There was once a time when kindergarten meant a day spent playing, interrupted by lunch and a naptime. No longer. Kindergarteners need to be prepared for their first day of school, with the help of their parents.

Eastern Elementary hosts Kindergarten Readiness Night tonight at 6 p.m. at the school. Parents and caregivers are invited to learn the many ways they can help their children get ahead of the curve from school day one.

“(Kindergarten Readiness Night) is just to help the parents to be able to prepare their child to come into kindergarten,” said organizer and kindergarten teacher Amanda Melton. “There is a misconception that kindergarteners just play all day and take naps — it’s just kind of to clear that up.”

Every thing from school procedures and carpool-line protocol to basic skills children should have walking in the door will be addressed during tonight’s program. All upcoming kindergarteners and their parents/caregivers have been traditionally invited, but for the first time this year, an invitation to younger students has been issued as well.

Melton said it was decided to open Kindergarten Readiness Night to students who will be entering kindergarten in the fall of 2015, too — not only because parents were calling to ask how they could get an even earlier head start, but because it’s never to earlier to start teaching the basic skills children need to navigate their first full school year.

Melton said it’s important that children be prepared by knowing the letters of the alphabet and how to spell their names. New students aren’t expected to know how to read, however being familiar with how books are read — following along and being able to identify front and back — is helpful.

Within the first 10 days of school, kindergarteners are given an assessment test, the scores of which will be used to place children in skill-level groups. Preparation by parents will allow teachers to place kindergarteners in the appropriate group, Melton said.

While Kindergarten Readiness Night is aimed at new kindergarten students and their parents/caregivers, Melton said the entire family is invited. Eastern Elementary first-grade teachers will help out their kindergarten counterparts with an activities room for all the children in attendance.

Spanish translators will be on hand at tonight’s event.

Eastern Elementary School is located at 947 Hudnell Street in Washington. For more information, contact the school at 252-946-1611.For more information about preparing a child for kindergarten, visit the Eastern Elementary School website at beaufort.ees.schoolfusion.us and follow the link “Kindergarten Readiness” on the left-hand navigation menu.

The first day of kindergarten is Aug. 25.