Transitional Kindergarten (TK): Building Confident Learners


Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a thoughtfully designed program that prepares children for formal schooling while laying a strong foundation for their future academic, social, and emotional growth. Through a balance of play-based exploration and early academic foundations, TK supports each child’s readiness in a way that feels joyful, purposeful, and developmentally appropriate.

Why TK Matters
  • Children gain confidence and independence in the classroom
  • TK allows children who may need extra time to master foundational skills to do so without pressure, supporting growth in all areas
  • Research shows TK students are more engaged, confident learners with stronger early literacy, problem-solving, and social skills

Transitional Kindergarten is a bridge between two important stages

The hallmark of TK is the gift of time, allowing children to grow, mature, and gain confidence at a pace that supports their overall development. 

  • Pre-K emphasizes play-based learning and social-emotional development.
  • Kindergarten emphasizes more formal academic instruction.
  • Transitional Kindergarten blends both approaches, offering structure with exploration.
 

How Children Learn in TK

Developmentally Appropriate

Our TK curriculum honors each child’s developmental stage, nurturing curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning. Children are encouraged to explore, ask questions, and engage meaningfully with their environment in ways that feel joyful and purposeful.

Guided Play and Exploration

Play is central to learning in TK, with exploration intentionally guided by teachers. Children engage in dramatic play, hands-on activities, and group experiences that develop cognitive, language, and motor skills. These exploration-based experiences build a bridge to more structured learning and prepare children to thrive academically and socially.

Early Academic Foundations

Children explore early literacy and math concepts through storytelling, shared reading, counting, and problem-solving activities. These experiences build confidence and familiarity with academic skills in a developmentally appropriate way.

The Covenant School

Birdwood Campus | Lower School | Pre-K–Grade 5 |
1000 Birdwood Road Charlottesville, VA 22903 | 434.220.7309

Hickory Campus | Middle and Upper School | Grades 6–12 | 175 Hickory Street Charlottesville, VA 22902 | 434.220.7329
Located in Charlottesville, VA, The Covenant School is a non-denominational, private, Christian day school for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, visual and performing arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.
The Covenant School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, or sex in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, tuition assistance programs, athletic and other school-administered programs, nor in the hiring of faculty or staff.
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