Helping children get ready for school

These are some skills and feelings that will help a child be ready to start school.

Social skills

Learning skills

3 kids photo

Word and number skills

"There is a written rule on the wall that says “When you enter this home, talk in your mother/native tongue.” Now they know the Somali language really well. There are research findings that indicate children who speak more than one language are smarter than those who speak only one. So if you work hard, teach your child how to read and write your own language, then s/he will learn other languages easier. I would say, try to teach them Somali first. Children will learn English, but it is our job as parents to teach them Somali."

—Somali Caregiver

Health and safety skills

"As a father, I was very intent on on teaching the things I learned on the street. I played football with my son and went running with my daughter and taught them a lot about how to take care of themselves as whole, healthy people. I am not just talking about physical health but everything that makes up health."   

—African American Caregiver

You can find tips on how you can help children be able to do these things at Getting School Ready in Minnesota (made possible by The Northland Foundation).

help them learn