Welcome to Kindergarten

Your child is about to begin an educational journey, where they will learn a wealth of knowledge and skills that will eventually prepare them for their future endeavours. This site has been created to help set the foundation for a successful start to their academic career. View the following slideshow to learn what you and your child will need for the upcoming school year. In addition, it will provide information on methods of communication between you and your child's Teacher and/or their Early Childhood Educator (ECE). To go along with this information, you will find other resources that will help ease the transition from preschool, to school aged student.

Self Help Skills

Photo Gallery: Skills will appear here on the public site.

Other Important Skills for Young People to Develop:

1. Practice Sharing and Turn Taking

Social skills are an important skill you need to do well in school. One of those skills is sharing and taking turns. Your child has probably already had some practice sharing but it’s important to find ways to practice this skill. Lead by example. If your child sees you doing this, they will be more likely to follow suit.

2. Practice Empathy

Learning to be a good friend is understanding how others feel. This is a skill your child will use their whole lives so it is critically important to start teaching it early on. Model empathetic behaviour. When children know they can count on their caregivers for physical and emotional needs, studies show they are more likely to show empathy towards others. Talk to your child when there is an upsetting situation. Talk to them about how it makes them feel.

3. Cleaning Up

Teachers often face this challenge with every new class. Most children naturally want to be helpers and easy clean up tasks are a great way to build self-confidence.

4. Following Simple Instructions

By the time your child is ready to start school, they should be able to follow simple 2-step instructions. Without being told repeatedly, while in school, students are expected to do simple tasks on their own.

5. Help Develop Gross Motor and Fine Motor Skills

Let your children go outside and play. Outdoor play is great for the body and the mind. Plenty of exercise helps with their focus and their ability to sit still and to pay attention. By giving your child a pencil and paper and letting them draw pictures or letters, you are giving the opportunity for them to work on their fine motor skills. Scissors are also helpful with this skill.

Learn Through Play

The game Bingo can be be used as an incentive to help your child learn some of the skills that they will need for school. Here is how the provided Bingo card could be used:

Print the Bingo Card (Click to Print)
Go over the boxes/tasks on the card
Explain to your child that in Bingo, if they get a line from side-to-side, top-to-bottom, or diagonally across the page, they win
Explain that they will get to pick the boxes/tasks of their choice, so that over a set amount time, they can get "BINGO"
Have a celebration, give them some kind of reward, make it an exciting moment for your child!
Repeat the game, and challenge them to choose new tasks

Take the time to work through tasks with your child to help guide and encourage them as they develop essential skills. A blank bingo card has been provided if you would like to create your own Bingo game.

Kindergarten Resources
Resource Book	Book List Ideas