Starting school is exciting — but it can also feel overwhelming, for children and families. Parents want to help their child get ready, but often don’t know what actually matters or how to support learning at home.

Every year, I was so overwhelmed with parent who just wanted to know how to help. I loved talking about supporting the students in my room, but was tired of responding to the same e-mails with the same information. On the other hand, I was seeing so many parents who were just doing the best with what they had. Something needed to change.

So many parents mean well, but just don't know what we really wish they knew about school readiness. We all know its not about writing their name, counting to 20 or coming in reading, and this resource helps them to understand that.

That’s why I created this school readiness parent information handout.

This guide is designed to give families clear, actionable, evidence-based information about the skills children need for a confident start to school — without pressure or overwhelm. It helps parents understand literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, oral language, fine motor development, and more, so they know how to support learning at home from.

So many parents mean well, but just don't know what we really wish they knew about school readiness. We all know its not about writing their name, counting to 20 or coming in reading, and this resource helps them to understand that.

It’s written in a calm, friendly tone that parents can actually understand, giving them everything they need to know about the start of school. And the best part? It's editable, so you can adjust it to meet your own context and needs1

What’s Included :

• 6 pages of parent-friendly information on everything teachers actually want parents to know when starting school
• PowerPoint and Canva editable documents
• This comprehensive guide covers all the key areas families need to support school readiness:
• School Readiness & Transitions
• Helping children settle in, build routines, and develop independence (including personal hygiene!)
• Clear guidance so parents feel confident in what to do before the first day

• Social & Emotional Skills
• Supporting resilience, self-regulation, and positive relationships
• Strategies families can use to manage emotions and build confidence
• Managing disappointment

• Literacy & Reading Skills
• Early reading and literacy explained in parent-friendly language
• Science of Reading-informed tips, phonics, letter recognition, and early decoding support
• The importance of reading

• Writing & Spelling Skills
• How to help children recognise and write their name (yes - we are absolutely talking about fixing that all-caps writing!) and develop early writing skills
• Fine motor support ideas that strengthen pencil control

• Numeracy Skills
• Foundational math concepts, counting, and number sense
• Simple, practical, hands-on activities for home

• Oral Language Development
• Building vocabulary, storytelling, and conversational skills
• Easy ways for parents to engage in rich language experiences

• Special Focus Pages
• Fine motor skill exercises and activities
• Decodable readers explained for home support
• Irregular high-frequency words: what they are and how parents can help

I know you'll love this resource because:

• It supports inclusive, evidence-informed, developmentally appropriate practice
• It helps families feel confident, informed, and ready to support their child
• Provides everything families need to support school readiness
• Reduces parent confusion and anxiety about starting school
• Builds strong home–school partnerships from the very first day
• Explains skills and expectations in parent-friendly language
• Saves teachers time answering repeated questions
• Supports inclusive, developmentally appropriate practice

If You Are:

• Looking to give families clear guidance on school readiness
• Wanting to reduce parent confusion and anxiety
• Hoping to build strong home–school partnerships early
• Looking for a practical, parent-friendly resource that supports literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, and school readiness
• Wanting families to feel confident supporting their child at home, without creating extra work for you

... then you've found the right place!

**Note: If you love this resource layout but aren't a fan of the colour scheme, check out my Green Oasis and Muted Rainbow Themes!