Will your child with a fall birthday be ready for kindergarten? A few months' age difference can make a big difference in maturity. If you have a preschooler with a fall birthday, you may have wondered, "What is transitional kindergarten?" and "Is it right for my child?"
What is Transitional Kindergarten?
Created by the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010, Transitional Kindergarten (TK) gives children with fall birthdays an additional year of school before entering kindergarten. Seeking to give children a bit more time to learn, TK combines elements from both play based preschool and traditional academic kindergarten in order to help bridge the gap between preschool and kindergarten for kids that need it.
Who is Eligible for Transitional Kindergarten?
A child is eligible for TK if they have a birthday between September 2 and December 2. In the past, many parents chose to delay having children with Fall birthdays, especially boys, start school until the next year. If your child has a Fall birthday, you now have another choice.
Is Transitional Kindergarten Right for My Child?
For young children, a few months can make a big difference in maturity, ability to master concepts in reading and math, and the ability to have self-control and good social relationships with peers. Here are some things to consider when deciding if your child should attend TK:
- Would your child do better if they had more time to learn the basics of pre-writing and pre-math?
- Does your child seem to have more trouble than others in social relationships?
- Does your child lack self-control more often than peers?
- Is your child overly shy or lacking in confidence?
- Is your child's first language something other than English?
If you answered yes to some of the above questions, your child might benefit from an additional year of play-based education in TK.
One takeaway: experts now recognize that play-based experiences, like the ones provided at Kids Konnect, are vital for a child's success in kindergarten. Moreover, Kids Konnect teachers can help parents decide about Transitional Kindergarten. Do you know a child who attended TK? Share their experience.