Five must have skills for Kindergarten success and how we can help: 
 
Self-help skills:

FDK can be fun and educational, but also stressful. With sometimes 30+ JK/SK kids and only one teacher and one ECE in the classroom, self-help skills are more important than ever for a successful and positive Kindergarten experience. From putting on winter coats, boots, hats, and mittens, to eating without help, opening up containers and asking for help. We will make sure that your child has plenty of time to practice these skills.

Social skills:

Children need opportunities to play with other children and to develop social skills. Making friends, social problem solving, cooperation, empathy and turn taking are skills that are encouraged and role modelled by our support staff and teachers to provide a positive example of social skills. Children will learn to interact positively and respectfully with their peers and making their own decisions and choices and accepting the consequences. Our Playschool is fun, educational, and interactive.

Communication and language:

We take advantage of the child's curiosity by providing opportunities to explore his/her interest. Circle time is a great time to talk, listen, and ask questions. To be part of a group and learn new things. Singing songs, reading books, and listening to others are a great way to explore and extend language and communication. Jolly phonic is part of our curriculum and enables students to identify sounds of the alphabet. Our curriculum is play based and sure to be fun.

Responsibilities:

From bringing home forms and bringing back library books to remembering their backpacks and belongings, these are suddenly a lot of responsibilities for the Kindergarteners. This takes practice. At the Preschool they are responsible for taking out their snacks, putting everything back again, managing their cubbies, cleaning up after themselves and putting things back where they belong. This organizational habits will come in handy when starting Kindergarten.

Following directions:

Kindergarten expectations incorporate lots of self-regulations. By using language to regulate their own behaviour and the ability to take another's point of view, children will be able to better focus on what is expected of them.  Kindergarteners spend lots of their time waiting for everyone to join the group, or waiting in line for their turn, or waiting for the teacher to give instructions. Listening and following directions gets better with practice. Through play and games, the preschool experience will facilitate students to control impulses, wait their turn and follow directions.