Jump into Kindergarten® (Just Understand Movement Principles) is a Kindergarten Readiness program which is held in a local school setting for the children who will be entering Kindergarten in the fall of the year. The "Jump" program will support the gap between June and September in organized activities which would promote school readiness for children before they enter Kindergarten.

Jump into Kindergarten® is a three-week program which runs for 5 hours per day, Mondays - Fridays in a school setting.

GOALS OF THE PROGRAM

There are three goals of the Jump into Kindergarten® Readiness Program:

• To get children physically ready to learn
• To help children to acquire the social/character skills associated with learning
• To address obesity and health

PROGRAM SESSIONS

Jump Into Kindergarten® includes sessions on:

• Circle Time - hand-eye coordination and fine motor skill development
• General Coordination - sequencing and gross motor skill development
• Body Image - body and spatial development
• Language - listening/speaking and cognitive skill development
• Cooperative Games and Team Building - social/character development
• Tactile Touch - fine motor skill development (texture/pressure)
• Story Time - listening, concentration, sequencing skill development
• General Coordination - sequencing and gross motor skill development
• Laterality - reading, math and eye skill development
• Balance - concentration and time on task skill development
  

PROGRAM PLAN & EVALUATION

The children will be evaluated using the Project First Step® Jump into Kindergarten® Screening Instruments and the Jump into Kindergarten® Survey and will have a post-evaluation using the same tools at the conclusion of the Jump into Kindergarten® experience. Teachers will also be evaluating the children at the beginning and at the end of Kindergarten in their academic and social/character skills. Evaluation includes both process and outcome data. Longitudinal data will be conducted over the first four years of the program.

The Jump into Kindergarten® program will focus on children with the greatest need. Jump into Kindergarten® does not discriminate unfairly because of age, race, creed, gender, national origin, handicap, or ethnicity; however, the program is designed for children who meet the poverty guideline and do not have many physical activity or athletic opportunities. All children who are Kindergarten-aged by the end of the program session, wishing to be a part of the program are eligible to participate in Jump into Kindergarten® upon showing proof of Kindergarten registration for the Fall of the year.