What to teach a first grader

65 Tips, Tricks & Ideas

First grade is a year full of adventure! First grade learners begin to see themselves as readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists, and more. To help make it the best year ever, we’ve scoured our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook and the web for some of the best tips and ideas for teaching first grade. While it by no means covers every possible topic, we hope this list of gems will inspire you whether you are a brand-new teacher or a veteran. And we’ve organized the list by topic to make it easy to cruise for ideas!

Getting Your Classroom Ready

1. Create an inviting classroom

Need ideas? We’ve gathered real-life first grade classrooms for you to browse!

2. Gather all the supplies

Not sure what exactly you need for the first grade classroom? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this list of essential first grade classroom supplies.

3. Welcome your students with a big, colorful bulletin board

Image source: Doodlebugs Teaching

Seeing their names up on the wall will help students instantly feel at home, and the bright colors will create a festive mood in the classroom. Check out these bulletin board ideas.

4. Get a jump start on lessons

In first grade, teacher planning and prep time are precious! It makes life a lot easier when you can purchase existing lessons, bundles, books, and pages. And why not support other teachers while you do it? Check out our favorite Teachers Pay Teachers sellers for first grade.

5. Put together an irresistible classroom reading nook

Image source: Polka Dot Teacher

Your first graders are well on their way to becoming readers, so make this time extra special for them by setting up one of these awesome reading nooks.

6. Fill your classroom library with these classic first grade books

Here are 50 of our favorite first grade books.

7. Set up sensory tables

Early childhood teachers know that hands-on learning is essential. Sensory play encourages open-ended thinking, language development, and collaboration, and builds fine motor skills. Sensory materials are magically both engaging and calming. Here are our favorites!

The First Days of School

8. Introduce yourself creatively

If you’re teaching 1st grade, you have the honor of being one of the first teachers a child will meet! Make day one memorable by introducing yourself in a creative way, such as sending postcards over the summer! For creative ideas, check out 30 Unique Ways To Introduce Yourself to Students This Year.

9. Get to know one another with icebreakers

Get the kids mixing and moving as they get to know one another. Click here for lots of great ideas.

Create a Classroom Community

10. Start the day with Morning Meeting

Morning Meeting is an engaging way to connect with your students at the beginning of each day. An objectives and agenda board, along with a morning message, will help your students start off on the right track. For more morning meeting ideas, check out Responsive Classroom.

11. Establish a culture of kindness

Print these free downloadable posters to remind your students that kindness matters most of all.

12. Teach citizenship

Image source: First Grade Wow

Read the story of Johnny Appleseed with your students, then analyze the qualities that make Johnny a good citizen. Help students brainstorm ideas about how they might show these characteristics in the classroom and at home.

13. Teach the difference between reporting and tattling

Image source: Mrs. Warner’s Learning Community

Save yourself a lot of headaches by teaching your students the difference. Read the Child Mind Institute’s Is It Tattling or Telling?

14. Assign jobs

Give your students ownership of the classroom and teach responsibility by assigning jobs. Remember the saying: Many hands make light work! Here are 38 Ideas for Flexible, Fun Classroom Job Charts to choose from.

15. Read stories that build your students’ social-emotional skills

Learning how to be in school and be a good friend are a huge part of being a first grader. Share these stories that will not only teach lessons but start conversations.

Ideas for Language Arts

16. Incorporate daily writing prompts

We’ve gathered 25 writing prompts that you can download and use to get your first graders practicing their writing skills.

17. Stock up on fun tools to use for guided reading

Image source: Miss Van Maren’s Fantastic First Grade

Learning to read is hard work! Make it as fun as you can with the great ideas found at the blog Guided Reading: A Little Novelty Goes a Long Way. For more information on guided reading, check out What Is Guided Reading?

18. Encourage critical thinking with writing prompts

First grade teacher Heather M. shares, “I give students questions that take more thought than our simple carpet discussions—questions that they had to apply what they know to answer. It helps them get away from answering without thinking just to be first.” Here are 37 suggestions from Journal Buddies to get you started.

19. Differentiate reading instruction

“Read Works is an incredible resource for teaching reading!” says first grade teacher Kellie P. “At least once a week, I use a reading passage and question set in either ‘guided reading’ or ‘read to someone’ for small-group practice. I can easily differentiate because they provide the Lexile levels. I found this resource to be very helpful, especially with nonfiction, to integrate science and social studies concepts into Daily 5.”

20. Have your students create personal word walls

Image source: Cara Carroll

Instead of having one massive class word wall, have students create and post their own personal word walls in your classroom. Your first graders will love showcasing their skills! Check out the Just Cara Carroll for a free personal word wall template.

21. Have fun with literacy centers

We love this big list of ideas for grades K-2.

22. Make things interesting with foldables

Image source: Mrs. T’s First Grade Class

Foldables are a great and easy way to make any literacy activity more fun. The one above helps students group words with the same blend.

23. Teach them how to retell a story

Use these reading comprehension anchor charts to review stories with your first graders and strengthen their recall skills after reading.

24. Use paint strips to work on CVC words

Image source: Serving Pink Lemonade

Practice making new words by adding word parts to different beginning letters and letter sounds. And check out these other fun ways to use paint strips!

25. Teach sight words

Image source: Make, Take, and Teach

Check out these 43 sight word activities for the classroom!

26. Make phonics fun

Phonics is the foundation for reading success. Breaking words into their constituent sounds helps kids understand and build their literacy skills, bit by bit. Check out these 20 phonics activities.

27. Use games to teach blends

Image source: The Measured Mom

Check out these six free, low-prep games for teaching blends.

28. Introduce interactive notebooks

Image source: Teaching With Love & Laughter

First grade teacher Lori shares, “Using interactive notebooks is a great way for children to learn and interact with new information, as well as review and practice skills already introduced. They really took pride in their notebooks and were very proud to share their work with others. Unlike completing worksheets or other printables, which go home right away, these books are always available to the children.”

Ideas for Math

29. Keep your math manipulatives organized and easy to access

Check out these creative ways to use math manipulatives.

Plus, here are some additional ideas from first grade teachers:

“Use labels with words and pictures on bins. We take actual pictures of the materials.” —Amy L.
“I give my kids the things they use the most, like counters and linking cubes, in a ziplock baggie to keep in their desks. When we need them, I just tell them to take out their math tools. It saves a lot of time passing them out every time they are needed.” —Diane D.
“I put my manipulatives into clear shoe boxes and label them with words and pictures. I have a set of shelves in my back room where the kids can access them. ” —Kelly H.
“Save baby wipe tubs and give each student their own set of place value books to keep in the desk.” —Ann M.

30. Keep math journals

Image source: Miss Van Maren’s Fantastic First Grade

Making a chart that connects the numeral, word, and picture for each number will help reinforce number concepts with your little ones. Check out this article for more great examples of how to use math journals!

31. Differentiate math work by using online resources

There are tons of online resources for differentiating math work. For a huge list of suggestions, check out our best math websites for teaching and learning math.

32. Play math games

Here’s a big list of math games that are just right for first grade.

33. Watch math videos

Making math more engaging for kids can be difficult. But teaching math will be anything but boring when you introduce students to some of our favorite subtraction and addition videos on YouTube.

34. Teach shapes

Learning shapes is one of the earliest concepts we teach kids. Shapes ready them for geometry in the years ahead, but it’s also an important skill for learning how to write and draw. Get started with these activities.

35. Count the days of school and celebrate when you reach 100!

There are so many different fun ways to celebrate the 100th day of school. We’ve got a whole collection of activities for you.

36. Have “Number Talks”

You can build mental math and computation skills with Number Talks.

First grade teacher Stephanie W. shares, “Our students need to be able to explain their thinking on math assessments, so this is a perfect way to get them comfortable with reasoning aloud. They learn to explain clearly and logically. It also helps them to see their errors since you write down the problem exactly the way they explain it. If they can’t see the errors, other students can help clarify. It also gives value to working problems in different ways. As children develop a deeper number sense, they decompose and manipulate numbers in more complex ways.”

37. Get to know the hundreds chart with number puzzles

Image source: Mrs. T’s First Grade Class

These easy-to-make games will help students see what one more, ten more, one less, and ten less look like.

38. Share math word problems daily

We’ve got 50 free math word problems for your first grade class! Use them for math word problems of the day or a warm-up whenever you need it.

Ideas for Science

39. Create “apple eruptions”

Image source: Growing a Jeweled Rose

Conduct an apple-volcano science experiment. Fun and yum! Click here for step-by-step instructions. Plus, check out these apple science activities.

40. Get hands-on with science

Science is the perfect subject for kids to get down and dirty in. Try these 35 first grade science projects for inspiration.

41. Try daily STEM challenges

These STEM challenges are designed with your first graders in mind. Try one each day or each week to get their minds thinking outside the box.

42. Use a science journal to teach the seasons

Image source: Today … in First Grade

Students will draw trees in each season, describe what they wear during the different seasons, and journal about what makes winter, spring, summer, and fall different as they fill in this science journal.

43. Look for resources from an old friend

Check out these awesome lesson plans for teaching first grade science in the kitchen, on the playground, and throughout the day from PBS Kids.

44. Take a field trip

There’s something about the first grade field trip that’s so special. We’ve rounded up our favorite first grade field trips that students will remember forever.

Ideas for Classroom Organization

45. When it comes to decorating your classroom, less is more

Anyone teaching first grade is going to have the urge to decorate, but check out these HELPLINE readers’ thoughts on why simplicity rules:

“I have learned to start with a blank slate and let the students ‘decorate’ the classroom through the year with their work. ” —Sarah H.
“I made the mistake of covering every wall with decor and then had nowhere for anchor charts!” —Ann M.
“You will see people go overboard with themes. Don’t bother! I saw the cutest classroom where the teacher had bought a pack of plain borders with various colors, and she just alternated the colors on the wall with alternating butcher paper. Go simple.” —Suzanne H.

Plus, check out our minimalist guide to classroom design.

46. Keep paperwork organized with labeled three-drawer bins

Image source: Learning to Teach

Hurray! No more messy piles everywhere when teaching first grade! For more organization tips, read Ten Teaching Hacks That Make You Go Duh!

47. Create classroom mailboxes for students

Image source: The Teaching Thief

Use mailboxes to return work and have students write and deliver letters to one another! Personalize them to match your classroom decor.

48. Craft milk-crate seats with built-in storage

Image source: The Apple Tree Room

These adorable seats can double as bins for easy materials storage. Check out other creative ways to use milk crates in your classroom.

49. Use “absent folders” to help students catch up when they return to school

Image source: Teaching With Terhune

Partner students at the beginning of the year. When one student is absent, have their partner put work in the Absent Folder for them. When the student returns to school, send the folder home. Total time-saver!

Ideas for Classroom Management

50. There’s a chart for that

These classroom management anchor charts tackle every possible issue.

51. Use a snappy call-and-response to get their attention

For fun ideas for quieting a noisy class, check out these attention-getters.

52. Take a brain break

Check out these 25 brain-break videos, gathered just for your first graders.

53. Reduce stress during dismissal

Dismissal time doesn’t have to be chaotic. Check out these great tips on handling dismissal time.

54. Let students pick their own seats (carefully)

Teaching first grade is part of easing kids into the school experience. Let them practice their independence with these tips for letting students choose their seats.

55. Have students use colored sticky notes to communicate their understanding of a concept

Image source: Love, Teach, Inspire

Students signal if they’re struggling, stuck, or solid on a concept they’re learning! You can use sticky notes or colored index cards.

56. Set up a “Calm Down Corner” and toolbox

Image source: Creatively Teaching First

The calm-down spot is a classroom space where students go to regulate their emotions and redirect their behavior. Stock these spaces with tools students can use to help them calm down and make better choices. Learn more about Why Safe Spaces Are Critical in Today’s Classrooms.

Need more inspiration? Here are 8 Types of Learning Spaces to Consider Including in Your Elementary Classroom.

Other Ideas

57. Use

all the anchor charts

Here are 22 anchor charts for teaching first grade.

58. Build relationships with your students’ parents

Check out these 11 Teacher-Tested Ways to Make Your Classroom Parents Adore You.

59. Make art

Check out these 45 art projects are just right for first graders.

60. Set the tone for work time with background music

From Piano Guys to Afrobeat to the Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra, you can find a Pandora station for every occasion.

61. Play with your kids

First graders are hilarious! Don’t forget to have fun with them. Here are a bunch of old-school recess games you can teach your students.

62. Use technology to organize classroom volunteers

Sites like SignUpGenius are free and user-friendly. You could also assign one of your classroom volunteers to manage the content and delegation of any project or extra hands needed using this service. If you are looking for more ways to use classroom volunteers, here are 6 Tricks to Get the Most Out of Classroom Volunteers.

63.

Display student work from the ceiling

Image source: Kroger’s Kindergarten

This is the perfect solution for teaching in first grade classrooms with limited wall space, which is the case in most classrooms. Dangle student work from the ceiling! Check out more clever ways to display students work in the classroom and online.

64. Get acquainted with running records

What are running records? When used meaningfully while teaching first grade, running records can really help you move the needle. Running records are a valuable reading-assessment tool used in many primary classrooms.

65. Grab inspired dry erasers

Image source: @kinder_charm

This is one of the best money-saving hacks I’ve seen in recent years! After all, inspiration can come from all sorts of places. They’re perfect for little hands and they really get the “erasing” job done. Bonus: They’re cute too! Check out more of our favorite money-saving classroom hacks.

What are your top tips for teaching first grade? Come share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out our guide to teaching in a first grade classroom.

The Ultimate Checklist For All Your 1st Grade Classroom Supplies

There’s so much to teach in first grade! First graders are eager to learn new things and they’re curious about everything. Your students will go on new reading adventures as they begin to discover who they are as readers, they’ll grow into confident writers sharing their own stories, and they’ll become creative problem solvers and flexible thinkers in math. You’ll need a lot of 1st grade classroom supplies to help students learn and grow by leaps and bounds!

Here is our ultimate checklist of the top 50 first grade classroom supplies that every teacher needs for an academic year filled with lightbulb learning moments!

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. Thank you for your support!)

Individual compartments for name/project tabs on each slot of this brilliant classroom file system make it easy for 1st graders to keep their own work organized.

Step right up to reading! You’ll need bookshelves for your reading nook, and these tiered easy-to-reach shelves, or any of our other top bookcases, are the perfect addition to any first grade classroom.

You’ve got the bookcases, now it’s time to fill them with books! We’ve gathered some of our favorite first grade books for getting students excited to read, from The Princess and the Pit Stop to Maurice the Unbeastly.

First grade readers need access to lots of books. These bins make the perfect container to hold the books they’ll need for every reading event.

These multipurpose nameplates are more than just a name line. They include the alphabet, a number line, shapes, an addition chart, and a number chart. They’re perfect for identifying each students’ work area.

An easy-to-use visual twist timer. This countdown timer is great for helping students anticipate transitions between rotating times. Or check out our list of other timers for the classroom!

Magnetic hooks are perfect for hanging precious art pieces and projects above each students’ desk. They can be hung from metal ceiling frames. Add a plastic hanger to each hook and clip on work samples and projects. Voila!

Two-pocket folders are great for a variety of purposes. They’re perfect for holding your students’ writing pieces. Add a green dot on the inside left pocket and a red dot on the inside right pocket. Works-in-progress are placed behind the green dot. Finished writing pieces are placed behind the red dot. Two-pocket folders work great as “take-home” folders. One pocket holds items to “keep at home” and the other pock holds items to “return” to school.

Keep it together with a sturdy stapler! This one is jam-resistant, making sure you’re not stuck taking it apart on repeat throughout the day.

Reinforce documents or make instructional items tear and spill-proof. We’ve gathered the top laminator picks so you can easily save those first grade projects to take home. Don’t forget to stock up on laminating pouches, too.

Easily three-hole punch up to 12 sheets minus the usual jams. Perfect for adding papers to student portfolios!

Most teachers like to back their bulletin boards with bright paper. Upgrade with write-on/wipe-off paper that cleans easily with damp cloth and doesn’t tear or show staple holes. Available in a wide range of colors.

You’ve got the paper, now make it a bulletin board to remember with colorful trimmers. The scalloped edge adds a cute touch. Patterns include stars, polka dot, confetti candy sprinkles, stripes, zig-zag, and back-to-school.

Because you can never have enough sticky notes on hand in the classroom. Check out teacher hacks for post-it notes in the classroom.

Nearly every first grade loves building with LEGOs. They make terrific tools in your classroom and are especially great for teaching a variety of math concepts. Check out our favorite LEGO math ideas for every skill level .

There are a variety of different math supplies for the classroom that you’ll want on hand for teaching this subject! LEGOs, manipulatives, calculators, dice, games, and more.

Time isn’t always easy to teach, which makes this clock one of our favorite 1st grade classroom supplies. With each quarter broken down into a specific color, it’s easier than ever for your first graders to remember and retain where each minute is thanks to this analog classroom clock.

Keep centers supplied with a rainbow of 3 compartments (1 large, 2 small) caddies made of impact-resistant plastic. Plus learn the best ways to organize your turn-in bins.

We have put together the best pencil sharpeners as reviewed by teachers!

Teachers need a variety of tape for a wide variety of surfaces. Masking tape is great to have on hand as it’s safe and easy to tear and remove. Painter’s tape is a teacher lifesaver as it removes easily from drywall and can be placed on whiteboards for helping handwriting! Clear tape is also key for taping ripped papers and for craft projects!

First graders still love reading time on the rug. Add some color to your room with one of these bold patterned and brightly colored rugs.

As an alternative to a rug for your meeting area, these carpet spot sit markers help first graders know where to sit. The best part is, the spots can be moved very easily when you want to change spots and do an impromptu switcheroo.

Almost 5,000 stickers will carry you through a year of rewarding students for a job well done.

1″ spacing for little hands plus graphics in blue, green, and red helps first graders form letters correctly.

Stop the paper waste madness with these durable, double-sided dry-erase boards. Students will enjoy writing and wiping away mistakes and you get to save on paper as one of your 1st grade classroom supplies! Don’t forget to stock up on colorful, dry erase markers for kids , too.

Mistakes help us learn! Erase them into history with colorful, magnetic whiteboard erasers.

Keep your year on track for learning with a classroom-sized calendar pocket chart featuring 45 clear pockets for holding headliners and days. 68 calendar pieces help you plan out the days and weeks for maximum fun and learning.

Along with a calendar, it’s best to have a classroom schedule so students know the plan for the day. This pocket chart comes complete with 10 write-on/wipe-off schedule cards, 5 blank cards, and 1 title card.

Clipboards encourage independent and group learning. Easy to stack and organize, these letter-size clipboards also feature rounded edges to protect students’ hands.

Place sentence strips, flashcards, calendar pieces, library pockets, class jobs, daily schedules in this useful 34″×44″ chart featuring a total of 10 see-through pockets.

Showcase sentences with 3 x 24-inch, colorful sentence strips.

Make letter recognition happen all day long in your 1st grade classroom with this bold, 15-foot long alphabet poster. Plus it’s printed on thick card stock to last.

Post this number line on your wall or bulletin board to help 1st graders visualize the number line throughout the year, and make sure to check out our activities for number lines!

Make numbers, skip counting, and odds/evens easy to see with this 100s chart with clear pockets. Fill it yourself to hang on the wall, or use it for an activity to get students sorting their numbers.

Yes, we wish it were real, too. But this big money is second best. Teach kids to instantly identify coins and bills with these large, realistically-detailed images on the fronts and backs. Plus they adhere to any magnetic-receptive surface, such as your whiteboard, to attract student attention.

We love reading and your first-grade students will too! This set of reading posters is great for bulletin boards or your class library corner.

Kindness is key, especially for first grade students, which is why we love these free kindness posters. All eight are free to save and print!

There are so many ways to use magnets in the classroom. These ones serve as pushpins and can hold up to 6 sheets of printer paper!

A classroom set of these colorful, resistant headphones makes integrating iPad and other technology in first grade a little easier on the ears, thanks to plush circular cups and an adjustable headband. If you opt to use earbuds, we have a wealth of storage ideas!

The wide-ruled format (11/32-inch) of these 1st grade ready composition books makes it easier for early writers to share their thoughts and begin journaling on paper.

Board games are perfect for supplemental learning. Not only do students learn how to get along and take turns, but they can also reinforce math and literacy skills! Check out our favorite board games, including Sorry and Hedbanz.

If you’re creating a theme for your classroom, or just want to brighten that reading corner, why not consider string lights as a way to add a pop of light? Here are our top string light sets!

1st grade calls for honing those paper-cutting skills. Softgrip, cushioned handles and a textured non-slip surface helps guide the little hands toward correct handle use.

Coloring fun continues in 1st grade. Crayons are separated into individual sections by color in the storage box, keeping coloring time better organized.

Keep color where it belongs and easily remove it where it doesn’t with washable and non-toxic broad line markers. This classpack features storage sections, each separated by color, to keep markers organized for first-grade creatives.

Put two and two together with a classroom set of giant, all-purpose sticks.

You’ll love this chart stand with its double-sided magnetic whiteboard and storage bins. When used with chart paper, the chart stand is perfect for shared and interactive writing lessons. The magnetic whiteboard can be used with various math tools like your Magnetic Ten-Frame Set. Need more storage? The bins are great for storing math tools and other items.

No teacher wants sticky messes—or worse—to linger on classroom surfaces. Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Disinfecting Wipes kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.

Runny noses happen. Make it easier by having tissues on hand for any situation!

Keep your teacher desk organized and your phone charged and ready to go with this combo desk organizer and charger.

First graders love it when you implement a theme in the classroom! Why not check out our space theme, jungle theme, sports theme, emoji theme , donut theme, and camping theme pages!

Are we missing one of your favorite 1st grade classroom supplies? Head over to our WeAreTeachers Facebook Deals page to share your faves!

What a child should know and be able to do by the first grade: knowledge for a first grader

According to the Law of the Russian Federation "On Education", admission to the first grade of state and municipal educational institutions is prohibited on a competitive basis. Any child aged 6.5-8 has the right to enroll in a school. But some things should be taught to the baby before school - this will make it easier to adapt to a new learning rhythm. First grade - what should a child be able to do?

Child's knowledge of the family by the first grade

The child should be able to easily navigate information about close relatives and his/her own data. Full name, age, date of birth, where mom and dad work, how old are the brothers and sisters. It is good if the child knows the phone number of one of the parents and the home address by the first grade.

Knowledge about the surrounding world

It is believed that by the first grade a child knows natural phenomena - snow, hail, lightning. The child should distinguish colors, plants, animals. To test the knowledge of a preschooler, ask him to name a few types of trees or migratory birds that he knows offhand. For clarity, purchase a children's encyclopedia, look at the illustrations together and discuss the paragraphs.

Knowledge of time and space

Make sure that the child is guided by the hourly routine of the day. Does he know how to tell the time from a regular clock with hands? Can he list the days of the week and the names of the seasons without hesitation? Another important ability of the child to the first grade is to distinguish between “right” and “left”.

Knowledge of safety rules

It is assumed that the baby is familiar with the basic rules of behavior on the street - in what places and what color of traffic lights to cross the road, what to do if the traffic light is not visible, is it possible to leave with a stranger without the knowledge of parents . This is the minimum knowledge of safety that a child should have by the first grade.

A child's knowledge of mathematics

This is an important category of what a child should be able to do before first grade. There are often problems with mathematics. It is good if the child counts up to 100 and knows how to perform elementary addition and subtraction operations within the first ten. It is expected that he is familiar with basic geometric concepts - a parallelepiped is unlikely to be needed, but a circle, rectangle, square is quite. Teach your child to find patterns to train logic - exercises with pictures like “Find 10 Differences” are perfect here.

Knowledge of reading and the Russian language

A future first grader is recommended to know the alphabet. Despite the fact that it is not officially required to be able to read, this will definitely be asked at the interview. Children who have learned to read before school are easier to adapt - as a rule, their academic performance is higher than that of children who read in elementary school in syllables. You don’t need to force your child to pore over books without getting out, but you can try to motivate them to read on their own.

Resume

There is no official requirement that a child should know by the first grade. To be successful at the Foxford Online Elementary School, a child must have basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. Entrance testing in the 1st grade of our school is not provided. But the family is offered a small test to check the readiness of the child for school.

Pay attention to the child's general and basic developmental skills and abilities for the first grade. Ask the baby, based on the points in our article. Focus on the issues that caused the child difficulties. For example, go to a museum to learn more about carnivores, or practice the rules of the road for pedestrians so your child knows exactly how to cross the road correctly. As for reading, psychologists recommend setting an example for a child - read more on your own. If the kid sees that parents take up a book in their free time, he involuntarily copies the behavior.

Don't worry if a future first-grader doesn't know how to do something. It's not so scary, the main thing is the desire to learn.

What a future first-grader should be able to do and how to prepare him for school

August 23, 2022

The older children get, the more often parents think about preparing for school. When to start it and how to do it so as not to spoil your beloved child's childhood and teach everything necessary for successful study? Together with Anna Davidovich, a specialist in the field of child neuropsychology and an expert of the LogicLike development platform, we understand the issues that concern almost all parents of future first-graders.

Is it possible to make school preparation an exciting activity that motivates, encourages and, most importantly, ensures the comprehensive intellectual development of the child? With LogicLike, developing courses and games will become his new hobby. The service is already included in the special children's subscription NETARIF Junior.

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When should I send my child to school - at six or seven years old?

It is not so much the age that is important, but the emotional and social readiness of the baby to change the usual way of life. He will have to find himself in completely new conditions, and this is a serious test for the psyche, stress. But the child adapts easier and faster if:

independent;
responsible;
organized;
assiduous;
considerate;
polite.

The child must be able to recognize the authority of adults, build a dialogue with the teacher and find contact with peers. Therefore, it is so important to attend a kindergarten, circles or development centers, because only in a team the communication skill is improved. But besides this, the child must be sufficiently developed intellectually.

If you see that your baby is socialized to the required extent and can do a lot, you can send him to school up to seven years. If it seems to you that he is not ready yet, it is better to wait so that the new conditions do not become too difficult a test for the child.

Anna Davidovich

Specialist in the field of child neuropsychology and expert of the LogicLike development platform

If we are dealing with a typical school curriculum, it is better to send a child to school at the age of seven. The fact that a child has already mastered writing, reading and counting does not mean that he is ready for schooling. In addition to these school skills, the so-called regulatory systems of the psyche are important, which reach maturity by the age of seven or eight. For example, the ability to collect a portfolio, "hear" the teacher, focus on the lesson, plan one's own activity in preparation for school, and, most importantly, be motivated to gain knowledge. It is worth considering the psycho-physiological maturity, for example, the ability of the hand to the load associated with writing.

What should a future first grader know and be able to do?

By the age of 6–7, the child should already:

Remember his first and last name, birthday, age, know the names of mom and dad, their professions, address and other basic information. You also need to know several poems by heart, be able to memorize pictures and guess them.
Count to at least ten, solve simple problems and riddles, recognize geometric shapes.
Identify common features of objects and their differences, be able to work with scissors and a ruler, draw clear lines and paint without going beyond the outline.
Be able to distinguish letters from sounds, vowels from consonants, find them in different parts of a word, select words for any letter and divide them into syllables.
Read short sentences and understand their meaning, memorize and retell short stories, and independently compose stories from pictures and express opinions on a given topic.
Possess a coherent, phonetically and grammatically correct speech, select and pronounce words, highlight sounds, correctly build sentences, express one’s thoughts clearly and clearly.

Should a preschool child be able to read, write and count?

Theoretically, no, because elementary school was created specifically to teach children these basic skills. But actually, yes. Previously, it was really possible to send a child to the first grade with a zero level of knowledge. However, modern realities dictate other rules.

Today, many parents begin to develop their babies in all directions almost from the cradle. As a result, some children in the first grade already write, count and read fluently, sometimes even in English. Without a certain knowledge base, your child may feel uncomfortable around them.

The pace of learning has also accelerated greatly in recent years. It will be difficult for an unprepared first-grader to keep up with him.

How is school readiness assessed?

On the one hand, there are no official requirements and a list of questions for admission to the school. According to the law, state educational institutions are prohibited from accepting children on a competitive basis. All applicants must be enrolled.

But on the other hand, the readiness of children is still checked at an interview in the graduation group of a kindergarten or directly upon admission to school. The results of such secret testing are important if you are going to send your child to a gymnasium / lyceum or to any educational institution outside the place of residence, especially if places are limited.

The interview also influences which grade the child will be assigned to. Usually they are divided according to the level of development of children into strong and weak. In the first, the requirements are higher, but the children are also more motivated. Academic success depends on this, and for many parents it is important that the child finds himself in a strong environment. The law is not written for private schools at all: they may have their own, rather high requirements for the skills of incoming children. If you want to send your child to an “advanced” educational institution, you need to prepare very seriously.

Anna Davidovich

Pediatric neuropsychologist and LoengicLike developmental platform expert

Start by reducing the value of all introductory activities for yourself, as an adult. The child "reads" all our signals, including our body language, he feels our tension and anxiety. If you simplify the value of what is happening for yourself, then it will not be so disturbing for the child. In no case should you say: “It is very important that you answer well”, “If you do not answer, you will not be taken to school”, “Everything now depends on you”, etc. Such formulations can cause severe anxiety, up to panic, when the child cannot “squeeze out” anything at all.

Here are some more recommendations:

Be sure to “play” the interview situation with your child, in a light, relaxed, comic way.
Let the child be sure to be the one who is interviewing. Make it clear that it's okay to make a mistake.
Also, make mistakes yourself while acting out skits, demonstrate a positive strategy of behavior when the child points out a mistake to you: “Thank you, now I will remember it for sure.”
Run with your child on suggested questions while walking or playing together, in between times.
Don't memorize the answers, just periodically return to the questions that cause difficulty.
These simple tips will help your child remember information better and reproduce it when needed.

Regardless of the result of the interview, praise the child, encourage him to play, go to the park, take a walk together. The message is: “You are so good for going there! Super! Let's have some fun together now."

How to improve a child's knowledge before school?

Most parents do not have enough time and opportunities to deal with their daughter or son in person. Or children do not perceive mom / dad as a teacher, fool around, do not listen. The most common way out in this case is additional classes to prepare for school. As a rule, courses are paid, they last up to six months and include different disciplines. This is convenient if the budget allows and the child needs comprehensive development. If you want all the attention of the teacher to be paid only to your baby, choose individual lessons with the teacher, however, this pleasure will be more expensive than collective learning.

Another option is online classes with the help of educational services. For example, there are programs with which a child will learn to solve non-standard logical problems, train memory and ingenuity. Even if parents themselves have to sit next to their child, the learning process will be much more fun and easier. And certainly without irritation and tears. You can start such preparation in advance or quickly improve your knowledge before the first of September.

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What is the best way to consolidate acquired skills?

Everything a child learns should be backed up with practice. And not in some specially created, artificial conditions, but in everyday actions, in everyday life. Counting - while going to the store, memory - while cleaning, charging or mastering new walking routes, speech - during conversations, games and reading books. In other words, bring them to life. Observe if the child is able to compare, generalize, build cause-and-effect relationships not only in a smartphone or computer, but also in actions with real objects and situations.

And for first-graders and other younger students, we recommend the NETARIF Junior subscription.