Healthy Kids
The first day of Full-Day Kindergarten: Getting ready
29 December 2015 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
Starting full-day Kindergarten (FDK) is an emotional period of transition for children, but for parents it can be just as challenging. Letting your child go on the first day of school, as their childhood flashes before your eyes, is scary.
Knowing that your child has been accustomed to full-day learning, and exposed to the classroom setting, will not only prepare your child for success, but can give you some peace of mind. The YMCA offers full-day licensed child care programs where children learn developmentally appropriate experiences to prepare them for that first day of school and beyond.
One way to start the process is to integrate yourself into your child’s learning, so you can be confident when they head off for school. Start with a few tips from the Ministry of Education:
Once school has started, continue to make learning a regular activity at home, even through play. Playing with blocks, storytime and playing make-believe can help your child investigate and experience the world.
At the YMCA, our child care educators communicate with parents through a weekly status report so you can continue their lesson-plan at home! Contributing to your child’s development at home and through full-day child care will take away some of the emotional strain you might feel when letting your child go for their first day.
Learn more about the benefits of YMCA's Playing to Learn™ curriculum.
Knowing that your child has been accustomed to full-day learning, and exposed to the classroom setting, will not only prepare your child for success, but can give you some peace of mind. The YMCA offers full-day licensed child care programs where children learn developmentally appropriate experiences to prepare them for that first day of school and beyond.
One way to start the process is to integrate yourself into your child’s learning, so you can be confident when they head off for school. Start with a few tips from the Ministry of Education:
- Include learning in your child’s everyday home life by incorporating reading, and word and counting games into playtime
- Begin putting your child to bed at a time appropriate for a school night
- Teach the importance of listening, including looking at who is talking, not interrupting, and thinking about what is being said
- Visit the school and ask for a tour. Your school may host ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ or ‘Meet the Teacher’ opportunities before school starts.
- Teach your little one how to dress themselves for the outdoors, remember, you won’t be there to zip up their coat!
Once school has started, continue to make learning a regular activity at home, even through play. Playing with blocks, storytime and playing make-believe can help your child investigate and experience the world.
Playing to Learn™ at the YMCA
The YMCA offers unique play-based learning taught by Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECE) that is focused on providing a strong foundation for primary school education. Playing to Learn™ embraces the things your child loves to do, and turns them into quality learning opportunities.
At the YMCA, our child care educators communicate with parents through a weekly status report so you can continue their lesson-plan at home! Contributing to your child’s development at home and through full-day child care will take away some of the emotional strain you might feel when letting your child go for their first day.
Learn more about the benefits of YMCA's Playing to Learn™ curriculum.
