A Central Florida program that aims to help more kids get set for kindergarten is expanding. WUCF, the region’s PBS affiliate, is bringing its “On My Way to K” initiative to more stops with a summer tour aimed at making kindergarten preparation more accessible.
Beginning this week, the tour will make stops in libraries across nine counties in Central Florida, providing kids and families with free hands-on activities and take-home educational resources.
The program, in partnership with PBS Kids, is an ongoing initiative that helps caregivers feel confident about their children’s school readiness and future academic success. The program simplifies early education for caregivers by turning everyday activities into skill-building opportunities and incorporating popular PBS Kids shows like Phoebe & Jay to reinforce learning.
There’s a need for programs like this, said WUCF Education Manager Chris Doucette. He said there are parents and caregivers who don’t feel like their students are ready for kindergarten. “On My Way to K” is one way to change that.
“We started this initiative with the idea that many caregivers and parents don't know what to expect when they get into kindergarten, and there is often a stark contrast between, like, daycare and VPK programs, and then going into an actual classroom,” Doucette said. “We decided to start putting out programming and content and resources that would help families better prepare their child for kindergarten.”
Last year, the WUCF education team held three in-person “On My Way to K” events, and this year’s tour includes 10 events to bring the experience to more people.
“We like to be in the community among the families and trying to remove as many barriers to education as possible,” Doucette said.
Families who attend the drop-in tour events will participate and learn about activities that can be leveled up or down for kids ages 2 to 8. The event facilitators work in the education field and can help the children and answer caregiver questions.
While the program is geared towards kids, Doucette said it also focuses on empowering caregivers with the knowledge and tools to help their children succeed academically.
“We approach it from a caregiver viewpoint of being able to say, look, you're doing a lot already, here's some really tiny things that are not going to make your load any heavier that you can do to help your child prepare,” Doucette said.
Doucette said the WUCF education team expects a large turnout for the tour as the PBS Kids show characters often attract interest. Each event is expected to get between 100 and 200 attendees, with the first 100 families being sent home with learning kits, but some can be larger or smaller depending on the library’s capacity.
This is the first time “On My Way to K” is touring the region. Doucette said the goal is to take the initiative to as many places as possible by continuing it annually and eventually year-round.
Families can learn more about their local “On My Way to K” event at wucf.org/OMWTK.
