Families play an important role in supporting young children’s learning in early childhood and the early years of schools. These resources provide ideas to engage in learning at home through every day experiences.
Preparation for school
Starting school is an exciting milestone for your child and family. Give your child a head start by practising the skills they will use in kindergarten with them.
Preparing your child for school
Skills to practise:
Recognising his/her own name and belongings
Writing his/her name
Putting on and take off own clothing including jumpers, jackets, shoes and socks
Packing up own toys
Blowing their nose
Using the toilet/urinal without help
Open and closing food containers
Drinking from bubblers
How can you help your child settle into school?
The following suggestions may help you to support your child to settle comfortably and confidently into school:
Talk to your child about school in a positive manner
Show interest in what your child does at school
Read to your child every day and let them see you reading
Ask your child “What was something that went well at school today? What was challenging?”
Display your child’s schoolwork in the home
Let your child play with school friends after school and/or on weekends
Encourage independence and self-reliance
Ensure your child knows how to make a polite request
Help your child to be a good listener
See that your child gets an adequate amount of sleep during the school week
Discuss social issues to help your child problem solve
Please remember that your child needs your support, encouragement and time to develop at his/her own rate.
Use the learning outcome cards below to unpack learning in relation to the early years curriculum and show how this learning links to learning at school.
Click here to read more about learning outcome cards.
Connecting to nature culture and your community (PDF 1.24 MB)
Being involved and confident in learning and play (PDF 1.32 MB)
Every day learner cards:
provide 10 different activities that families can play with their children at home
explain the activity along with the learning that is happening throughout it
provide some alternate play experiences to achieve the same learning.
Everyday routine cards outline 10 different everyday routines that happen in the home and explain how families can incorporate learning into these routines.
Starting school is an exciting time, as this family explains.
Video from the NSW Department of Education
You can never be too ready for your First Day of Kindy!
Video from the NSW Department of Education
Transition to School Preparation Cards
Number Mat
Jellyfish Counting
Writing Numbers
Number Formation
Dinosaur Tracing
Dinosaur Mazes
Alphabet Colouring Sheet
Alphabet Match Up
Alphabet Matching Cards
Colouring Shapes
Sorting Colours
Tracing Lines