Goodbye preschool. Hello kindergarten!

How many of you are in your very last days of preschool dropoff? It’s hard to believe that those years are behind you and that your little one will be heading off to kindergarten in the fall!

This is an exciting time for all, but it can also be a scary one, too.

NAEYC for families (opens in a new window) has some good advice (opens in a new window) for helping with end-of-the-year feelings. This includes ways to ease the transition to kindergarten, including writing special notes to friends or teachers and revisiting special events through pictures.

Here on Reading Rockets we have a wealth of other resources that can help ease the preschool-to-kindergarten transition. For example, if you’re still trying to figure out whether to stay at preschool another year or head to kindergarten, you might want to read the comments and weigh in on past blog posts such as Kindergarten “red-shirting:” What about summer birthdays?, Should she stay or should she go? (to kindergarten) and The wheels on the bus went round and round.

Starting Kindergarten? Help Make It a Good Experience! (available in English and Spanish) offers tips to help you start your child off right, and Kindergarten Accomplishments will help you understand what’s ahead in terms of your child’s literacyThe ability to understand oral language, read fluently, and write well. development.

For parents of children with special learning needs, the PreK to K transition can be especially worrisome. Make sure to explore Successful Transition to Kindergarten for Learners Who May Be at Risk for Learning Disabilities and Paving the Way to Kindergarten for Young Children with Disabilities for some guidance about best practices for transitioning children with special needs.

Regardless of your situation, savor these last few days of preschool. It’s a special time in your child’s life!