COVID Kindergarteners: How OTs Can Support Children Entering School

Teacher with her students.

This back-to-school season marks a unique milestone: many children born during the first year of COVID are now entering kindergarten. These “COVID kindergarteners” spent their earliest years in an environment shaped by lockdowns, masks, and limited social interaction. As they step into classrooms, educators and families are asking the same question—are they ready for school?

Research highlighted by NPR offers a mixed picture. Studies initially suggested that pandemic-born infants showed slight delays in early motor and social milestones. Encouragingly, most have since caught up. However, ongoing challenges remain in areas such as speech, behavior, and academic readiness. For example, diagnoses of speech delays nearly doubled between 2018 and 2023, and many children entering kindergarten today are less prepared in both reading and math compared to pre-pandemic peers. Screen use surged during the pandemic, especially for children ages two to five, and this has been linked to behavioral difficulties, weaker vocabulary, and delayed milestones. The impact is particularly significant for children with special needs, who thrive on consistent, face-to-face interaction and structured engagement.

As occupational therapists, this is where our role is invaluable. OTs are uniquely trained in child development, task analysis, and environmental supports. We can help bridge these gaps by working alongside children, parents, and educators to promote readiness skills and healthy routines. Supporting fine motor and prewriting development, building executive functioning through play-based strategies, and guiding families on establishing predictable routines all fall squarely within our scope of practice.

Another critical area where OTs can make an impact is educating about screen time. While technology can play a positive role in learning, excessive or unstructured screen use can interfere with social, motor, and communication development. OTs can help families and schools establish realistic screen-time limits, introduce movement-based alternatives, and teach strategies to balance digital tools with hands-on, real-world experiences. By modeling structured routines that replace passive screen time with active play, fine motor practice, and social interaction, we can reinforce the skills children need most.

Educators, too, benefit from OT collaboration. Teachers may see students struggling with attention, self-regulation, or classroom participation, and OTs can provide strategies to adapt tasks, break skills down into manageable steps, and create supportive classroom environments. These efforts address developmental differences in this post-pandemic generation and support teachers in fostering a learning environment that supports their students' needs.

While COVID kindergarteners may face unique challenges, the adaptability of young children is a source of hope. With support, family education, and collaboration across disciplines, these students can gain the foundational skills needed for both academic success and lifelong learning. Occupational therapists are key partners in this process, offering both expertise and practical tools to help children, families, and schools navigate the aftereffects of the pandemic and move toward growth.

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/21/nx-s1-5506258/are-covid-kindergarteners-ready-for-school