Preschool and Kindergarten
Seattle Public Schools Preschool and Kindergarten Information
Headstart Preschool
We Provide:
- Full-day and half-day programs in elementary schools in Seattle!
- Transportation to/from school (within boundaries)
- Inclusive classrooms for children of all abilities
- School readiness and smooth transitions to Kindergarten
- Family Support, Health and Nutrition services!
- Meals included!
We Serve:
- Children who are 4 or 3 by August 31st
- Income eligible families (meeting Federal Poverty Guidelines)
- Foster Children
- Homeless families
- Families receiving TANF/Working Connections/SSI
To enroll, call us! Early Learning Department 206-252-0960
Preparing for Kindergarten
Helping Your Child Prepare for Kindergarten
Parents and families have a very important role as their child’s first teacher. Children learn in different ways and at different rates. They come to school with varying skills. These guidelines highlight some of the skills children need to be prepared for kindergarten in six developmental areas. The list below suggests ways to work with your child to help him/her be more ready for school.
Parents and families have a very important role as their child’s first teacher. Children learn in different ways and at different rates. They come to school with varying skills. You’ll notice that a child who is ready for kindergarten has skills in many distinct areas, such as:
- Self-care and getting along with others
- Physical abilities like moving and handling a pencil or crayon, a fork or chopsticks
- Listening and speaking
- Thinking and problem solving
- Recognizing letters and their sounds, and playing with words
- Counting and sorting; recognizing shapes and sizes
- Personal safety and awareness of one’s name, home address, etc.
The six areas and the individual skills are drawn from the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) , which teachers used to assess children at the beginning of the school year.
Public Libraries
Reading, talking and singing with your child is an easy way to build their vocabulary and help them get ready for school. Visiting public libraries, even before children can read, helps them to love and appreciate language books, and other media. Libraries provide free virtual story times and activities in different languages. Checking out books and music is free. You can get a library card for your child from birth onward. Visit your local public library for more information.