We’re very excited to welcome your child and family to kindergarten for the 2024-25 school year.

Many caregivers have questions about preparing their child for the kindergarten experience. To help families throughout this process, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) has developed a five-week series of simple activities you can do this summer with your child. This is the second email of the series.

Fine motor skills are a big part of the kindergarten experience. Children spend time cutting, colouring, drawing, gluing and printing throughout the school day. For many children, these activities are interesting, and they’re already engaging in them at home. For others, this isn’t yet an area of interest. Building some of these skills before kindergarten can be helpful but it doesn’t have to be done through workbooks and other rote activities. Giving children a chance to use these skills in a fun and self-directed way can be a much more interesting and fun way to practice all the things they’ll be doing in kindergarten. This week, we share a way to set up a simple Creation Station that provides and opportunity for your child to tap into their creative side!

Preparing for Kindergarten: Creation Station

Another great way to lay the foundation for fine motor skills is highlighting when you’re using your own fine motor skills and have your child join in. Let them help you make a grocery list, open snack bags with scissors, draw a picture to mail to a family member, build a puzzle, show them how you tie your shoes, wash dishes, open and close containers, pour juice or water into a cup, set the table, sort small objects, fold laundry, use a spray bottle of water and a rag to help clean and any other daily activities you use your hands for!

Stay tuned for next week’s email when we’ll focus on games.

At the end of the five-week series, we’ll have a special contest based on the five resources shared. All incoming kindergarten families will be eligible to enter!

Visit the EIPS website and check out the additional resources available to support caregivers.