By Rebekah Benedum

Creating Partnerships for the Shift to Kindergarten

The move from preschool to kindergarten introduces children and their families to new environments with different routines, activities, and expectations. While children may feel eager to explore new friendships and experiences, families often navigate feelings of anticipation and concern about how their child will adapt and how their family will adjust to the transition. This can be exacerbated by the more independent nature of kindergarten and a broader school system. Families may not receive the frequent updates and daily interactions that are common in preschool, which can make the transition feel even more significant.

In my role overseeing the early childhood programming at Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS), I’ve seen how preschool educators and administrators can support families through this shift. The following are five strategies that you can use in partnership with the families in your setting.

1. View the transition as a yearlong journey

Preschoolers prepare all year for the move to kindergarten. It should be the same for their families.

Conversations about the kindergarten transition can take place in formal settings, such as during family-educator conferences or home visits, or in informal moments throughout the year. At the program where I work, families partner with a family success advocate as soon as their children enroll. This relationship continues throughout their time here, and families have told us that it helps prepare them for life after preschool. Regardless of the setting, it’s essential for families to know that you’re available to discuss what to expect and how to prepare for the kindergarten experience.

You can also engage in activities and make small adjustments during the year to prepare children and families. For example, you can encourage children to take on more responsibilities and independence (setting the table for mealtimes, zipping up their jackets) as the year progresses. We encourage families to offer these same opportunities at home as children get ready for kindergarten.

2. Communicate key information in different ways

Families have multiple options when enrolling their children in kindergarten. They may want and need information about the public, parochial, and other private schools in your area. Make it a priority to build strong, collaborative relationships with these schools to ensure a smooth transition.

For example, you might host a kindergarten information session, where families can hear from a variety of school representatives. We include external partners in these gatherings to answer families’ questions about financial assistance, transportation, and other common issues. Our family success advocates develop individualized plans to help families identify and research full- and half-day kindergarten options, enrollment requirements, and educational or social supports.

It’s important to remember that you are a primary source of support and information for families. Provide regular updates on your website, in school newsletters, and during family-educator conferences about deadlines for kindergarten enrollment, recommendation letters, and any forms that must be submitted to local school districts. Be mindful of potential barriers, such as language or cultural differences, and tailor your resources accordingly.

3. Assist with student support services

Preschool directors and staff should help families identify which supports their children will continue to receive in kindergarten. These may include early intervention services, wraparound services (health and wellness; before- and after-school programs), and speech, occupational, or physical therapy supports that are offered through an Individualized Education Program or 504 Plan.

We’re fortunate to have a health services team that partners with external organizations and agencies to provide early assessments and connect families with services they may need for their children. These include developmental screenings, behavioral supports, help finding health care providers, enrolling in insurance programs, or obtaining mental health and wellness support. We collaborate with these families and partners to ensure that services continue into kindergarten.

4. Provide questions and talking points for conversations at home

The switch to kindergarten can disrupt a family’s daily routine: Half-day programs, school holidays, and early dismissals may require new child care arrangements and create family scheduling challenges.

You can help families anticipate and navigate these changes by offering practical tools and talking about these scenarios. For example, our program helps families map out pickup plans by talking through how the kindergarten schedule aligns with older siblings’ schedules. You could help families identify backup child care, explore before- and after-school options, or connect them with programs that provide transportation. It’s also helpful to share tip sheets on building a new morning routine.

5. Empower families to find their voice

Sometimes, families need encouragement to ask questions, share insights about their children, or seek helpful resources. Other times, they may feel their voices aren’t being heard. It’s essential to find ways to support families to express their questions or concerns—especially if they speak a language other than English. When our team identifies a language barrier with a family, we use a translation service to ensure all families can communicate efficiently with our staff. After all, they are their children’s best advocates.

When families are active partners with schools, it impacts their children’s academic achievement, confidence, and well-being. By taking a proactive, strengths-based approach to the kindergarten transition, preschool educators and administrators can help families feel supported, capable, and ready to thrive.

About the Author

Rebekah Benedum, EdD, is senior director of programs at Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning, a subsidiary of the Milton Hershey School. She holds a doctorate of education with a specialization in early childhood education and has over 15 years of experience in early childhood education.

Photograph: © Getty Images. Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at NAEYC.org/resources/permissions.