I’m not crying, you’re crying! Watching your little one head off to kindergarten for the first time is a big moment with big emotions. Starting ‘big school’ is an exciting milestone—for your child and for you! But let’s face it, it can also feel a little overwhelming. With a few fun activities, you can help your child march bravely into this new chapter and make their first days of school the start of a joyful adventure.
Here are our three favourite ways to get ready for Kindergarten at home.
1. Start Building Familiarity
Kindergarten is a big adventure, and a little preparation can go a long way in helping your child feel excited and ready to start school. Visit the school together to make it familiar, and practice packing and using their lunch box, perhaps on a fun picnic. Talk about the exciting activities ahead, like art projects, storytime, and making new friends. By building excitement and familiarity, you’ll help your child step confidently into this new chapter.
2. Create Connections Early
The social side of school is a huge part of the experience! Orientation days are a great opportunity for your child to meet their teacher and classmates, making their official first day less of a challenge. After Orientation, you might even mark the first day of school on the calendar as a countdown to something amazing.
3. Play ‘School’ at Home
Want to make learning fun? Turn your living room into a mini-classroom! Set up a pretend school, with you as the teacher and your child as the student (and vice versa!). This kind of imaginative play helps your child role-play the kinds of activities, routine and structure they’ll encounter at school—and shows them that learning can be fun.
Final Thoughts
Starting Kindergarten is a big step, and with a little preparation and a lot of love, you can help your child walk through those school gates with confidence. At Sydney Catholic Schools, we are dedicated to creating welcoming, nurturing communities where every child is valued, accepted, and encouraged to thrive. Guided by our mission to know and love Christ through learning, our schools celebrate each child’s unique gifts, helping them grow academically, socially, and spiritually in a caring environment.
This milestone is a wonderful chance to embrace and celebrate an exciting new chapter together. So take a deep breath and cheer them on—any tears on the day are likely to be your own tears of joy and pride.
