Transitional Kindergarten Is A Gift Of Time

Pros and cons of taking an extra year before the next big step

- Courtney Mclaughlin

The leap from preschool to kindergarten is huge for children and parents. It’s a time full of celebration, anticipation and sense of accomplishment. But what if you aren’t sure if your child is kindergarten ready?

Many parents, especially those who have children with summer birthdays (meaning they enter kindergarten having just turned 5 if the admission cut-off is late summer or fall), opt to enroll their children in a transitional kindergarten (TK) program. This is also a popular option for 4-year-olds who don’t make the kindergarten age birthdate cut-off . Taking an extra year before kindergarten is also sometimes called “red-shirting,” based off the sports term for college athletes who postpone participation in competitive games to give themselves another year of practice and get physically ready to play.

Transitional kindergarten is not “kindergarten light” or a repeat year of a 4-year-old class. “Transitional kindergarten is diff erent in that it is designed to help children grow socially and emotionally,” says Laura Corgan, curriculum coordinator at Christ Lutheran Children’s Center. “TK classrooms are lower in student-teacher ratios so teachers can better meet the individual needs of the children.”

Not What it Used to Be

Ask any teacher or parent of school-aged children and they will quickly tell you that kindergarten is not what it used to be — or at least not what they remember. Many traditional kindergarten classes are full-day with more emphasis on ABCs and 123s than unstructured playtime and naps. Kindergarteners are learning the ropes of elementary school and gearing up for standardized testing only a few grades away. That can be a lot for any child.