"Starting school is a milestone for both parents and children," Helt said.

Incorporating learning activities into an everyday routine can help ease the transition to kindergarten. Formal or scheduled "teaching time" can be stressful for both parents and kids. Parents can be most effective and positive by utilizing a variety of learning opportunities, such as indoor, outdoor, group and quiet activities to reinforce kindergarten readiness skills, Helt said.

One of the best things you can do with your child is read to them, she advised. Reading and discussing rhymes and stories can stimulate a love of good books and develop pre-reading skills. Books with repetitive patterns or ones that emphasize rhymes, such as Dr. Seuss books, are favorites of children in this age group, Helt noted.

"Encourage your child to talk about the pictures, retell stories, and predict what might happen next while reading," she said.

Everyday activities provide plenty of chances to expose your child to the "world of words." Read signs, letters and labels to your child in several different settings like at home, in the car, or at the grocery store, Helt noted.

Following directions and counting also can be incorporated into everyday routines. Have your child listen to and follow two- and three-step directions while completing chores with family pets, cleaning up or preparing for an outing. Laundry sorting or folding gives your child an opportunity to sort items by color, shape or size, Helt suggested.

"Although children may be able to recite numbers or rote count, help them understand the meaning of numbers by asking them to get out a certain number of forks, napkins, or spoons when setting the table," she said.

Experiencing the great outdoors provides a very helpful outdoor classroom. Practice things like running, jumping, marching and walking backward. Follow-the-leader is a game that can easily use all of these skills, Helt noted. Children also enjoy backyard obstacle courses, scavenger hunts and nature hikes.

Group activities are great because they provide opportunities for your child to play cooperatively, share with other children, and make new friends, Helt said. Role-playing games use imagination and are great creative outlets, as well as learning opportunities for children.

It is important to encourage your child to learn appropriate ways to deal with frustration and conflict in these situations, she noted.

"Providing time for your child to be away from you as the parent without being upset can be excellent preparation for the transition to school," Helt said.

Having your child attend a structured summer school, church or library program or parks and recreation classes can help prepare for separation between parent and child. Parents might also arrange for a play date at a familiar friend's home.

Quiet times also provide several different learning opportunities. Children can easily practice their independent self-help skills such as dressing, fastening and zipping, shoe tying, toileting and washing, she noted.

Arts and crafts can help your child learn to use scissors, write their name, trace shapes and copy pictures, Helt noted. Fine motor and coordination skills are easy to practice when a child is having fun with a project. Modeling clay and other building materials like blocks can help children explore. Children might also practice writing skills on the sidewalk with water and a fat paintbrush or in the bathtub with body paint or bathtub crayons.

"Most importantly, encourage your child to look forward to kindergarten as a happy, friendly place," Helt said. "Try not to discuss reservations or fears you may be having in front of them."

One way some families do this, she said, is by celebrating the big occasion by having a special "back to school" dinner the night before school starts. The meal can include the child's favorite foods and dessert. After dinner attempting an early bedtime with a favorite bedtime story is a good idea.

"Don't forget to load your camera to record the first day of kindergarten," Helt said.