Tips for Getting Little Ones Ready for Kindergarten

For most kids, kindergarten is the start of formal education. But for those who have been in a preschool or daycare setting before then? The transition can still be daunting! You might think to yourself – “Is my child ready?” It’s hard to say definitively whether your little one will flourish as they’re placed into this new environment and given such an abrupt change from their past experiences at home.

Kindergarten readiness (or school readiness) refers both to how prepared children are academically, socially, emotionally, and physically when transitioning between different levels of schooling—and also what schools themselves need in order to prepare students for success once they come through its doors on that first day.

Your children deserve a safe place like Nebraska Children’s Home Society where their needs will always come first. The Early Childhood Education Center is equipped with everything necessary to ensure young kids reach all of their developmental milestones as well as prepare them ahead of time for starting kindergarten.

Early Childhood Education Services from NCHS

The Early Childhood Education Center provides a safe and nurturing environment for children from birth through 5 years old, preparing them in developmentally appropriate practices ready to enter the classroom!

Program Details:

• Nebraska Children’s Home Society Early Childhood Education Centers utilize the research-based Creative Curriculum® and Gold®, the Teaching Strategies® observation-based assessment system. These tools ensure our teachers facilitate a high-quality learning environment with an understanding of developmentally appropriate practices.
• Nutritious USDA-approved meals and snacks are provided, including special dietary requirements for breakfast, morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snacks.
• Families are encouraged to attend field trips and participate in classroom activities. Special activities are scheduled throughout the year for families to participate with their child, a well as individual meetings on their child’s progress. In addition, families are provided with appropriate resources and referrals as needed.

Education Services Based on Age Group

Infant Care:

When you’re looking for quality care for your baby, you want a warm environment, experienced teachers, and a place that feels like home. Our program is designed around these qualities, with an emphasis on ensuring your baby receives thoughtful, nurturing attention and engagement.

Our infant care program is open to children 6 weeks to 18 months old at the NCHS Children & Family Center. You can trust that your baby will be safe and respected by a professional team of educators with over 30 years of combined experience!

Toddler Care:

Young toddlers need the highest quality care possible in order to thrive during their first years. Through playtime combined with hands-on instruction from professionals who are educated on young development, these tiny humans will be set up for success as they grow into preschoolers!

Our Toddler Care program is taught by highly qualified early childhood education professionals trained in modeling positive behavior. The program, designed for ages 18 to 36 months, focuses on:

• Teaching toddlers to label and understand their emotions
• Providing them with words to communicate their emotions
• Teaching them to communicate with friends
• Learning self-help skills

Kindergarten Readiness Program:

A quality kindergarten readiness program not only sets the stage for kindergarten but also prepares children for a successful future by instilling foundational knowledge, teaching social skills, and encouraging curiosity.

Designed for children ages 3 to 5 years, our pre-kindergarten program is taught by experienced early childhood educators. It focuses on:

• Problem-solving skills
• Learning to share
• Following two-step directions
• Self-regulating emotions
• Learning to make friends

Prepare Your Children for Success

Our Early Childhood Education Center’s primary focus is the future success of your child. Through research of developmentally appropriate practices, quality long-term teachers, and by providing a safe, nurturing environment, you can count on Nebraska Children’s Home Society to help your little ones prepare for their first day of kindergarten.

Our Center is located within our historic Children and Family Center at 3549 Fontenelle Blvd. in Omaha, Nebraska. For more information, please call 402.898.7768 or contact us online.