Kindergarten Transitions

Young children experience many transitions throughout their early learning experience. Smooth transitions require collaboration between families, programs, schools, communities, and state systems that are ready to support each child’s unique needs as successful students.

While the transition to kindergarten is one of the most significant events young children experience, there are many transitions that come before, during, and after kindergarten that require thoughtful, intentional and mutual support from adults. Below is a list of some of these transitions. Consider ways your program or school supports children and families through these changes.
  • Transition from being cared for at home to outside of the home, including the first time leaving home for the day and daily separations.
  • Transition from family care to non-family caregiver.
  • Transition from half day to full day care.
  • Transition from nap to no nap.
  • Transition from family drop off to using the bus.
  • Transition to first grade, second grade, and third grade (and beyond).
  • Transition from one teacher to several teachers and specialists.

Transition to Kindergarten

The transition from prekindergarten to kindergarten is one that needs a comprehensive approach as described through the Successful Learner Equation. The transition to kindergarten is an exciting and sensitive time for children and their families and each experience the change differently. It is important for schools to thoughtfully implement transition practices that engage families and are flexible and innovative to meet the needs of each child.

To learn more about kindergarten eligibility and enrollment, please visit the Minnesota Department of Education’s Kindergarten webpage.
 
The Minnesota Department of Education has developed a series of tools and resources to support Ready Schools and Programs and Ready Communities in their transition planning and practices. Click on the bars below to access the different materials.
 

Transitions Action Project - Community Planning Resources

The Transitions Action Project – Community Planning Resources (TAP-CPR) supports local level kindergarten transition planning. Kindergarten Transition Teams from throughout Minnesota informed the content of these transition materials. Teams included representation from elementary school teachers and leaders, Head Start, families, child care providers, and community organizations.

  • Collaboration Plan for Ready Schools and Programs  - 5/3/24
    This resource is designed to support the collaboration of Ready Schools and Programs throughout the academic year.
  • Building and Planning with Your Transition Team  - 5/2/24
    This resource provides guidance on how to convene and strengthen local kindergarten transition teams.
  • Asset Based Conversation Prompts  - 5/1/24
    The questions and prompts included here can be used for initial, follow-up, and check-in conversations with families before and throughout the kindergarten year.
  • Transitions Action Project - Community Planning Resources (TAP-CPR) - 4/10/24
    The Transitions Action Project worked with transition teams that had regional diversity and represented communities of different socioeconomic backgrounds to help the development of statewide resources. In this video, hear from members of the teams about the why, who and how of forming a kindergarten transitions team and a few key tools they used in that process.

Supporting African American Children's Transition to Kindergarten

Individuals representative of Minnesota’s African American urban community worked together to identify the ecosystem supporting the success of African American children in Minnesota. Written materials include a description and context, teacher reflective prompts, questionnaires, and an effective teaching rubric corresponding to each ecosystem layer. Collectively, these materials represent a comprehensive resource for educators and administrators in early learning settings before and during kindergarten entry.
 
Teaching practice today must become influenced by diverse experience, knowledge and expertise to meet all students' needs best. This ecosystem resource helps us to be ready to support the experience of the urban African American child in Minnesota and create joyful classroom environments that celebrate all. 

 

  • The Family  - 12/6/23
    Resources for teachers and schools to support their own knowledge and practice related to the African American family transitioning a child into kindergarten.
  • An ecosystem resource supporting children of African descent in urban Minnesota as they transition into kindergarten  - 8/30/23
    The full version of the ecosystem resource to support Minnesota's urban, African American community. Includes information on the child, the peer group, the family, the school and classroom, and the community as a whole.
  • The Child  - 8/30/23
    Resources for teachers and schools regarding transition practices with African American children.
  • The Peer Group  - 8/30/23
    Resources for teachers and schools regarding transition practices with African American peer groups and relationships.
  • The School and Classroom  - 8/2/23
    Resources for use by teachers and schools regarding transitions practices related to partnerships with the African American community.
  • The Community  - 8/2/23
    Resources to support the community.

Supporting Hmong Families: Transition to Kindergarten

The Hmong Early Childhood Coalition partnered with the Minnesota Department of Education to create a toolkit for teachers to use as they get ready for incoming Hmong Kindergarteners and their families. Families and prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers informed the content of these materials. Watch the video to hear directly from parents of incoming kindergarteners.

Apoyando a nuestra niñez a tener una exitosa transición a kindergarten

 
El acompañamiento de las familias durante la transición de sus niños a kindergarten es clave ayudarles a ser estudiantes exitosos. Dos familias latinas y una empleada del programa de kindergarten cuentan su experiencia de cómo colaboraron con las escuelas durante esta transición para obtener la mejor educación para sus hijos e hijas. 
 
A family’s involvement during their child’s transition to kindergarten is key to supporting successful students. Two Latino families and a kindergarten staff member share their experience of how they collaborated to support the kindergarten transition and obtain the best education for their children. Click on closed captioning for English and Spanish subtitles.

Additional Considerations to Support Transition Practices

Consider the following questions to help with the development of transition practices within your program, school and district:
 
Partnering with families 
  • What transition practices are currently in place to welcome and engage families? 
  • How are the voices of families embedded in our current transition planning? 
  • How will we actively build a meaningful relationship and build trust with families in the fall? 
  • How do our communication practices interactively partner teachers and families? 
  • How will these strategies be implemented by teachers and benefit the students? 
  • How will our teaching and learning practices change in response to the information we learn from families? 
Getting to know each child 
  • How will we understand what a child knows and is able to do as they enter kindergarten so that we can plan effective instruction? Who are our critical partners? 
  • What kind of information can we receive directly from families to better understand the development of their child? 
  • How will we establish connections between children’s early learning settings and experiences and kindergarten in order to share information and create pathways for children as they transition to kindergarten? 
  • What are the variety of opportunities we provide children to become familiar with the school, their teachers and future classmates? 
  • Are we using or have we considered using a state approved Kindergarten Entry Profile (KEP) assessment tool that aligns with early learning and kindergarten standards? How might this data help us more comprehensively understand each child and support successful transitions? 
Collaborating with schools, programs and community partners 
  • What current research has informed and guided our transition practices? What might we need to know more about to stay responsive to relevant needs? 
  • Is there a process to evaluate and evolve the transition practices each year? 
  • Have kindergarten teachers, preK teachers and child care professionals contributed to the development of the transition practices? 
  • How could professional development activities create greater alignment between preK and K practices? 
  • How do we support mentoring, shared resources and coordination of transition efforts throughout our district and community? 
  • Have we identified and collaborated with community partners that support the transition to kindergarten? (e.g., Early Childhood Family Education, summer activity programs, school supplies support) 

Other Resources to Support Kindergarten Transitions

  • Video – Supporting our children to have a successful transition to kindergarten
  • Early Learning Outreach, Enrollment, Transition and Instruction - 10/21/23
    • The four sections: Early Childhood Screening and Immunizations, Outreach and Enrollment, Transition, and Instructional Considerations discuss key topics for deliberation as schools welcome and engage with young learners and their families.
  • Head Start-Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center: Transitions to Kindergarten
    • Explore these videos, guides, and other helpful resources to support program and school efforts to understand the importance of the transition to kindergarten. There are four points of connection: Family-School, Child-School, Program-School, and Community-School. Use these resources to strengthen the four points of connection and implement transition practices that ensure all children and families are ready to engage and succeed in school.