Kindergarten Activities on Independence

Independent activities help to foster learning skills.

Independent activities are an important part of a young child's day. When getting ready for kindergarten, one of the questions a parent might ask is, "Can my child do things without help, such as get himself dressed independently?" During the day at kindergarten, teachers often use learning centers to foster independence skills in children and to engage them in activities that also help to enhance their motor skills.

Spell It

Kindergarten students do not know how to spell many words correctly, but many of them can invent spellings, writing a word as it sounds, independently. Give them sticky notes and allow them to write words describing things in the classroom as best as they can. Use the sticky notes to label the items in the room.

Highlight It

Children usually love markers and colors. Use these tools to help kindergarten students learn how to associate letter sounds with words and objects. Give students word search puzzles and highlighters and allow them to independently cross off words. A pen would work for this, but highlighters are more exciting and allow the child to continue to see the word he has crossed out.

Match It

Kindergartners should already be able to understand the concepts of numbers, colors and matching. In order to facilitate their progress in this area, give the students beads or blocks in a set pattern and have the students learn to recognize and copy the pattern. For detailed patterns, they will need to count in order to reproduce the pattern.

Build It

Kids love to imagine and explore. They are also very creative. Give students blocks and have them play a game to see how high they can build a tower. They should independently begin to find creative ways to build the tower taller. This activity builds motor skills and concentration.

References

• Child Care Aware: Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten