things Are teaches essential lessons about family and the adventurous spirit.

Horton Hears a Who!

For small children, the assertion that a person’s a person, no matter how small, can help build self confidence and bolster self esteem. Horton’s sympathetic personality offers a chance for parents to discuss abstract ideas like friendship, consideration, kindness, and caring for others. Presented in Dr. Seuss’s unique rhyming style, the book is a warm and witty lesson in standing up for one’s friends and oneself.

The Doorbell Rang

A first lesson in math, this is the clever story of one dozen cookies and the guests who show up to share them. Pre-kindergarten children will learn fractional concepts, division, and counting while trying to determine exactly how many cookies each of the guests will receive. The artwork contains many colorful details for children to discover and enjoy while absorbing basic mathematical concepts.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'New picture books, late October 2007'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13609823@N00/1759076007 by: paula