The Learning Partnership Presents
The Welcome to Kindergarten™ Program
“Early development takes
place in the context of
families and communities and
is shaped by the day-to-day
experiences and
environments of early life.”
Charles E. Pascal - Early Learning for Every Child Today (2009)
What is The Welcome to
Kindergarten program?
Before starting school, three and four year old children are
given preparatory resources and experiences to position
them for school and lifelong learning.
School Family Orientation Session(s)
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School Team and Community
Partners (training, planning and
delivery)
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Pre-registered Kindergarten children
and families
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Early literacy and numeracy
resources
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Strategies and activities
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Annual Implementation Survey
WTK Growth
Why the Welcome to
Kindergarten program?
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"Every dollar spent in ensuring a
healthy start in the early years will
ensure Canadian children become
better educated, well adjusted and
more productive adults.”
Dr. David Butler, Canada's Chief Public Health
Officer, 2008
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“There is a 7:1 return on public
investment for programs for young
children compared to a 1:1 payback
from adult education.”
James Heckman, Nobel Laureate Economist,
2008
“If society doesn’t invest in early childhood development
for families with young children, we risk damaging the
next generation.”
Dr. Fraser Mustard, 2004
Welcome to Kindergarten
Mission Statement
“The Welcome to Kindergarten Program brings together schools and
community agencies to support families of pre-kindergarten children.
The goal is to give parents/caregivers the strategies and resources to
make early learning activity and play a priority in the home and help
children have a successful transition to school.”
The Resources in the
Welcome to Kindergarten Bag
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Templates of upper and lower case letters and numbers 1-10
Magnetic letters and numbers
Playdough recipe (playdough provided by school)
Concept and story books
Crayons and pencil
Glue stick, round end scissors, coloured construction paper
WTK CD of Song
Activity Ball
Key Messages and Parent Information Page: (translations available in Arabic,
Bengali, Chinese, Cree, Czech, English, Farsi, French, German, Gujarati,
Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Ojibwa, Punjabi,
Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu,
Vietnamese)
NEW THIS YEAR:
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Family Activities Resource Booklet
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WTK Family activity calendar
Books in the Welcome to
Kindergarten Bag
Whoosh!: This book presents creatures that love water as much as we do.
Each two page spread shows an animal in a watery scene on one side and a
child mimicking the animal’s activity on the other. Opportunities abound to
explore the science of creatures that live in and around the natural world of
water.
I smell a Cat!: This is a counting book that describes how a group of ten
squirrels respond to the presence and danger of a cat. The book uses
repetition and rhyme to engage young children in a story that lends itself well
to dramatization.
Nat the Cat: Children are sure to love the whimsical images and beautifully
crafted language that presents the story of two kittens as they alternatively
spend their time sleeping and then cavorting throughout the house. This story is
a rich read-a-loud that has endless possibilities for extension.
Bear Listens: In this story, Bear listens to the wisdom of
others.
He learns from the Sun, the Water, the Trees, Mother Earth, and the
Moon.*
* Provided in the Aboriginal community schools
Enrichment Resources*
WTK My Story Scrapbook
The story of a WTK Orientation is told so the child and
family can revisit their experiences and then use what
they learned to do activities together that can be shown
on the scrapbook pages.
WTK Calendar
The calendar is based on the 2014/15 school year and
provides suggestions for weekly family activity each
month. The monthly activities are play/inquiry based
and will continue to build the early learning and literacy
foundations needed for success in Kindergarten.
* For more information, please contact:
info@thelearningpartnership.ca
Results: Findings from
WTK Evaluations
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Families use the WTK resources in the
home
Parents report learning new strategies
Children develop skills for self-regulation
e.g. listening, sharing, taking-turns
Children demonstrate book handling skills
Families develop an increased level of
trust in their school
Families learn about community agencies,
programs and resources
Families/schools/community partnerships
are established
Welcome to KindergartenTM Program
Orientation “Must Do” Checklist
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Ensure outreach to all your local community
partners.
Plan for the centres to include the essential
centres displaying the Welcome to
Kindergarten resources (books, playdough,
magnetic numbers and letters, cut and
paste, music, ball, science, calendar, app).
The number of centres should be
determined by you.
Ensure that each centre has a leader or
leaders
(teacher,
ECE,
administrator,
community partner, parent volunteer).
(continued)
Welcome to KindergartenTM Program
Orientation “Must Do” Checklist
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Prepare a brief script for the leaders to ensure that the
key messages and rationale for activities are delivered
to parents (refer to WTK document “Guidelines for Use
of Welcome to Kindergarten Resources in Parent/Child
Orientations”). Posting the key messages, along with
verbal reinforcement, is important.
Enable parents to participate actively with the children.
Ensure that there is sufficient space and seating for
children and adults at each centre.
Be sure to complete the WTK Implementation Survey
following your orientation event.
Plan for follow-up session(s) with your community
partners.
Just Playing
by Anita Wadley © 1979
When I’m building in the block room,
Please don’t say I’m JUST Playing.
For, you see, I’m learning as I play;
about balance and shapes.
Who knows, I may be an architect someday.
When I’m getting all dressed up,
Setting the table, caring for the babies,
Don’t get the idea I’m JUST playing.
For, you see, I’m learning as I play
I may be a mother or a father someday.
When you see me up to my elbows in paint,
Or standing at an easel, or molding and shaping clay,
Please don’t let me hear you say “she’s JUST playing.”
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I’m expressing myself and being creative.
I may be an artist or an inventor someday.
Just Playing
by Anita Wadley © 1979
When you see me
“Reading” to an imaginary audience,
Please don’t laugh and think I’m JUST playing.
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I may be a teacher someday.
When you see me combing the bushes for bugs
Or packing my pockets with choice things I find,
Don’t pass it off as JUST play.
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I may be a scientist someday.
When you see me engrossed in a puzzle,
or some plaything at my school,
Please don’t feel the time is wasted in play
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I’m learning to solve problems and concentrate.
I may be in business someday.
Just Playing
by Anita Wadley © 1979
When you see me cooking or tasting foods,
Please don’t think that because I enjoy it,
It is JUST play.
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I may be a cook someday
When you see me learning to skip, hop, run and move my
body,
Please don’t say I’m JUST playing
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I’m learning to follow directions and see differences
I’m learning how my body works
I may be a doctor, nurse or athlete someday.
When you ask me what I did at school today,
And I say, “I JUST Played,”
Please don’t misunderstand me.
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I’m learning to enjoy and be successful in work.
I’m preparing for tomorrow.
Today, I’m a child and my work is play.