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As a teacher, one of the things I pay close attention to is how focused each child is during class. This focus is such a great indicator on how well they’ll do in school! I love sharing insights with parents about their child’s behaviors, and many of them appreciate hearing about their child’s ability to concentrate and any tips of improvement.

While there are many factors that contribute to academic success, a child’s ability to sit still, listen, and complete tasks is a key that helps them learn in every subject. It’s all about supporting our little learners on their journey!

When your child is moving into the  2nd grade, the summer time is great to revisit those foundational skills, like decoding, writing complete sentences, and building comprehension. The goal is comfort and confidence not perfection. Students who enter the year already comfortable with these tools are ready for more complex stories and writing tasks. And just like with math, combining online time and hands on activities makes for the most effective progress.

The transition from 1st to 2nd grade is another big step in a child’s education journey. During this time period children  begin moving past simple number recognition and addition to more complex problem solving, place value, and deeper reasoning. Practicing  key math skills over the summer can help students feel confident and ready to engage when school starts. Making the school easier on everyone. 

This article reviews the most essential math skills that are aimed at supporting the transition into 2nd grade and offers engaging resources and hands-on practice ideas you can use at home to keep learning active, fun, and stress free.

Transitioning from kindergarten to 1st grade is a big step, especially in English Language Arts (ELA). It’s the point where children start seeing themselves as readers and writers. I’ve learned from my experience in the classroom that summer can either reinforce a love of literacy or cause key skills to fade.  Recreating a school day at home is not necessary however, a little practice mixed with fun  goes a long way. 

Here are the skills I perceive to be the most important ELA skills to review from kindergarten and a few foundational 1st grade skills you can start exploring. Each skill is paired with engaging Kids Academy resources and fun off-screen ideas that will make learning feel natural and playful.

Starting kindergarten is such an exciting time for both kids and parents! It’s totally normal to feel a mix of nerves and excitement. To help make this transition smoother, one of the best things you can do is set up a consistent daily routine. This can really help everyone feel more comfortable and ready for the new adventure ahead!

In my classroom, I prioritize teaching about routines. I explain the importance of following a routine, what routines are, and how they can change. We don’t establish routines without understanding their purpose; instead, we help children grasp these concepts.

From my time in the classroom,  I can tell you that math confidence isn’t something that can  just happen overnight. It grows with small moments of success (seen throughout the year), and summer is the ideal time to add in those moments at home. The skills I highlight below are the ones I used to reteach in the first few weeks of 1st grade, so staying sharp on them makes a noticeable difference.

Mastering scissors develops fine motor skills and improves pencil grip while fostering bilateral coordination and engaging both sides of a child's brain simultaneously. This necessary ingredient will help your child tremendously in completing the academic tasks in class. And it’s good to remember that school isn’t just about internalizing knowledge—it’s also about learning to manipulate and produce things! 

In this article, you'll find exciting and safe scissor activities to help preschoolers develop and reinforce this critical ability.

The summer before a child enters kindergarten, many parents often wonder how to prepare their future student for this major milestone of transitioning from home into the classroom. In this article, we’ll talk about key competences that are good to have before entering Kindergarten. 

Every educator knows: practice makes perfect. Repeated completion of a certain activity helps brain make that skill automatic. This means one no longer needs to stop and think every time they face a similar task, they just do it without any mental effort or even noticing it. 

With that educational purpose in mind, Kids Academy decided to enrich our diverse range of activities with Learning Drills, or Drill Worksheets. 

The start of school is a significant milestone, not just for your child but for you as well. It marks the end of their toddler years and begins a new chapter filled with learning, new friendships, and increased independence. As summer unfolds, now is the perfect time to prepare both your child and yourself for this transition.