A kindergarten in transition

Each year at the end of the year we farewell groups of children and now we are transitioning children into our kindergarten and also still farewelling some as they go off to start school during the next week or so, at the beginning of the school year. Of course in New Zealand children start school at all times during the year but we always have a bigger group at this time of the year.
Transition to school has a big emphasis in our kindergarten  - as you will know from reading around this blog - but we like to emphasise that our focus is on the child and family feeling comfortable about their move to school, not on a checklist of readiness skills.
Our children regularly write, enjoy stories with adults and other children and count in their daily life in the kindergarten and with their families / whanau. We see literacy and numeracy as part of our everyday curriculum that concentrates on engaging children in interesting and relevant experiences and relationships everyday.

Writing a card that says " I will miss you" to the teachers and children

reading a fun story under a tree

or working collaboratively to play and enjoy friendships are important learning opportunities that create confident, capable learners who when they move to school are able to be social beings in a social setting.
For those who are still at kindergarten it is a time of transition too as new children move in and we rely on the children who have been with us for a while to support the children who have just started. Once again to be a social being - someone who will care for and build friendships is at the forefront of our programme.