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 third email of the series.

Play is the work of a child! Children need a lot of uninterrupted time to play and also may benefit from some child-led play with their caregiver. Child-led play can also be a wonderful way to connect if your child has some additional learning needs.

Another type of play is games. Games can range from commercial board games to made-up games with a group of peers. ‘Gamifying’ learning skills like numbers, quantity and language is a very motivating way to help practice foundational early academic skills. Games also offer an opportunity to practice turn taking, negotiating and other important social skills. The link below has more information around a variety of games you might consider playing this summer as kindergarten approaches!

Preparing for Kindergarten: Games

Children who enter kindergarten having heard “math language” may have a stronger foundation for more complex numeracy concepts down the road. Games often offer a natural way to practice counting. Other ways to explore math language include:

• Counting in a variety of ways—such as forwards, backwards and skip counting—during your day. Counting from one to 20 can be tricky and requires a lot of practice!
• Try using words like names of shapes, equals, more, less, add, subtract, longer, shorter, smaller and bigger when you are doing everyday activities like cooking, playing, shopping, building with blocks, having a bath, singing, snacking and reading. Helping children see ‘math’ in their everyday lives can be very powerful!

Stay tuned for next week’s email when we’ll focus on fun ways to create a summer journal.

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.