Transition to Kindergarten
The Role of Early Childhood Programs
Early childhood programs act as the bridge between preschool and kindergarten and are an essential resource for families preparing to navigate this transition. In addition to several sections below, here are suggestions to help your program implement practices to ensure families have the information they need and that children are ready for this big transition. The most important thing is that children who believe in their own abilities have been found to be more successful in school.
Meeting with parents:
- Address their concerns as best you can, empower the parents to act as advocates for their children
- Remind parents that they play a critical role in this transition.
Resources to provide:
- District information and upcoming orientation dates (see links below)
- Community events (Alliance for Kids shares these on Facebook – call us if you need details.)
- Provide families a summary of their child in a school setting to take to the new teacher (e.g., child’s strengths, areas of improvement, known triggers – both positive and negative)
Tips for discussing kindergarten with families and children:
- Never talk negatively about moving to kindergarten
- Keep your emotions in check
- Encourage the children’s excitement
- Allow children to express their feelings
- Share examples of how kindergarten is the same and how it is different from preschool
Activities to encourage readiness:
- Create tools children can use when missing their family (e.g., a laminated photo of their family, or a book with pictures, a book of emotions, photo of the children the child may know in the class)
- Focus on self-help skills with the children so children are set up to be as independent as possible
- Try to take several tours of the “new school” or encourage parents to visit their options in person
- Ask to share parent contact information with other parents going to the same schools
- Encourage parents to set up play dates and get to know other families
Articles on Kindergarten Transition to share with families:
Strategies for Connection
FamilySPEAK Offers Kindergarten Transition Resources
Alliance for Kids has a separate website especially for families and we invite you to share this site with the families of children in your care! In addition to kindergarten transition information, below are some of the many topics families can find on our site:
- Transition to Kindergarten
- The Buzz Newsletter for Families – Text FAMILYSPEAK to 22828 to Subscribe!
- Calendar of Events and Classes
- Blogs & Podcasts
- Supports for Families
- ELDG Video Series
Kindergarten Registration Dates for 2020-21
Children in your programs may be attending school in different school districts. For information about kindergarten registration dates for the 2019-2020 school year, parents may wish to contact school districts directly. Below are links to the registration page for each school district.
- Harrison School District 2
- Widefield School District 3
- Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8
- Colorado Springs School District 11
- Cheyenne Mountain District 12
- Manitou Springs School District 14
- Academy School District 20
- Ellicott School District 22
- Peyton School District 23
- Lewis-Palmer School District 38
- Falcon School District 49
- Woodland Park RE-2
- Miami-Yoder School District 60
To view a list of all area schools from the Gazette’s 2020 Education Guide, including state-authorized charter schools and private schools, click HERE.
Books about Transitioning to Kindergarten
Read books together about moving on to kindergarten can help prepare children for the next step in their education:
The Benefits of Kindness
Learn more about the benefits of incorporating kindness into your program:
- The Benefits of Kindness and Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom | Ripple Kindness Project
- 8 Reasons To Teach Kindness in Schools | Teach Thought
- Kindness Health Facts
Child Development Skills
Information about child skills development: Early Learning and Development Guidelines