Are you looking for an easy way to plan a kindergarten roundup? Start with a theme! The fun kindergarten roundup themes I’m sharing in this post will help you put together a warm welcome for your incoming students and their families.
What is Kindergarten Roundup?
Kindergarten roundup is an event that is usually hosted by the school or district at some point before the first day of school. It’s an opportunity for teachers to get to know the incoming students. It’s also a great time for parents and guardians to ask any questions they may have.
This event will look different from school to school, but you can usually find a combination of these elements in a kindergarten roundup:
- Readiness Assessment: One of the main purposes of a roundup is to determine the readiness of the students entering kindergarten. This helps with curriculum planning and class placements. A simple screener is usually given to the incoming kindergarteners at the roundup.
- Registration Paperwork: It’s hard to plan for incoming students when you don’t know how many there will be! While the students are completing the assessment, parents can be given registration paperwork to complete.
- Activity Stations: An activity rotation is a great way to make sure each student is given a chance to meet the teacher and complete the kindergarten screener. These simple activities can give students a taste of all the fun they’re going to have at school!
- Take-Home Activities/Information: Kindergarten roundup is also a great time to send home additional readiness activities or important information that families will need before school starts.
No matter what elements of kindergarten roundup you choose to use, this event will help you gather important information about your new kindergarten students. This information will allow you to put together balanced instructional groupings and create appropriate lesson plans for the first few weeks of school.
3 Fun Themes for Kindergarten Roundup
Many students who come to kindergarten roundup have never set foot in a school before. It can be intimidating! A fun theme can help your incoming students feel more at-ease when they arrive. Here are three of my favorites:
1. Fish Theme
Welcome your new students to roundup by letting them know that they are “o-fish-ally” in kindergarten!
There are so many fun ways that you can incorporate a fish theme into your kindergarten roundup activities.
From fish puzzles to pattern block activities, students will be able to get a feel for what kindergarten’s all about as they rotate through a variety of fish-themed stations.
After students have had a chance to complete their screening, they can choose a reading buddy that will encourage them to read at home. This ocean animal rescue activity is such a fun way to incorporate the fish theme into your kindergarten roundup.
2. Dog Theme
You can help your students get excited about school by letting them know that kindergarten is “paw-some”! A dog theme is another great kindergarten roundup theme that you can incorporate throughout the stations and activities.
This dog craft made from paper hearts is fun for students to assemble with their families while they’re waiting for their turn at the screening station.
Plush dogs are also perfect for a take-home reading buddy! Students can fill out an application, choose their reading buddy, and then take home their new friend (complete with adoption paperwork!).
3. Camping Theme
When it comes to kindergarten roundup themes, you can’t go wrong with Camp Kindergarten!
Some districts have kindergarten roundup at the very end of the previous school year, so the camping theme is the perfect way to say hello to summer. Other districts have kindergarten roundup near the end of the summer, so the camping theme can be a fun way to transition from summer vacation to the school year.
The camping-themed activity stations will give your students a glimpse of all the fun they will be having in kindergarten. As they complete the Camp Kindergarten crafts, you’ll be able to get an idea of how comfortable they are using school tools. This can be very helpful information to have when you’re planning the activities for the first week of school!
The take-home reading buddy can also work with Camp Kindergarten! Students can choose a bear from the kindergarten bear rescue to take home with them. Your incoming kindergarteners will be excited to read to their new plush friends at home!
More Ways to Use Kindergarten Roundup Themes
If your district doesn’t do an official kindergarten roundup event, there are even more ways that you can use these fun themes!
- Meet the Teacher: The themed stations and decor can help you put together a low-stress Meet the Teacher event. Families can rotate through the stations to make it easier for you to chat with them individually.
- Kindergarten Jumpstart: Does your school host a kindergarten jumpstart program? These themed activities would be perfect for getting students excited to start kindergarten in the fall.
- First Week of School: You could also use the themed bulletin board and low-prep activities for your first week of school. A themed week of learning could be a fun way to welcome your students to kindergarten.
Kindergarten Roundup Printable Bundles
Would you like to use a fun theme for your kindergarten roundup? I have created themed bundles that include everything you need to host a roundup or meet-the-teacher event. Each set contains the stations and reading buddy printables that match the theme. The bundles also include important parent handouts, kindergarten screening tools, and readiness task cards that you can use to help families feel more ready for kindergarten.
You can find each themed bundle in the Teaching Exceptional Kinders shop or on TPT. I hope that these printables help you save time as you plan a successful kindergarten roundup!
Save These Kindergarten Roundup Themes
Be sure to save this post so you can come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite kindergarten board on Pinterest. You’ll be able to quickly find these theme ideas for your next kindergarten roundup.