August 2025 Kindergarten Readiness Newsletter

Welcome Metro Schools Families!

This monthly Kindergarten Readiness Newsletter provides your family with MNPS Pre-K information, activities, and tips to support your family and your child prepare for kindergarten.

The newsletter is available through your child’s teacher and the MNPS Early Learning website News. We hope the information supports your family as they transition to Pre-K.

Download this Newsletter (Translations Available)

Learning at Home

Starting Pre-K is a big step for you and your child. It’s very exciting and it’s also a time of transition. A fun book to read about transition and starting routines is "Llama Llama Misses Mama" by Anna Dewdney. After reading the book, discuss the different emotions that Llama feels in the book.

Ask your child how they feel when they are at school and encourage them to express their feelings. Encourage your child to talk about an exciting experience that happened to them at school.

Activity: Fun with Words

Select vocabulary words from the book that might be unfamiliar to your child, such as shy, strange, or cuddled. Write the words down and describe their meanings. Ask your child to try to act them out.

Kindergarten Readiness Tips

When a child misses more than two days a month, they miss important learning opportunities that are preparing them for Kindergarten. 

Here are a few tips to support you child's Pre-K attendance:

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
• Layout clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• Develop a backup plan for getting your child to and from school if something ever comes up. 

Pre-K Building Blocks

Pre-K is not only new for your child, but it can also be new for the entire family. Starting a new school year provides a good opportunity to get your family into healthy routines and habits to support your child's development. 

Mealtimes provide a great opportunity to set healthy habits. During those times, leave electronic devices in another room and focus on conversing with the family. By conversing, you are supporting your Pre-K student to develop their language and communication skills.

When your family ends their day, practice a consistent bedtime routine with your child. The routine could include reading a bedtime story, brushing their teeth, and changing into pajamas. This will signal to your child that it’s time for bed, so they can get rest for a new day!

Early Literacy Development

Reading with your child each day is a great opportunity to support their development. A great local resource for families to support literacy is the Nashville Public Library. The public library has branches throughout Davidson County, and a library card is FREE if you complete an application.

Here are some fun books to read together:

• "Ten Little Caterpillars" by Bill Martin
• "The Rabbit Listened" by Cori Doerrfeld
• "Don’t Push the Button!" by Bill Cotter