Where 4-year-old Kyson Tanner once got flustered trying to identify letters, he now excitedly shouts, “Look Mom, it’s a K!” whenever he spots the letter on license plates, billboards, or signs at stores and plazas.
At first, letter practice at home was frustrating. “We kept going back and forth with it. He would get frustrated, then I would get frustrated, and then we’d just stop,” Kyson’s mother, Jennifer Williams, said. To make learning more playful, she turned practice into simple games, an idea she got from Small Impressions, a First Steps 4K center in Greenville County.
At school, Kyson’s teachers introduced fun activities that helped him connect letters with sounds and familiar objects. Games like finding the letters in his name and matching letters to objects helped him understand shapes and sounds while building the foundation he needs for reading and writing.
“Since starting First Steps 4K at Small Impressions, he’s identifying his letters and writing individual letters, not just the letters in his name,” Jennifer said. “We’re about halfway through the alphabet, and he can sound out letters and figure out their order. And when he doesn’t know something, he’s not as quick to get frustrated, which helps me too. He’s grown so much, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Kyson has been attending Small Impressions since he was 2 years old, but Jennifer’s connection with the center goes back further. “I knew the Center Director, LaVonda Paul, when I was in school. She was my counselor, and I knew how good she was with us then. I always said that if I ever had a child, I would enroll them in her center. And here we are, full circle.”
Small Impressions has supported Kyson not only academically but also socially and emotionally. As an adoptee who had recently joined Jennifer’s family, Kyson was still adjusting to a new home, routines, and a new sense of security. “We’ve only had him for two years. He’s our only child. He was talking but struggled socially. I wanted him to have the chance to be with other children and learn skills like sharing, handling emotions, and working through feelings with his peers,” Jennifer said.
Since joining First Steps 4K, Kyson has grown in so many ways. He’s more sociable, listens better, and focuses during learning time at home. His teachers have noticed his confidence, too, saying he has become more outgoing and excited about school. “Once we’re ready to go, he is excited. He does not want to be late. When he sees his friends outside, he says, ‘Mom, hurry,’ because he wants to greet them and walk in together,” Jennifer said.
At the end of the day, Kyson brings home new stories and discoveries. “Every day he talks about what Miss Tammy taught them. When they were learning about dinosaurs, he taught me things I didn’t know,” Jennifer said, laughing. “Of course, I had to explain that dinosaurs are extinct because he asked if we could go to the zoo to see one.” He also enjoys playing with friends, doing crafts, and building with Legos. “He loves the projects they do and always comes home saying, ‘Mom, look what I made!’”
Not only does the program give Kyson a place to grow and discover his passions, but it’s also given Jennifer peace of mind and a chance to focus on her own work. With wraparound after-school care, she doesn’t have to rush to find childcare or juggle work while keeping track of a 4-year-old. “I can work and know he’s in good hands,” she said.
Today, Kyson is not only learning letters but finding his footing, opening up socially, and discovering what he loves about school. His excitement to greet friends, share new lessons, and explore his interests shows how much he has grown during his time at Small Impressions.
Learn more about First Steps 4K
SC First Steps partners with more than 320 licensed child care centers, private schools, and charter schools across the state, making it easy for families to find a high-quality program that meets their needs. To see if your child qualifies for First Steps 4K, a free, full-day four-year-old kindergarten for children in South Carolina, learn more about eligibility.
Topics:
First Steps 4K, School Transition
