Your child starts kindergarten next year. It’s time to prepare! Transitioning your child into kindergarten is extremely important. How your child perceives education now can affect his or her educational performance for twelve plus years of schooling to come.

Use K-12 Directory of Schools to find the schools in your area that offer kindergarten. Call them, and visit the campuses of choice to see what they are like. Be sure to bring your child along during the visits to see how they react to the atmosphere.

Start the school’s enrollment process early. The kindergarten may ask for immunization records, physicals, and other documentation that you will have to prepare in advance. You will want to pick up the school’s calendar and list of events. Having a broad understanding of the school and its necessities and dates from the start will make the process smoother in the long run.

Getting the nitty-gritty details in check are important, too. Find out the meal options and whether your child will be bringing a packed lunch, eating the school’s food options, or a mixture thereof. Figure out when to bring your child to school and pick your child up.

Once your child is enrolled and starting school, you will want the contact information of some of the staff that plays a role in your child’s first year of school, including the principal, kindergarten teacher, librarian, and any other staff your child normally interacts with.

Finding other parents and children that are starting kindergarten that year will make the preparations for kindergarten all the better. If your child can get to know his or her peers before that jittery first day of school, that is one less stress off of everyone’s shoulders. Encourage your child to make friendships with the other children at his or her school. With these tips in mind, your child will be ready for all of his/her early education challenges - at least until the transition to secondary school!