What your child needs to know the first week of school

Published: August 10, 2016 | Updated: September 28, 2022

Starting kindergarten can create excitement and anxiety for kids and parents alike. Much of that fear will go away if your child is prepared before entering the classroom.

What should your kindergartner know? Sharon Rengers, R.N., safety educator with the Children’s Hospital Foundation Office of Child Advocacy, said they should have a firm grasp of the following:

•Know how to say, spell and write their name
•Have their phone number, address and parents’ names memorized
•Know how to interact with strangers and what they should and shouldn’t say to strangers

Practice makes perfect. Practice with your child to make sure they are not caught off guard when asked questions.

Want more tips? Our experts talked with WHAS 11.