Michael and Ashley are 5-year- old neighbors who are excitedly talking about starting kindergarten this month. The Big Day is coming sooner than they or their parents can even anticipate. What should the children and their parents expect kindergarten to be like?

        First of all, today’s kindergarten is not your mother’s kindergarten, nor perhaps even kindergarten as you remember it. Do you have fond memories of sitting in a circle during story time, learning to share the building blocks, trying to color inside the lines, planting some seeds in a little pot, show and tell, or lots of fun play on the outdoor equipment? Fortunately, these are still activities your kindergartner can look forward to enjoying. The main goals of kindergarten today are to build a love of learning, build social skills and friendships, and provide an introduction to the world of school academics.

        Academics? The No Child Left Behind Act means that kindergarten teachers now focus more on early academics, such as reading, writing, and math, with an overview of other subjects, such as science, social studies, art, music, and computer skills. Social skills, learning to listen and follow directions, learn to complete tasks, and hygiene skills (such as hand washing) are also important kindergarten milestones. Local school districts generally offer half-day kindergarten sessions, though some districts offer full-day programs (often for an additional fee).

        Before The Big Day arrives, check out your local library or bookstore for one or more of these fantastic, fun, kid-inspired must-reads:

• Kindergarten Rocks! by Katie Davis
• The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing and Julie Durrell
• Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell
• Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate and Ashley Wolff
• Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! by Nancy Carlson
• Friends at School by Rochelle Bunnett and Matt Brown

        In discovering literacy, your kindergarten student will come to understand the look and feel of words, how stories begin and end, and how combined alphabet letters make predictable sounds that miraculously turn into words! There will be an emphasis on learning phonics and your student will have many alphabet activities to enhance pre-reading comprehension. By the end of kindergarten, Michael and Ashley will be de-coding short stories on their own, which will prepare them well for first grade. Encourage your child to develop a love of literacy by allowing him to choose books from the library and reading to him every day.

        Kindergarten math concepts are basic: learning what numbers stand for and doing some simple math exercises. You can turn your next grocery shopping trip into a math learning environment by pointing out how many bananas there are in a bunch, how many cartons of milk or juice you put into your cart, and by having your child read aloud numbers she recognizes on labels, store shelves, and receipts.

        Support your student’s beginning attempts at writing, first when he learns to write his name, and later on during kindergarten when he may be “creatively” spelling words he is putting into his own story. Make a book at home by stapling construction paper into a four- or five-page book, then have your child write a word or two on each page, drawing a picture on each page with colorful markers to illustrate his book. You will have a precious memory to cherish and your child will be practicing her writing skills.

        If possible, take your child to the school he will be attending and visit the kindergarten classroom before The Big Day arrives. Point out the different centers in the classroom and talk about how much fun she will have in this new learning environment. Allow your child to play educational games on pbskids.org or go on nickjr.com, where Dora’s Beyond the Backpack page discusses kindergarten preparedness.

        During the first week of kindergarten, Michael and Ashley will get to know the names of their teacher and their classmates. They will be introduced to the centers, to story time, calendar time, snack time (always important!), and certain classroom routines and expectations. Ashley may bring home an art or craft project, a new song or rhyme, or the name of a new best friend forever. Michael may give you an enthusiastic summary of an upcoming field trip or the “latest” at the science or computer center. Both will be introduced to early literacy and math. Ask your child about school every day.

        Although you, as the parent, may be a bit wistful and even sad that your baby is growing up, enjoy your kindergartener’s new school experiences and budding skills and abilities, as you both embrace this year of wonder and learning.

Laura Larissa Scott is the mother of three, a local writer, and children’s health care worker.