The Kindergarten Transition
A toolkit for families, educators, and communities
The transition to kindergarten is a big, exciting time for the whole family. There is a lot to think about before kindergarten even begins! There are also many things you can do to help your children and your families get ready.
Think of “the kindergarten transition” as an ongoing process that begins months in advance of the first day of school (don’t wait until August!) and continues well into the kindergarten year. If you start preparing for kindergarten now, then when the first day of school comes along, your family will feel confident and ready to take on the school year.
The Kindergarten Transition Toolkit created by the Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council is intended to engage children, families, early childhood providers, school officials, and other community leaders with resources and best practices for establishing and fostering relationships – because transitions are primarily about the people experiencing them! The toolkit will continue to be updated as new collaborations happen, lists of resources grow, and the needs of Wyoming families, educators, and communities change.
Full Toolkit
This toolkit is meant to help develop systems and routines while keeping the focus on important relationships, so young children can have a positive experience in kindergarten and beyond
Family Toolkit
Families play an important role in supporting the transition to kindergarten. This toolkit is designed to help you find services, show you ways to support healthy development, and help you manage the process of the transition to kindergarten.
Educator Toolkit
There are many ways educators can support families as those families navigate the transition into kindergarten. For kindergarten teachers and elementary school officials, this can include connecting with families before kindergarten starts.
Communities Toolkit
In many communities, there are a variety of entities that are potentially involved in a family’s transition into kindergarten. Having a collaborative local effort among those providers can make it easier to provide support to families, and to create greater consistency in child experiences.
Additional Resources for the Transition to Kindergarten
Young children learn from the environment around them, and through their relationships – with their families, with their peers, and with other adults in their lives. Children are exploring the world, and benefit from learning environments rich in social interactions.
- 3 Vital Components of Social Connections
- 3 Things Parents & Caregivers Can Do to Strengthen Social Connections
- Building Environments for Exploring & Learning
- Accessible Environments for Little Learners
For Educators
Coherent Path to Quality
Learning is a process, and reflection helps us grow. This interactive workbook will help you recognize and celebrate time with the children in your life, and includes tips on how to embrace a vision of quality for all of Wyoming’s youngest children.
Download Wyoming’s Coherent Path to Quality
El Camino Coherente Hacia La Calidad De Wyoming
Aprender es un proceso, y reflexionar nos ayuda crecer. Este libro de trabajo interactivo le ayudará a reconocer y celebrar tiempo con los niños en su vida, e incluye sugerencias sobre como abrazar una visión de calidad para todos los niños jóvenes de Wyoming.
Descargar Wyoming’s Coherent Path to Quality En Español
For Families
- 4 Simple Rules for Healthy Interactions
- Exploratory Learning Experiences
- Meaningful Learning Experiences
- Facilitating Learning Experiences
- Reciprocal Relationships
- Responsive Interactions
- Foundations for Developing Self-Identity & Relationships
- Foundations for Emotional Intelligence
- Foundations for Early Learning Skills
- Foundations for Developing Early Math Skills
- Foundations for Developing Daily Living Skills
- Foundations for Social Development
