About the Program

Launched in 2004, The Learning Partnership’s Welcome to Kindergarten (WTK) program was developed to provide pre-kindergarten children and their families with the early learning resources and experiences that can build a foundation for learning and a smooth transition to school. The value of the program has been recognized in seven Canadian provinces and in 2010/11 over 90,000 families had the opportunity to participate.

What is the WTK program?

In the year before starting school, parents/caregivers and their children are invited to attend a Welcome to Kindergarten Family Orientation at their neighbourhood school. At the orientation, the families participate in activities using books, magnetic numbers and letters, playdough, and crayons/paper/scissors. Families meet school principals, kindergarten teachers, school resource personnel, and staff from community support agencies. During the orientation activities, these educators provide training on why and how family planned activity using the resources in the WTK bag will help their children be better prepared for school and learning. Before leaving the orientation, every family receives the WTK bag of early learning resources and the parent information page, Have fun and help your child get ready for school!  The parent page is available in over 20 languages. Families are encouraged to continue to use the WTK resources and activities in the months before their children start kindergarten and during the first few months in school.

Extension and enrichment resources have been developed to support the WTK program and continued use of the resources.  Please see WTK, Early Learning Resources.

WTK Partnership Guide - English     

What is in the WTK Bag:  English