Private Transitional Kindergarten in Tarzana, CA

In our TK program, your child embarks on an exciting journey to recognize letters and their sounds! Through songs, books, pictures, and playful activities, we explore the alphabet together. Each week, we focus on a new letter, learning its uppercase and lowercase forms and the phonetic sounds it makes. Whether singing a catchy tune or matching objects to letters, these activities make learning to read fun and memorable.

We help your child take pride in their identity by practicing writing their first and last names in both uppercase and lowercase letters. Daily activities reinforce name recognition, and we extend this practice to learning the names of classmates, fostering a sense of community. Through tracing, writing, and playful repetition, your child builds confidence in this foundational skill. 

Pre-writing skills are the building blocks of legible handwriting. In TK, your child develops the ability to hold and use a pencil through mastering basic strokes like lines (| and —), circles (O), and shapes (square, triangle, X). These skills enhance their ability to draw, write, and color with control. Fun activities like tracing and copying shapes strengthen hand muscles, setting the stage for fluent writing in elementary school. 

Our TK program introduces key math concepts to prepare your child for elementary school. They’ll learn to count forward (and later backward) up to 100, recognize numerals, and explore shapes, colors, and patterns. Hands-on activities like sorting blocks by size or matching sets teach number sense and one-to-one correspondence. From counting steps to estimating “more” or “less,” we make math a natural part of play. 

Playtime is learning time in TK! Through structured play and sharing opportunities, your child practices cooperation, communication, and turn-taking. Whether passing out snacks or working together on a project, these moments build social skills and confidence. We encourage your child to express ideas and listen to others, creating a supportive classroom community. 

Each TK classroom features a dress-up area and kitchen for imaginative play. We rotate items to match monthly themes, holidays, or special events, keeping the experience fresh and culturally rich. From pretending to cook a meal to dressing up as community helpers, dramatic play sparks creativity, builds language skills, and helps your child explore the world around them. 

Understanding feelings is a big part of TK! We guide your child in recognizing and managing emotions, fostering empathy and self-awareness. Through stories, discussions, and group activities, they learn to navigate friendships, express needs, and handle challenges. This emotional foundation helps them thrive both in and out of the classroom. Click here to learn more!

Sensory play engages your child’s senses—touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste—making learning irresistible. Activities like squishing playdough, sorting textured objects, or exploring sand trays introduce new sensations and encourage discovery. These hands-on experiences boost curiosity while supporting fine motor and cognitive development. 

Fine motor skills power everyday tasks like writing and cutting. In TK, your child refines these abilities through sensory-rich activities—think coloring within lines, cutting simple shapes, or pasting crafts. By TK age, California students can master a 3-finger pencil grasp and draw basic pictures. These skills build independence and precision for kindergarten success. 

Big movements matter too! Our California Transitional Kindergarten program strengthens gross motor skills through active play. Your child will jump forward 10 times, walk a balance beam, or skip with a rope, all while developing coordination and balance. Milestones like catching a ball with hands or running lightly on toes prepare them for physical challenges and boost confidence.

TK introduces your child to the world through basic concepts like seasons, weather, and parts of the body. They’ll explore days of the week, animals, plants, and community helpers through interactive lessons. From discussing why leaves fall to learning good manners, these activities broaden their general knowledge and connect them to their surroundings. 

Arts and crafts ignite creativity and self-expression in TK! Your child explores colors, shapes, and textures using crayons, glue, feathers, and more. We introduce famous artists, make music with drums and maracas, and create projects tied to our themes. These activities sharpen fine motor skills, boost problem-solving, and build confidence through hands-on fun. 

Each month, we focus on a new character trait—like kindness, courage, or responsibility—to help your child grow into a thoughtful individual. Through stories, role-playing, and group activities, we nurture habits like cooperation, gratitude, and patience. Building character at Transitional Kindergarten age lays a lifelong foundation for strong values and resilience.