SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM
FOR AGES 2.5 – 6
Program structure
The program consists of 6 modules, one for each core area plus a general readiness
routine. this school-readiness framework includes communication, literacy, numeracy,
fine motor/physical, and social-emotional skills, and child-ready supports which
emphasize play and independence.
1. Welcome and routine skills.
2. Literacy readiness.
3. Numeracy readiness.
4. Fine motor and pre-writing.
5. Social and play skills.
6. Communication and self-advocacy.
Audience and goals
This program is written for parents of neurodivergent children, so it is flexible, visual,
predictable, and low-pressure. The goal is not to “catch up” a child, but to build
confidence, independence, and school participation skills through short, repeatable
practice.
Module design
1) Welcome and routine skills
Focus on transitions, following a simple visual schedule, sitting for short periods,
cleaning up, and asking for help. This module supports school participation because
readiness is broader than academics and includes behavior, self-management, and
independence.
2) Literacy readiness
Cover book handling, listening to stories, naming pictures, rhyme awareness, letter
recognition, and early writing strokes. Literacy readiness is typically built through
interest in books, shared reading, and early print awareness rather than formal reading
drills.
3) Numeracy readiness
Teach counting, matching quantities, sorting, comparing more/less, shapes, patterns,
and simple number recognition. These early numeracy skills are part of common
school-readiness expectations and work well through games and hands-on play.
4) Fine motor and pre-writing
Include pinch-and-peel activities, tracing, drawing lines, cutting with scissors, threading
beads, playdough, and grasp practice. Fine motor development is regularly included in
school-readiness toolkits because it supports writing, self-care, and classroom tasks.
5) Social and play skills
Teach turn-taking, parallel play, joint attention, sharing materials, pretend play, and
coping with winning/losing.
6) Communication and self-advocacy
Work on requesting, rejecting, commenting, answering simple questions, using visuals
or AAC if needed, and asking for a break. Communication readiness includes expressive
and receptive language plus conversation skills, which are frequently highlighted in
school-readiness programs.
Workbook segments
Create one workbook for each module, plus one parent tracker. A workbook can include
short weekly pages with 3 parts: “Try,” “Practice,” and “Show me,” which helps parents
keep sessions short and consistent.
● Workbook 1: Daily Routine Ready. Visual schedule, first/then board,
waiting practice, clean-up routine, and help-seeking.
● Workbook 2: Early Literacy. Book pages, letter hunt, matching pictures,
rhyming, and pre-writing lines.
● Workbook 3: Early Numeracy. Counting, sorting, size comparison, shapes,
pattern copying, and number matching.
● Workbook 4: Hands and Writing. Grasp games, scissor practice, tracing,
colouring, and pencil control.
● Workbook 5: Play and Friends. Turn-taking cards, pretend play prompts,
emotion faces, and sharing games.
● Workbook 6: Communication. Requesting, choice-making, sentence
starters, visual supports, and conversation practice.
Checklist format
Use age bands so parents can see growth without comparing children unfairly. A simple
checklist can use 4 columns: “Not yet,” “Emerging,” “Sometimes,” and “Ready with
support.”
Age
band Focus areas
2.5–3
.5
Basic routines, joint attention, naming familiar items, matching, grasping
crayons, turn-taking with adult support .
3.5–4
.5
Short listening tasks, counting to 5, simple cutting, pretend play, asking for
help, following 2-step directions .
4.5–5
.5
Letter awareness, number recognition, patterning, copying shapes,
cooperative play, clearer requesting and answering .
5.5–6 Sitting for longer tasks, early writing, counting and comparing, social
problem-solving, communicating needs in classroom routines .