TOLEDO, Ohio — Parents, if you have a child who will be turning five by August, now is the time to start thinking about Kindergarten.
Moms and dads probably feel like it was just yesterday that they were bringing their baby home from the hospital and in a few short months, they'll be off to school.
"I'm so nervous and I was nervous for preschool and that was only two hours a day for a couple days a week," said Toledo mom, Mallory Jesko.
Jesko is anxiously preparing her four-year-old daughter Mia for kindergarten.
"We've spoken to a lot of the teachers and the staff there and they've really made the transition smooth. As far as what we need to do. Mia is just very excited to get going," said Mallory.
This spring and summer, Mallory says she'll be working with Mia on things like reading, numbers and following directions and she tries to make it fun.
"Even something like baking cookies. They have to follow directions. Know the math; half a cup, quarter cup. Just stuff like that where you make it fun and theyre interested," says Mallory.
That's exactly what Joe Sarnes, assistant director for teaching and learning for Perrysburg Schools, said parents of four and five year olds should be doing.
"Involve the kids in whatever you're doing. If you go shopping, talk about how much things cost. Have them look at numbers while they're shopping. Make it a game," said Sarnes.
This is the time of year many school districts in the area are hosting kindergarten round-ups. It's a chance for parents to meet with school leaders and for teachers to meet and learn more about their future students and their developmental level.
"Basically it's just letters and numbers. Seeing where they're at. How high can they count? Can they recognize numbers? Those kinds of things," said Sarnes.
Parents are then sent home with a packet with some things for kids to work on before they start kindergarten in the fall.
Things like reading, counting, tying shoes, writing their name and cutting.
"For someone who's four, three months is a large part of their lives. So the development we see from the time that they go through kindergarten roundup and the time they start school in August can be pretty amazing. Like they say: 'Everything I learned, I learned in kindergarten,'" said Sarnes.
Mallory said it all just keeps happening so fast. Before she knows it, her three-year-old son and two-month-old daughter she is still nurturing at home will be making the same moves as big sister Mia.
"They'll be in good hands. I'll be nervous as probably any parent, but excited for her," said Mallory.
