Helping Children with Special Needs Transition to Kindergarten

At Winnie, we believe all children deserve access to high-quality early education and childcare programs designed to meet them where they are and encourage and support their growth. Every child is different and has unique strengths and challenges, and we recognize that no one term accurately describes every child's experience. 

In the context of this article, we will use the term "special needs" and "child(ren) with a disability" interchangeably. We know these terms are not perfect and are always trying to learn and grow as an organization. We welcome feedback from families about how they communicate their child's strengths and challenges, as well as any terms we should be sure to incorporate in our resources moving forward. 

The transition from preschool to Kindergarten can be overwhelming for any family, but it can be especially challenging for parents of children with a disability. The good news is, you don't have to navigate it alone or reinvent the wheel when it comes to preparing and supporting your child through this next step in their education. We're breaking down everything parents of children with special needs need to know about helping their child transition to Kindergarten and beyond!

Who can benefit from these strategies?

Children transitioning to Kindergarten may be adjusting to anything from a longer school day to riding a bus and eating lunch in a large, noisy cafeteria. Although the strategies outlined in this article are commonly used for children with special needs, any child can benefit from extra preparation and practice when getting ready to take the leap into elementary school.

Social Stories

Social stories can help kids (all kids!) learn what to expect in new situations. A social story typically stars the child and uses photos from their real life, although illustrations can also be helpful. During the summer, or a few weeks before school starts, you can gather photos of their new school and any information you may know about their day (will they be riding a bus? Do you know their teacher's name, etc.?). Of course, it would be great to have photos of their new teachers or therapists, but this isn't always possible. 

You can write a short, descriptive story highlighting anything you think your child needs extra preparation for, including any feelings that may come up for them. An example of a possible kindergarten social story could look like this: 

"I am going to Kindergarten. I will have a new teacher and will make new friends. Mom will drive me to school and drop me off at the door to my classroom. I will hang my backpack up in my cubby and join my friends on the rug. My teacher will talk about the classroom rules, and I will try hard to follow them. I may feel a little nervous at first, but I will have a lot of fun at school!"

• Pinterest has lots of options for printable social stories and prompts for creating your own.
• ABA or special education websites may also have free resources for parents, including social stories.
• Scholastic has a great list of books to help prepare all children for the transition to Kindergarten.

Transitional IEP Meeting/Annual Review

If your child had an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) in preschool or daycare, they will have an annual review, sometimes called a "turning five" meeting, when they age out of Preschool Special Education and into Special Education. All of their teachers and therapists will write reports documenting their progress toward their goals and any recommendations they have for the future. With this information and your input, the district administrators will decide what supports would be best for your child in Kindergarten. 

You can have an advocate with you at this meeting if you think you would benefit from having one. These meetings can often move quickly, and sometimes the administrators will speak in jargon or use terms that parents aren't necessarily familiar with, so don't be afraid to ask questions. Some of the terms you may hear at these meetings are:

• Least restrictive environment: all children, regardless of special needs, deserve to be in a classroom setting that meets their needs and builds on their strengths. If your child can be placed in a "general" education classroom with supports, they are more likely to opt for it over a self-contained special education classroom. When a child is in the "least restrictive environment", they have peer models to learn from and encourage them out of their comfort zone. 
• Inclusion or integrated classroom (sometimes referred to as ICT): an ICT (Integrated Co-Teaching) classroom has two teachers, a general education teacher, and a special education teacher. Typically half of the children in the classroom have an IEP, and the other half do not (the balance may differ from school to school). This is an excellent option if your elementary school offers it because all the children in the class benefit from the extra support and the mix of abilities.
• Self-contained classroom: A self-contained classroom generally has a smaller teacher/student ratio, and all the children in the class have an IEP. Often schools will have a few options for self-contained classrooms, depending on the needs of the children in the community. The benefit of a self-contained classroom is the smaller class size for children who need extra support or benefit from less stimulation. 

Preparation is key

Take advantage of any orientations offered by the elementary school and see if the school allows private tours or visits. Whenever you drive by the school during the summer, be sure to point out the school and talk about what things will be like in Kindergarten. At the end of the day, you know your child best and what strategies will work best for preparing them for the transition. It will take some adjustment on everyone's part, but this is an exciting new chapter in your child's life (and yours!)

Winnie can help you search for childcare and preschool programs in your area that support a variety of needs and disabilities as well as get your questions answered in real-time by parents in our community.