Countdown to Kindergarten: How to Boost School Readiness Over Summer

Summer is here, and for families with children heading to preschool or kindergarten this fall, it’s an exciting—and sometimes anxious—countdown. You may be wondering: What can we do over the summer to make sure our child is ready?

The good news? School readiness isn’t about drilling flashcards or filling out preschool workbooks. In fact, the best way to prepare your child is through developmentally appropriate play, simple family routines, and rich everyday experiences that nurture their confidence, resilience, and curiosity.

We’ve gathered expert insights and practical activities from several outstanding Gryphon House books to help guide you. Here’s how you can make the most of these summer months.

Build Confidence with Everyday Experiences

Alison Pepper, author of Kick Start Kindergarten Readiness, reminds us that families are children’s first and most important teachers. Simple, intentional interactions help kids develop oral language, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills, which are all critical for kindergarten success.

Talk and explore together: Pepper suggests turning everyday errands and chores into rich learning moments. Narrate what you’re doing as you cook or clean, ask your child to help sort laundry by color, or count apples as you put them in the cart at the store.

Play simple games: Games like “I Spy” help children sharpen observation skills and vocabulary. You can also create a fun scavenger hunt around your neighborhood, pointing out letters, numbers, or shapes on signs.

Encourage independence: Give your child chances to take on small, age-appropriate responsibilities—pouring their own drink, zipping their coat, or helping pack a picnic lunch. These tasks build both fine motor skills and self-confidence.

Strengthen Fine Motor Skills with Play

According to Christy Isbell, author of Everyday Play: Fun Games to Develop the Fine Motor Skills Your Child Needs for School, fine motor development is essential for handwriting, cutting, and self-care skills.

But here’s the key: Don’t rush into worksheets or pencil drills.

“Your child should spend more time playing with manipulatives than practicing writing skills,” Isbell emphasizes. Offer materials like playdough, beads, child-safe scissors, or finger paints to build hand strength and control.

Try this idea from page 28: Set up a summer art corner with markers, crayons, sponges, feathers, and paintbrushes. Or invite your child to help in the kitchen by using tongs to pick up food or squeezing water with a turkey baster during water play.

Remember, the process matters more than the product—let them explore freely without worrying about creating a perfect result!

Support Social-Emotional Growth

Social-emotional skills are just as important as academic ones for school readiness. Pepper explains that children need practice naming emotions, waiting their turn, and solving small conflicts.

Role-play tricky situations: What should you do if a friend grabs a toy? How can you ask to join a game? You can act out these scenarios using dolls, puppets, or during playtime.

Name and validate emotions: Help your child recognize their feelings by saying, “You seem frustrated,” or “I see you’re excited!” Then guide them in calming strategies like deep breathing or taking a break.

Embrace the Power of Play

Cathryn O’Sullivan, author of School-to-Home Connections: Simple Strategies for Early Childhood Educators, encourages parents and caregivers to recognize that play is not separate from learning—it’s the heart of it.

Studies show that play-based, child-centered activities support both academic and personal success far more effectively than overly structured, teacher-directed tasks.

Follow their interests: Let your child take the lead in exploring what excites them, whether that’s dinosaurs, outer space, or building elaborate blanket forts.

Balance structured and unstructured time: Provide loose materials like cardboard boxes, fabric scraps, or recycled containers to inspire imaginative play. At the same time, include family games, nature walks, or simple STEM activities like water and sand exploration.

Consider Equity and Inclusion in Readiness

For children from marginalized backgrounds, the concept of school readiness carries extra weight. Tonia Durden, Iheoma Iruka, Stephanie Curenton, and Kerry-Ann Escayg, co-authors of Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms, emphasize that children of color, children in poverty, and children facing trauma often enter school systems that were not designed with their experiences in mind.

What can families and caregivers do?

Advocate for your child: Help ensure they are seen and supported, not underestimated. Share insights with teachers about your child’s strengths, culture, and needs.

Create a culturally affirming environment: Choose books, music, and media that reflect your child’s identity and heritage.

Prepare for conversations about bias: Equip yourself with language to help your child navigate unfair treatment if it arises. The authors point out that addressing bias early can lessen the trauma and build resilience.

As a parent, you play a vital role in making sure your child knows they are valued, capable, and celebrated for exactly who they are.

Make Summer Count

While it’s tempting to pack summer with camps and activities, don’t forget the power of slow, simple moments together.

• Visit the library regularly and let your child choose books that capture their imagination.
• Take nature walks and collect leaves, rocks, or flowers to explore at home.
• Cook together, measuring and mixing ingredients (a fun way to sneak in math skills!).
• Sing songs, tell stories, and make up silly rhymes.

As Pepper reminds us, “Learning comes naturally to children—they are curious, notice detail, and love to ask questions." All you have to do is nurture that spark.

The countdown to kindergarten doesn’t have to be stressful. By focusing on play, connection, and confidence, you’ll help your child enter school not just “ready” by academic standards, but ready to thrive as a whole, joyful learner.

Let this summer be a season of discovery, laughter, and love. Together, you’re laying the foundation for a successful and meaningful school journey.