Valley educator: Everyday play helps build five skills that matter most before kindergarten
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Leena Hasbini, Ed.D.
Submitted photo/The Little Play Avenue
None of these skills require a program or a single flashcard. They grow through everyday experiences, hands-on play, family routines and opportunities for children to participate in the world around them. Letters and numbers remain an important part of school readiness, but socio-emotional skills help children navigate the classroom once they arrive.”
OPINION — A 4-year-old who can wait for his turn walks into kindergarten better prepared than one who can recite the alphabet. That claim surprises parents, but it doesn’t surprise kindergarten teachers.
What moves learning forward are experiences that bring joy, carry meaning, ask something of the child, allow repeated tries and happen alongside other people. Research continues to show that play isn’t separate from serious learning.
With the school year in full swing, many families are turning their attention to school readiness, raising questions about what their child should know going into the classroom. Ask the teachers what they hope to see on the first morning, and letters rarely top the list. Being prepared for the classroom comes down to the everyday social, emotional and communication skills children have been practicing through play all along.
Listening patiently
Listening is a skill built through attention and practice. Everyday activities can help children learn to follow what is being said and remember what comes next, whether working through the steps of a recipe, recalling a few items from a shopping list or following directions as part of a game.
Listening also develops when children experience that same attention from others. When adults give children the time to finish their thoughts without interrupting or speaking for them, they model the same attention and patience they hope children will carry into the classroom.
Expressing feelings with words
Big feelings often arrive before children have the words to explain them. Pretend play can help build emotional vocabulary by giving children opportunities to recognize feelings in different situations. Whether playing with dolls, figurines or other characters, children may find it easier to describe what a character is feeling before recognizing those same emotions in themselves.
Parents can help reinforce these skills by calmly naming emotions as they arise. Over time, children begin to connect their own feelings with the words to express them, strengthening communication and emotional awareness.
Sharing and taking turns
Children grab when a turn feels like it may never come, but wait surprisingly well when its arrival is certain. Making turns clear and predictable can help them understand that waiting does not mean missing out.
Simple cues such as waiting until a song ends or for a timer to ring can make the process easier to understand, while board games and other group activities provide natural opportunities to practice. With repetition, children learn to wait, consider the needs of others and understand that everyone will have a chance to participate.
Following simple instructions
Kindergarten days are shaped by a series of simple routines, from putting away a backpack to gathering for an activity or lining up with classmates. Following these directions requires children to listen, remember what is being asked and to complete steps in the right order.
Play can help strengthen those skills without making them feel like a lesson. A pretend café asks a child to remember an order and carry it to the kitchen, while a craft or simple recipe introduces a sequence of steps that leads to a finished result. These activities give children repeated practice listening to directions and following through.
Being curious and confident enough to ask questions
Children are naturally curious, but they also need to feel comfortable expressing that curiosity. How adults respond to questions can help children learn that asking, wondering and not knowing are all part of learning.
Showing genuine interest lets children know their curiosity is valued, and parents can reinforce that by admitting when they do not know something and finding out together. When children feel heard and taken seriously, they build the confidence to raise a hand, ask for help and stay engaged in the classroom.
None of these skills require a program or a single flashcard. They grow through everyday experiences, hands-on play, family routines and opportunities for children to participate in the world around them. Letters and numbers remain an important part of school readiness, but socio-emotional skills help children navigate the classroom once they arrive.
Listening, communicating, taking turns and asking questions are built gradually in the everyday moments leading up to the first day of kindergarten.
Leena Hasbini, Ed.D. is founder of an educational and play space for children 7 and younger. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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