Transition Week

What are your plans for the first five days of kindergarten?

I begin with a clean room, pops of nature, large and small spaces and a welcoming smile.
My goals for the first week are to ensure that the children feel welcome, qnd that kindergarten is a fun and safe place.
I make sure that they enjoy free play every day for increasing amounts of time.
We go on a school tour visiting the library, gym, office, washrooms and the kindergarten playground.
We set up a family photo wall. I take photos of the children and make sure they are on the classroom wall when they come back for the second day.
I don't have everything on the shelves., this helps them to make a decision. The children choose a table invitation already set up or something from the shelves. They can play alone, with a friend or altogether. I make sure that the centres include construction, art, drama, literacy and math. We tidy up together. The book shelf and small world play table have familiar stories they might have had in preshool or in the public library program.
I introduce simple learning frameworks using loose parts, such as counting collections, literacy play, math play and small world play.
We sing and talk and if they are ready, read a story together. Best of all we do not rush.