How Our Daycares Prepare Children for Kindergarten

“Is my child ready for kindergarten?” 

Kindergarten is a big step in a little one’s life. So as a parent, it’s natural to wonder how you can make sure your child is ready when the time comes. A great childcare partner can help with this, and at Barrington, we work alongside families to nurture the skills needed to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.   

What is Kindergarten Readiness?  

Kindergarten readiness, or school readiness, is about so much more than meeting a checklist of skills. While learning the alphabet song and recognizing shapes are important, true school readiness involves all areas of a child’s growth, including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. 

How We Foster Kindergarten Readiness Skills 

From early literacy to social and emotional development, our teachers focus on the whole child each day, fostering the confidence and independence children need to start kindergarten ready to learn.  

“Our son has been attending the Barrington School of Powell for almost 4 years now. The support we have received in helping him learn and grow is incredible, and when the time comes for him to start Kindergarten, he will be more than ready.” - Courtney G. 

Conscious Discipline Model

Emotional well-being creates a strong foundation for lifelong learning. That’s why we embrace the Conscious Discipline Model in our classrooms. This approach helps children learn how to recognize and express their feelings in healthy ways. 

"My granddaughter has attended Barrington School from 8 weeks old. The curriculum, both academic and social emotional, has prepared her for elementary school beyond expectations" - Janine C. 

Instead of simply correcting behavior, our teachers model calm and positive ways to handle big emotions and challenging situations. Over time, children begin to understand how to manage their feelings, solve problems, and interact respectfully with others. These self-regulation skills help children feel more confident and comfortable as they prepare for new classroom environments like kindergarten.

Monthly Focuses

Each month, we focus on a different character trait that helps children build strong social-emotional and interpersonal skills. From kindness and generosity to curiosity and tolerance, we explore these traits through special books, classroom discussions, and activities.

These monthly focuses help children practice important skills they’ll use in a kindergarten classroom, including:

• Active listening

• Following multi-step directions

• Cooperating with others

• Taking turns

• Sharing

• Initiating friendships with peers

“We have been with Barrington Grandview since Day 1 and have had nothing but great things to say about our time here. Our child will be starting Kindergarten next fall and is already more than equipped to begin.” - Justin S. 

Comprehensive Curriculum

“What truly stood out about Barrington School was its unique curriculum, which nurtures children’s learning potential in every possible way.” - David C.

In all our classrooms, we follow an advanced, evidence-based curriculum that blends play, exploration, and structure while growing alongside your child.

In our infant classrooms, activities and interactions support sensory stimulation, cognitive awareness, and motor development, and help babies develop an awareness of their feelings. As children move into our toddler classrooms, they begin practicing important self-help skills such as handwashing, potty training, family-style dining, and basic conflict resolution.

When children transition to preschool, learning begins to expand into early literacy, foundational math concepts, and continued social-emotional development. In pre-K, we build on these skills and focus more deeply on kindergarten readiness, including beginning writing, letter recognition, phonemic awareness, counting and number concepts, and early reading skills.  

Get Your Child Kindergarten Ready at Barrington   

Kindergarten is an exciting milestone, and having the right foundation makes all the difference.  By nurturing the whole child, we help children grow into confident, curious learners who feel comfortable (and excited for!) this next step. 

To learn more about how we help your child prepare for kindergarten and see what our classrooms look like in action, schedule a tour at one of our locations!