Kindergarten
Welcome to Kindergarten
Children who are five-years-old as of Dec. 31, 2023, are eligible for the 2023-2024 school year.
How to Register
Registration forms are available here
Contacting your school to register allows us to better prepare for your child's learning. For registration forms, contact the school in your community.
The Kindergarten Program
Prairie Valley School Division's Kindergarten programs support the growth and development of the whole child – intellectually, physically, social-emotionally and spiritually. The Kindergarten program is based on the principles of early learning that views:
- Children as capable, competent individuals
- Learning and development as holistic
- Environments as stimulating and dynamic
- Relationships as opportunities for learning
The Kindergarten environment supports holistic development by stimulating inquiry, facilitating play, and inspiring curiosity. Environments reflect the abilities, languages, cultures and families of the children in Kindergarten helping them to develop a strong sense of identity, belonging and community.
The Importance of Early Years
Children from birth to eight years of age experience a unique and critical time in their development and learning. The learning that takes place in these early years establishes a foundation for the child's life. To learn more about children's development and ways to support their learning, you can visit the Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development website at child-encyclopedia.com
Inquiry and Play-Based Learning
Intentional inquiry and play-based learning enable children to inquire, investigate, solve problems, innovate and engage in creative and critical thinking. Saskatchewan curriculum outlines that play provides children with opportunities to construct knowledge as they create and test theories, practice their skills and make sense of the world around them.
Working together, children learn to use their language and social skills as they co-operate, negotiate, persist in tasks and collaborate to sustain their play. Children who are engaged in play use their imagination, express their thoughts and feelings, develop large and fine motor skills, solve real problems, and use flexible and divergent thinking skills while developing language, literacy skills and concepts.
Why is inquiry and play-based learning used in Kindergarten?
In Kindergarten, children are exposed to a variety of experiences rich in language and literacy. Teachers use play to support children's oral language skills and desire for reading. Once children have strong oral language skills, their literacy skills – reading, writing, listening, speaking, representing and viewing – develop quickly.
Teachers use inquiry to support children's dispositions for learning and 21st-century skills.
Inquiry provides children with opportunities to build knowledge and abilities and to develop inquisitive attitudes about themselves, their community and their world. Inquiry and play-based learning are responsive to every child's unique learning style and build on a child's prior knowledge, abilities, languages, cultures and familial understandings.
How Can I Help My Child Prepare for Kindergarten?
There are a number of ways you can help your child prepare.
Talk and learn about the school
Talking about school and helping your child feel excited about their new adventure will make a positive difference. Taking your child to the school playground and attending the school's Kindergarten information session are great ways for your child to learn about the school.
Building independence
You can help your child build their independence by encouraging them to:
- dress themselves
- use the washroom on their own
- put away toys and help out in other small ways at home
- make choices and solve problems
Talk about everyday activities
Taking time to talk with your child about everyday activities is a great way to prepare them for Kindergarten. Share in special activities, or a walk in the park, and talk about what you are seeing or doing. You can also talk, read, sing and play in your first language every day.
Read to your child every day
Reading stories together will help your child develop vocabulary, listening and speaking skills. You can read different types of books like picture books, information books, nursery rhymes and poetry. Encourage your child to talk about the pictures and stories as you read together. You may also consider visiting your community library together and registering for a library card!
Build your child's interest in literacy and numeracy
A great way to build interest in literacy and numeracy is through play. Make a game of looking for letters and numbers on community signs and in books to build your child's engagement.
Transportation
Transportation may be provided through bussing in designated areas. For more information about transportation, contact the Prairie Valley School Division transportation department at 306-949-6566. You can learn more here.