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My DS6 will be skipping first and will start with second grade from fall. I really appreciate all the information on this site and it has helped me a lot.

Now that it is finally happening I could take advice on what I should be watching when he starts in fall. Any ideas what I could do over the summer which will help him with transition?

I think the # 1 area in which he may be behind his new classmates is writing. I would probably have him do bits of handwriting practice over the summer.

Also, if your child's kindergarten classroom schedule / structure will be markedly different from second grade (for example if he's in a half-day K), educate yourself and him about the changes, and think about asking for him to sit in with the graduating 1st class for a day or two if possible.

Another idea is to make sure you know what, if anything, the graduating first graders are expected to do over the summer; for example, they may be expected to do a summer reading plan. If there is summer work assigned, you may be able to have your son knock it out in a very short time, and he may feel less out of place if he has all of his ducks in a row.

You will of course have lots of conversations with your little one about the skip. Begin thinking about ways to prepare him and yourself if you encounter curious questions from kids and adults about the skip. I've already encountered some borderline-pushy parents, which was uncomfortable (thankfully they were in the grade our son is leaving).

I'm doing this for the first time, too, so take all my advice with a grain of salt.

Congratulations!
My DS skipped 1st grade too and we did not do any preparation. He did just fine and actually enjoyed a learning curve for about the first 4 weeks of 2nd grade - after which he was right back at the top and a little bored! The only thing that was slightly challenging was that he was not use to writing as much as the kids who completed 1st grade. He didn't particularly enjoy writing, especially since his fine motor skills were not as developed. I guess that is something you could work on if you feel that this might be a similar challenge.
More than preparing him academically, I would prepare him for how other children might react to him. For months after he skipped, he would get asked 'why did you skip.' Formulating a good response is important. Some kids may be resentful and not particularly nice.
Plus, all his friends were now a year behind and the kids in his current class had known each other for 2 years and had already formed bonds. He now had to find a way to fit in. I tried to encourage play dates quickly and signed him up for cub scouts which included 3 boys from his 2nd grade class.
Hope this helps. Good luck

Iucounu: Thanks for the information about summer reading plan. I will check with his teacher.

He is already going to first grade class for the rest of the year, which is really helpful.

Aly: Thanks.
I was thinking about cub scouts too. But I think it needs lot of commitment from parent side too. Does it?

Shitu, you're welcome. Keep us posted on how it's going. My son, by the way, has a July birthday too!

aly, thanks for the tip on cub scouts. I'll have to look into that.

Some parents commit more time than others. Several parents do just show up at meetings, although they love as much involvement as possible.
My husband ended up being the leader in the second year and it was a lot of work. On the other hand, he, and by default my son, ended up with a tremondous amount of respect from the other parents and children.
Even if you cannot commit much time, do not let this discourage you from joining. It has been a wonderful experience on so many levels. It also provided some bonding time for my husband and son.

Excellent that he is already going to 1st grade. I don't think you'll have to do much. Since you are going to talk to the teacher, you might get suggestions for playdates to set up - ask which kids seem to enjoy your kid. Try to set up a few playdates with kids who will be in his class next year.

If the classes for next year haven't already been chosen, you can try saying this to the principle or teacher: 'We've noticed that he seems to enjoy other kids who love to read and love to ask a lot of questions. If it's possible, can you group a few of those sorts of kids in his class next year to help smooth the social transition.'

Apparently you can't just say "Please put some smart ones in with him!!!" but you can ask for 'kids who love to read' or 'kids who love to ask a lot of questions' and get the same result. ((wink))

A great book on how to help you son have great playdates:
"Friends Forever" by Fred Frankel.

Smiles,
Grinity

Congratulations! My DD skipped K. The areas where she needed a little work were writing, drawing, and P.E. (jumping rope, sports, etc.). The good news is that she caught up really fast!

With regard to classmates and comments, it is a non-issue so far. DD just finished 3rd Grade this year and she blends in (but is still at the top of the class).

Good luck!

Thanks Grinity.
The teacher said she will keep this in mind; the classes are not yet set for next year. She is being very supportive so we are hopeful.

Thanks for all the response, looks like writing is something I should work on. Is there any specific resource that worked for you?