Is your family preparing to send your child(ren) to preschool or kindergarten for the first time this fall? This milestone can be overwhelming, but there are so many great resources to help make the transition easier for kiddos and grown-ups alike.
PBS Kids For Parents
This website is full of activity ideas and research-backed articles on a variety of different topics. For getting prepared for the school year, families can join one of their favorite cartoon characters, Daniel Tiger, to explore a "same/new/different" activity sheet and create a daily routine for the school year. Caregivers can get tips for navigating school anxiety and transitioning into the school year.
Sesame Street in Communities
Another invaluable trove of caregiver-focused articles and family-friendly activities, Sesame Street in Communities offers printables, videos, and more. Caregivers can get ideas for how to build strong communication between school and home, and families can join Elmo for a podcast that covers everything from what to expect on the first day of school to making new friends.
The Illinois Early Learning Project
The Illinois Early Learning project is largely geared towards educators themselves, but many of their downloadable resources are just as valuable to families. Here, caregivers can find ideas on what questions to ask when their child is starting at a new school, activity ideas for supplementing literacy skill-building at home, and guides on how to navigate special educational needs and developmental assessments.
Your local library
Librarians are experts at curating personally-tailored resources for you and your family. Visit your local library to explore their back-to-school materials displays and their parent-teacher collections. Picture books like Adam Rex's School's First Day of School and Derrick Barnes's The Queen of Kindergarten can be read aloud and discussed to scaffold your child(ren)'s background knowledge on how school works. Non-fiction books such as Dr. Sharon Saline's What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids For Success in School and Life can equip caregivers with strategies for navigating academic challenges.