Last Updated on July 28, 2026 1:55 pm
The Children's Council of Watauga County is offering “Countdown to Kindergarten,” a free, family-friendly resource designed to help children build confidence, independence and essential readiness skills before their first day of kindergarten. The program provides a simple daily activity calendar that guides families from April 1 through August 15 with engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences.
Starting kindergarten is a major milestone for children and families. The Countdown to Kindergarten initiative breaks preparation into manageable, playful activities that strengthen school readiness while keeping learning fun and stress-free. Activities focus on four key areas: independence and routines, social-emotional development, learning foundations, and school behaviors and expectations.
“Our mission is to support the healthy growth and development of children in Watauga County by strengthening both the families and communities that help them thrive. A key part of that work is ensuring children have access to high-quality early childhood experiences, including child care and preschool programs, as well as enriching activities at home,” said Elisha Childers, executive director of the Children's Council of Watauga County, Inc. “We want every child to be safe, nurtured, and engaged in meaningful life experiences that prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond. Kindergarten readiness is an important predictor of future academic achievement and helps build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.”
The calendar includes daily activities that encourage children to practice important life and school skills such as handwashing, following directions, dressing independently, recognizing letters and numbers, developing fine motor skills, interacting with peers and managing emotions. Families can complete one activity each day, adapt activities to meet their child's needs, and revisit favorite exercises throughout the summer.
Research and experience show that children enter kindergarten with a wide range of abilities. The Children's Council emphasizes that readiness includes more than academic skills. Children benefit from opportunities to communicate their needs, follow simple directions, interact with others, demonstrate independence and approach new experiences with confidence.
The most recent federal data from the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (2023-24) shows that about 66.1% of North Carolina students were “on track” for kindergarten. In 2025, 46.6% of third-grade students were reading at grade-level proficiency. Research indicates that children who do not achieve reading proficiency by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school compared to their peers who can read well, underscoring the importance of early literacy skills as a predictor of future educational success.
For more information and to access the Countdown to Kindergarten calendar, visit thechildrenscouncil.org/countdown-to-kindergarten.
The mission of the Children's Council of Watauga County is to build strong foundations for children's learning and development by strengthening families, the early childhood system and the wider community.
