Senior kindergarten · Age 5
Senior kindergarten: sounds, letters and getting ready for grade 1
Senior kindergarten, or SK, is the second year of Ontario’s kindergarten, at age 5, right before grade 1. Children are not expected to read on their own yet, but playing with the sounds in words helps. Here is how to do it at home.
Getting started
A five-minute game for today
Play “I spy” with first sounds: “I spy something that starts with sss.” Use the sound, not the letter name. If it is too hard, give two choices: “a spoon or a fork?” Then swap roles.
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What SK is
It is the second year of Ontario’s two-year kindergarten, at 5. In other provinces, the year before grade 1 is simply called kindergarten. After it comes grade 1.
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Letter sounds in Ziippi
In Letters, with the profile set to English, your child hears “sss… sun” and taps the s among three letters. These activities were written for English, with rhymes, first sounds and syllables, not translated from Spanish.
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Clapping syllables
At dinner, clap the syllables in family names: “Ma-de-line” is three claps. It is a game with no paper that gets children ready to read.
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Talking with the teacher
If you notice something at home — mixing up two sounds, or getting frustrated quickly — share a concrete example with the teacher. It tells them more than a score.
Frequently asked questions
Should my child be reading by the end of SK?
Reading on their own is not expected yet. Knowing several letter sounds and playing with rhymes and syllables helps.
Does Ziippi have reading activities?
It has letter-sound, first-sound and letter activities, with every instruction read aloud. Learning to read happens at school, with the teacher.
Where do I download Ziippi in Canada?
Use the download buttons on this page: they open Ziippi’s listing on the App Store or Google Play.
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