Summer Learning Program

We teach Kindergarteners to be Kindergarteners!

The KidsBridge Summer Learning Program provides rising kindergartners who have not yet had a high-quality early learning experience with a six-week full-day program, to help them learn the norms and routines of school. The program is always free of charge and available to public school students who are registered for Kindergarten for the upcoming school year.

KidsBridge participants attend school for six hours per day, five days per week to adjust to the routines and procedures of kindergarten to help them transition into school. The program is fun and engaging and children learn through play! Parents/family members are also supported through ongoing parent engagement events and workshops.

The program is taught by certified, experienced teachers with support from Providence’s high school workforce and trained community volunteers.

To be eligible for this program, your student must be attending Kindergarten this Fall, age 5 on September 1. Priority is given to students who have not attended a full year of preschool or pre-K and are registered for Kindergarten in public schools.

A note from KidsBridge 2025 Director Emily Markovitz

Thank you to everyone for an incredible Summer 2025! This was, I believe, the best yet of my three years here. Gratitude is due to our amazing classroom teams (Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Julio, Ms. Maricris, Ms. O’Donnell, Ms. K, M. Estefany, Ms. Vazquez, Ms. Garcia, Mr. C, Ms. Criss, Ms. Camila, Ms. Kelly), student and family support team (Pedro, Ms. M, Ms. Shannon), Kia and the incredible Explorers cohort, Matt and the committed classroom volunteers, and our Summer 2025 Interns, Maria and Harlande. To our students and families, your hard work and commitment to education and Kindergarten readiness shows. Thank you for your communication, humor, and community-building. We also could not have done it without our partners, William D’Abate Elementary School, Sodexo, ABM, Books Are Wings, Lisa Libraries, Salvation Army, The Greatest Eight, URI’s SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education, Central Providence Unidos, KPMG, Providence Public Schools, City of Providence Rhode Island Department of Education’s All Course Network, The Governor’s Workforce Board’s Real Skills for Youth, Nellie Mae, Brown Swearer Center iProv, Forest Foundation, and RI Energy!

See our full 2025 program summary and results here.

Outstanding Results

The KidsBridge Summer Learning Program is a research-based summer kindergarten readiness program that focuses on the social-emotional needs of students and their families as they transition to kindergarten.

• 97% of our students showed growth in two overall Early Literacy and Math Scores
• The number of students with one fully formed foundational math skill rose from 21% to 79%
• 99% of our students showed growth in two overall Social Emotional and Cognitive skills
• All of our students were clear on school-wide expectations for transitions and classroom behaviors by the end of the six week program.
• Our initially timid students came out of their shell and were actively engaged in activities.
• 97% of our students are more likely to notice and show concern for peers’ feelings
• Parents who had concerns about their child’s readiness for school were impressed by how ready they were by the end of the summer.