Parent Volunteer Ideas for Kindergarten

I cannot beleive the boys are starting kindergarten next Wednesday. Inevitably, one of the first thing they will ask for is for the parents to sign up to volunteer at school.

My question to you experienced moms is what type of volunteer activity did you enjoy and why, and what was the time commitment. Our boys will be separated. Their summer school teacher suggested that they be kept together, since they are not disruptive to each other, and they play individually in the classroom, however, they are identical, and I think it must be frustrating to them that they don't have the children know their names, because they can't differentiate them. It is with a broken heart that we have decided to separate them, but I think it's the right choice, although it would be easier for ME if they were in the same classroom...

Anyway, I'm assuming that there will be a list of volunteer activities to sign up for, and I was just wondering which ones you suggest. Looking forward to your answers.

 

I signed up for one party for each boy, on different days. And told the room moms that I would pitch in when needed, so I sent something in for most parties.

 

My boys were in the same K class last year. I signed up for as much as my school schedule would allow. Now that they will be separated in 1st. and I have my student teaching this fall, I will sign up for things that happen after Dec. 12th. We still do not know who their teachers are yet because they have had so many 1st graders transfer to their school this summer, and school starts next Tuesday!!!!! I will try to evenly split my time between both of their classes, depending on what their teachers are doing. Good Luck...

 

I've had children in three different schools, and they've all been different as far as classroom volunteers. For kindergarten, there were no signups specifically for the class. I went in to Jackson's class and read to them one afternoon every two weeks -- I asked the teacher how I could help, and she told me. For Hayden and Brady's classrooms, I alternated each week, so I visited each of their classes every two weeks in the afternoon. I helped with individual reading tutoring, special events, and sometimes just cutting/stapling/copying as needed to help the teachers prepare for their next lessons. Again, there wasn't a signup -- I just told the teachers I was available and would like to help, and they worked with me.

When notes came home about field trips, I always volunteered. I took turns so that I'd chaperone Hayden's class once and then Brady's class, to be fair. The teachers told me I could have the boys together in my group, even though they were in separate classes (all K classes went on the same field trip on the same day), but I kept it separate so each could have special time.

One thing I did get tripped up on last year was holiday parties. I was used to helping in my own child's classroom for parties. I signed up through the PTO on registration day and somehow I ended up co-chairing the party committee for the entire school (600+ kids). They did things very differently from what I was used to. Instead of each class having parents bring in food/drink/goodies, the PTO supplied that stuff for every single classroom. My co-chair and I busted our butts trying to purchase and deliver enough stuff for every class. I would never do that again!

 

When Caitlyn was in K I really could not participate in any activites. When she was in 1st and 2nd grade, I read to the class once a week. I loved doing that and she loved that I came in.

Last year with B & H in pre-K, I was able to participate a lot more. The teacher really didn't want anyone coming in on a regular basis to read or anything. They did have several parties. On those days the parents came in early and did crafts and things with the kids. They all loved it.

I hope that I can get to a few things this year. My job is now farther away from the school so I'm not sure.

 

I&I were in separte classes last year, and since I have Mondays off, I pretty much volunteered all day at school. Both had computer lab on Mondays, I voluntereed in the cafeteria, the play ground monitor and in the literacy library. I was on a rotating Copy Queen schedule (every 3 weeks) on Friday, make copies for the teacher for the next week. Did special projects for the teacher (cutouts, laminating) and was also co-homeroom Mom for both classes. In addition, I helped with T-Shirt distrubutions, and other special functions, as needed.


I can't wait to sign up for all the fun stuff again this year.

 

My favorite volunteer opportunity I did was library/story time. For Will's K class, they had a parent walk half the class down to the library, read a story to the children, and then help the children (along with the librarian) pick out a book. Afterwards, you took the first group back and took the 2nd group. This was so much fun for me! I loved getting to know the children, and working with them outside of the classroom was priceless.

I also enjoy helping with the parties. In IL the parties were 1/2 hour, and here they are 1.5 hours! I think I liked the 1/2 hour parties better! I liked coming up with games and crafts for the kids to do.

I love going on field trips, as well.

 

I work during the day but I get 21 hours of personal leave time a year and I used it all to volunteer for field trips. I went with them to the pumpkin farm in October, and to the grocery store to learn about different kinds of fruit and vegetables. We also went to a local greenhouse for Christmas and the class actually put on a Christmas play there (so cute). Their Junior Kindergarten teacher also took them for nature walks on Friday afternoons and asked for parent volunteers so I went on those a couple of times. They also had three classroom parties that I attended (but didn't volunteer for) and of course I went to their Christmas concert and their Halloween party. I know the shcool also needed parents to do a lot of preparation for their healthy snack program etc. and I would have like to but with limited time, I preferred spending it with the girls and their class. It was a great way to meet the friends they talk about so much and to meet the other moms.

I know that the schools have LOTS of work for parent volunteers to do. Hope you find something you find rewarding!

 

Thank you all for your answers. Lots to look forward to. My understanding is that you sign up for volunteer activities here, but I guess I'll find out next week.

I didn't know that they needed parents to read to children in the library. I think I'd enjoy that one! One question: how time consuming are parties? Do you feel that you get to enjoy a festive party (e.g. Halloween party) with your kids, or do you feel that you've barely seen them?
Thanks everyone.

 

There was no official sign up for volunteers in K last year. I just offered myself to the teacher for whatever she needed. I went on all the field trips, helped with all the parties, and went in every now and then to organize worksheets. Sometimes she'd send home stuff for me to cut out or staple.

 

Our kindergarten did kid writing which I helped with and it was fun. If you don't have that perhaps you could volunteer to come in a read.

 

My boys were separated and it worked really well for them. For me, it was sort of a challenge, but nothing you can't handle, Tula! One teacher had us sign up and used that list to draw/call volunteers from. I went in pretty regularly to that class to help with art projects, P.E. and whatever else she needed a hand with. The other teacher had a list, but never called me. Poor Kiko was sad that I never came to his class, so I finally had to ask the teacher specifically if I could come in. After that, she called me pretty regularly.

I really had fun going in, and if you like it, my advice is to let the teacher know you really want to come in. My feeling is that the squeaky wheels got to go in more than I did, but I just don't tend to like being "pushy". Good luck and congratulations to your boys!!