Private Transitional Kindergarten in Tarzana, CA

Learning the alphabet and phonics is one of the first big steps your child takes to learn how to read! Each week we focus on a new letter. We learn to recognize the uppercase and lowercase of each letter and the phonetic sounds each letter makes. We use many different activities to help your child solidify the new things they are learning, for example, if we’re talking about the letter “B,” we might have a tray with a small ball, a little boat, and some books. Activities like this allow children to touch, see, and play with things that connect to what they’re learning.

In TK, your child will learn to identify numbers and count all the way up to 100! They will also learn the basics of addition and subtraction, and to count by fives. These skills help them grasp number patterns and prepare them to learn more complex math concepts in elementary school.  In our TK curriculum, we also practice identifying coins, providing a practical understanding of money.

In Transitional Kindergarten, your child will learn to recognize shapes from their unique characteristics. We practice counting the sides of a shape and looking for that shape around our classroom. We will learn about what makes a square different from a rectangle, and we will practice drawing and tracing shapes. We use blocks and shape-sorting games for children to practice what they’re learning independently.

At this age, your child can understand more abstract and complex concepts such as seasons, weather, nutrition, and more! We make learning about the world around us exciting and engaging. We explore seasons and holidays, understanding how the weather changes and why we celebrate special days. We discover the concept of animals hibernating during certain times of the year, adapting to their environment. Students also learn to recognize and spell their names, fostering a sense of identity. We discuss how foods help our bodies grow, think, and have energy for play. Through hands-on activities and interactive lessons, we aim to spark curiosity and lay the foundation for a well-rounded understanding of the world.

Art nurtures creativity, self-expression, and fine motor skills and is a great way for your child to connect what they are learning to the real world. In our art lessons, we have fun exploring what art is, different famous artists, and how we can make art ourselves! We use different objects and materials such as crayons, glue, feathers, and pipe cleaners and talk about using different colors, shapes, and tools to create our artwork. We also learn about music and play with maracas, drums, and more!

Each day, students practice writing and tracing letters, numbers, and their names with pencils in their workbooks. They also learn how to use pencils and scissors correctly all by themselves. These activities help them develop their fine motor skills and learn how to use tools.