What you can do to support your child through the first weeks of kinder:
Read and follow the suggestions in the Preparing for Kinder presentation
Our Preparing with Kinder presentation was written by us with Merri Health Speech Pathologist Nicola Roberts. It contains valuable suggestions, actions, and readings to help you prepare your child for their first days and weeks at kindergarten.
Let them carry their bag and tend to their belongings
We encourage children to carry their belongings and put them in the correct place. You can help your child with encouragement and direction, but please try not to do it for them.
Say goodbye once before leaving
Please ensure you say goodbye to your child before leaving the kinder. Say it once, and only when you are ready to go. Doing so helps your child feel safe to remain at kindergarten without you, as well as feel confident that you will return to collect them at session end. Please tell your child and us when you are about to leave. Sneaking away often leaves children more distressed than a difficult goodbye.
Bring a special toy or comforter
If you suspect your child may get upset, a special toy or comforter from home may help them feel more at ease.
Be guided by your child’s educators
Your child’s educators have confidently supported many children through kinder transition. Listen to their observations and trust their advice.
Be available
Parents/carers should be contactable during the settling process if we need to call you. If we cannot settle your child, we will ask you to collect them.
Wait before registering your child for AKC
If your child is having difficulty adjusting to their kinder session, we kindly request you consider waiting until they have settled before enrolling them in After Kinder Care (AKC). Our experience shows that knowing they have to attend AKC after their regular session can increase children’s anxiety about attending kindergarten. It can also be upsetting for them seeing their peers collected by their parent/carer after session finish, especially in the early days. We have observed that giving children time and space to settle into their regular sessions helps them cope better with transitioning to AKC. We understand and respect that this may not be feasible for all families.