 Who's that catching that ball, that ball? Who's that catching that ball? I've been wondering all day long. Who's that catching that ball? This is called an Atlas Moth. This may look like a kindergarten class, but it's actually preschoolers and their families gearing up for kindergarten. What are we working on over here? I'm trying to find for the letter N. Entering kindergarten is a time of major transition for a child and for the family. The NDSU Extension Service at North Dakota State University developed the gearing up for kindergarten early education program to assist young children and their parents in the year prior to a child entering kindergarten. What do you like about coming to school here? Cool projects. The program begins with parents and students engaged in classroom activity while supervised and encouraged by a certified kindergarten classroom teacher in the school district. He is matching the letters, but he's kind of helping her with the hard part, which is getting them fined mortally in there. There's so many different skills going on there, but they're working on it together. Families are exposed to the classroom and observe the progress of their children. What color is it? This is good for him. I think it's good for his confidence. He's been eager to go to school. Everyone else has been going to school for forever, so I think for him to be able to have these nights where he can go to school is something for his self-esteem. Do you know how to write thank you? The next hour includes time for the students with teacher alone. We don't want to give them the idea that feelings are good or bad. And the parents are taken to a different room to work with a parent educator who covers a variety of key topics. Parent involvement, building an unwrap for parents to be involved with their children in school from the very beginning. And what we find is that we're here for children doing well in school and being prepared. And this program is a wonderful benefit for that. It's just nice to see that there's other people in the same boat and that you're not out on your own because sometimes it feels that way. It feels like you must be the only parent that Schuess child can't share, but that's not the case at all. The final session brings everyone back together for additional activities, suggestions for interactions during the upcoming week, and a library book checkout. There's a lot of transitions every time, so the parents are really learning how to ease them into those transitions, as well as the kids are learning how to deal with those transitions. In national research on school readiness in the U.S., teachers estimate that 32% of children have some problems entering school while an additional 16% have difficult entries. Quality early childhood education programs are valuable in assisting children and their families to be successful. Research also indicates that students who are ready for school obtain higher third grade reading levels, which is one of the key indicators for future school and work success. It is a prevention-focused family education program designed to facilitate child development, school readiness, and healthy parenting. It's tremendously exciting. I mean, it's exciting enough that I've brought my own child to be in the program and have the benefit of this experience. One, two, three. Okay. That's delicious. Does it make a difference? The answer is yes. For more information, check out the Gearing Up for Kindergarten website or ask your school about programs they might already offer to help your child and your family start gearing up for kindergarten. Who's that catching that ball? Who's that catching that ball? I've been wondering all day long who's that catching that ball? We fold our hands so sweetly we're listening completely cause now it's story time da-da-da-da high five da-da-da high five