Make students take responsibility for their belongings. Rather than keeping everything for students, they need to begin to keep up with their own money, backpacks, school supplies and clothing. No one will follow behind them to make sure they always have all their stuff in first grade.
Require students to have a small level of independence. As soon as students enter the room, insist that parents allow them to walk in on their own, unpack their backpacks themselves and complete other morning routines on their own. Also begin to expect students to complete classwork without someone beside them from start to finish. Give help and assistance, but don't hover over a student through every step of a task until it is completed -- that will not happen in upcoming grades.
Tell students to use their words to communicate their needs and emotions. Often students have spent a year crying, hitting or pointing to communicate their emotions and needs. When they arrive in first grade, they'll have to use their words. Acting out physically when someone upsets them, crying when they should ask for help or pointing instead of using words to communicate what they want will no longer be appropriate.
Expect students to complete written work. Students entering first grade need a solid foundation in reading, writing and math. Students should know letter sounds and be able to sound out three-letter words and write their letters. It also is helpful if students can write simple sentences of three or four words. Spelling isn't as important, but they will be expected to write from left to right, leaving space between their words. If students can count, recognize their numbers and write them, this will prepare them for what they'll learn in first grade. These skills will give students the foundation they need to transition from kindergarten to first grade. If their foundation is weak, their transition will be harder because they'll be unprepared for first-grade work.
Challenge students to stay awake for longer periods of time if they are attending a kindergarten program that allows students to nap. "Naps can be one of the more difficult parts about the transition to first grade," according to The Labor of Love website. The website says parents should try to wean their children from naps "at the beginning of the summer before first grade."