Published September 22, 2026
The year before kindergarten goes quickly, and a surprising amount of it is paperwork. This is a month-by-month guide for Chilliwack families whose child will start kindergarten next September, with the readiness pieces that actually matter and the ones you can stop worrying about.
First: does my child start next year?
In British Columbia a child is entitled to start kindergarten in September of the calendar year they turn five, and under the School Act parents enrol them by then unless they choose to defer for one year. A child born in 2022, for example, starts in September 2027. Almost every child starts at five; the school will explain the deferral option if you are considering it.
The timeline
September to December: get to know your school
- Find your catchment school on the Chilliwack School District 33 website. Catchment is based on your home address; you can apply to a non-catchment school, but catchment children are placed first.
- If your child is in child care, ask how the program approaches school readiness. It should be built into the routine, not a separate worksheet block.
- Look for Ready, Set, Learn events. These are free sessions many BC schools host for families of three- and four-year-olds to meet the school and pick up early-learning ideas.
January to February: register
- SD33 opens kindergarten registration for the following September in the winter, typically late January or early February. The district publishes the exact dates on its website and social channels each year; registering during the initial window matters for catchment placement.
- Gather the documents before the window opens: your child’s birth certificate or passport, proof of your address (a utility bill or lease), and your own government ID. If your child is not a Canadian citizen, bring their immigration documents too.
- Choose any program options at registration. SD33 offers French Immersion at designated schools, and some schools have specific programs with their own intake.
Spring: immunizations and health forms
- BC’s Vaccine Status Reporting Regulation requires parents to report a child’s immunization status when they enter school. Have your child’s immunization record ready; Fraser Health public health can help you find it or catch up on missed doses.
- Book the four-to-six-year booster with your family doctor or public health if it has not been done.
- Vision and hearing: kindergarten screening happens in some districts, but a check-up before school is easier.
May to June: welcome sessions
- Most schools hold a “Welcome to Kindergarten” visit in late spring. Go if you can. It is the single best cure for first-day nerves, for the child and for you.
- Ask about the gradual entry schedule. BC schools start kindergarten with shortened days in the first week or two of September.
Summer: practise the practical things
Teachers we have spoken with are consistent about what helps in the first weeks: not letters, but independence. Over the summer, practise:
- Opening lunch containers, snack packages and a water bottle without help
- Putting on and taking off a coat, shoes and boots
- Using the toilet independently, including managing clothing
- Carrying a backpack and knowing what is in it
- Asking an adult for help in words, and waiting for a turn
What “kindergarten ready” actually means
BC kindergarten is play-based and designed to meet children where they are. Children do not need to read, write their name neatly or count to a hundred to start. What helps is the ability to sit with a task for a few minutes, follow a two- or three-step instruction, separate from a parent without prolonged distress, and recover from a hard moment. A good preschool or child care program builds those skills through daily routines, which is why we fold our preschool block into the full day rather than treating it as academic prep.
A note on the deferral question
Some parents of children with late-autumn birthdays wonder about waiting a year. There is no single right answer. Talk to your child’s educators and the school; both see hundreds of children and can tell you how yours compares in the areas that matter. The decision is yours, and the school will support either choice.
Sources: Chilliwack School District 33 registration information; Government of BC, School Act (school age) and Vaccine Status Reporting Regulation; BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, Ready, Set, Learn program. Dates are set annually by the district; check sd33.bc.ca for the current year.
