Newsday interviewed dozens of recent kindergarten graduates to ask what advice they would give to this year’s incoming kindergarten class. From how to make new friends to what it’s like riding a school bus, the children answered with practical, helpful and sometimes comical tips.
Kindergartners at Tooker Avenue School in West Babylon talked about what they liked and disliked about their classes, and offered advice to incoming kindergartners.
What was your favorite thing about kindergarten?
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Colton Vera
North Bellmore“Gym and playing fun games. Ship to Shore is my favorite.”
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Kate Mazziotti
Shoreham“Field day!”
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Rowan Hardwick
West Babylon“Writing words in our journals.”
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Melina Kienzl
Bellerose“My favorite thing was when I got the class pet dinosaur named Dino.”
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Rajan Sukhu
East Meadow“I loved learning about science — about the sun, planets and solar system.”
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Saanvi Ahuja
Hicksville“Decorating gingerbread cookies for the holidays. We got to eat them, too!”
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Christian LaTour
Wyandanch“My favorite thing was learning letters, numbers and all about animals. My favorite animal is a horse.”
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Brady Anderson
West Babylon“Singing in the Christmas concert.”
What was the hardest thing about kindergarten?
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Grace Muma
Babylon“Nothing is hard for me now! In the beginning math was hard.”
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Natalie Gillman
Plainview“When I just learned how to do math. It was a little tricky.”
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Lylah Nunez
West Babylon“Trying to play with others and getting to know all the new kids.”
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Liam Haas
Holbrook“Nothing was hard — it was easy!”
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Micah Mathew
New Hyde Park“Gym. We play Pins Down and it’s a hard game.”
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Andy Tsang
Williston Park“Reading because I can’t even think of the words, but my teachers helped me.”
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Alexis Forlenza
Huntington“In the beginning of school, I had to cut out words from magazines for homework and it was so hard.”
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Alycia Gervasi
West Babylon“That we always have to do all of our work!”
What would you say to someone starting kindergarten next year?
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Maliyah Williams
Wyandanch“If you mess something up, don’t give up. You can try again.”
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Kevin Flores
West Babylon“You will meet your best friends.”
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Owen Cunningham
East Norwich“It’s easy. Don’t be afraid. It’s really good. It’s really fun.”
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Grace Muma
Babylon“I would tell somebody good luck and congratulations! You made it, kid!”
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Davian Niles Reyes
Freeport“Listen to all of your teachers. You will learn to read in English and Spanish.”
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Micah Mathew
New Hyde Park“Be kind, always do what the principal says and you’re not allowed to stick up your middle finger.”
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Saanvi Ahuja
Hicksville“They should know their letters and numbers. You can talk to people but you can’t touch others.”
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Josephine Sambade
Island Park“You have to participate! You have to listen to the teacher and sit properly.”
What was the funniest thing that happened in kindergarten?
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Mia MacDougall
Plainview“When my friend stood on the toilet and we all heard her singing.”
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Johanna Ferrante
Massapequa“My teacher made a mistake and said ‘everyone sit on your table’ instead of everyone sit in the chair.”
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Gracie Joannon
East Norwich“My friend had a stuffed pig and put it on her head. The teacher took a picture and and everyone laughed!”
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Jase Niebling
Oceanside“The funniest thing is hearing people toot!”
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Penelope Dugan
West Hempstead“When Mr. Dooley dressed up as a poop emoji for Halloween. Everyone laughed at him!”
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Fanilyn Nahon
Lawrence“When my teacher makes mistakes.”
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Colton Vera
North Bellmore“We were all in the gym and it was quiet but the speaker started making fuzzy noises. We were all laughing!”
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Maliyah Williams
Wyandanch“When we got something wrong, my teacher would say bananas. We laugh and then answer in a complete sentence.”
What do you love about your teacher?
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Emily Sasso
Oceanside“She lets me read a book to the class.”
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Gracie Joannon
East Norwich“My teacher is very smart and knows things. She lets us do fun things like play centers and recess.”
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Rajan Sukhu
East Meadow“I love that my teacher is beautiful.”
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Emma Reusch
West Babylon“I like my teachers because they are at school with me.”
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Abigail Roth
Seaford“She sings songs for us to learn sight words.”
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Christian LaTour
Wyandanch“She lets me use the computer and I learned about books.”
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Kate Mazziotti
Shoreham“I loved them because I learned so much!”
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Jase Niebling
Oceanside“That she has blonde hair like my mommy and she’s very funny and makes me laugh.”
What did you do if you missed your mom or dad?
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Mason Jackson-Chin
Baldwin“I use my imagination to think that my mom and dad are there.”
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Mia MacDougall
Plainview“I would go to the nurse and tell her I don’t feel well so she would call my mom and I could say hi to her.”
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Liam Haas
Holbrook“I don’t miss my mom or dad. I miss my baby sister Addy. I think about her during the day.”
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Kelsey Burns
Levittown“Take a deep breath and then take another deep breath. Then I feel better.”
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Luke Matchekosy
North Bellmore“I brought a picture of my moms to school, and I brought something that reminded me of them to keep in my pocket.”
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Sophia Venezia
West Babylon“I look at a bracelet my mom gave me.”
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Andy Tsang
Williston Park“If someone is sad, my teacher turned into Wonder Woman to help them not feel sad anymore.”
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Emily Sasso
Oceanside“I kept a picture of me and my mommy in my backpack.”
What’s your best advice for making new friends in kindergarten?
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Aiden O’Leary
Syosset“It’s okay you will find a friend and that is the best.”
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Natalie Gillman
Plainview“Ask, ‘can I please play with you today or tomorrow?’”
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Josephine Sambade
Island Park“Be nice to them and don’t be rude.”
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Davian Nile Reyes
Freeport“It was really easy. I found the right people and asked them to play with me.”
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Mason Jackson-Chin
Baldwin“Just introduce yourself to other kids.”
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Chloe Williams
Deer Park“When you see someone new, you say hi and tell them your name.”
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Anthony Chaikowski
West Babylon“I just ask if they want to be my friend.”
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Madelyn Bretton
Wading River“People who don’t have anyone to play with, try to play with them.”
Do you ride the bus to school? If so, what’s it like?
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Johanna Ferrante
Massapequa“Yes. I was nervous because I didn’t know how to buckle my seatbelt.”
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Eylul Yildiz
West Babylon“I like riding the bus because the bus driver is silly.”
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Madelyn Bretton
Wading River“I was a little nervous but now I like it. My neighbor is on the bus.”
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Abigail Roth
Seaford“Yes. It’s like you’re on an airplane but on the ground.”
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Jase Niebling
Oceanside“Yes! I was impressed with all the fun things to see!”
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Owen Cunningham
East Norwich“It’s weird riding the bus for the first time. There were a bunch of kids I didn’t know.”
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Broso Greco
West Babylon“Yes, it’s a school bus. It picks me up at my house and drops me off at school.”
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Kelsey Burns
Levittown“I like when the bus goes fast but there are a lot of bumps!”
What’s lunch like in kindergarten? What’s your favorite lunch and snack?
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Ella Muilenburg
Hauppauge“You eat and sometimes they perform shows. I love corn dogs and my favorite snack is the ice cream.”
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Luke Matchekosy
North Bellmore“I like lunch because I get to pick someone to sit with me at the peanut-free table. I like to buy pizza and ice pops.”
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Kate Mazziotti
Shoreham“First you have lunch and then you have recess. I love green rabbit fruit snacks.”
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Abram Puccio
West Babylon“I eat a lettuce sandwich, that’s it. And Goldfish for a snack.”
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Melina Kienzl
Bellerose“So, everyone is loud in the cafeteria. We buy lunch or we eat what’s inside our lunchbox. Then it’s recess.”
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Micah Mathew
New Hyde Park“First you get a tray, then you get lunch, milk and fruit. Then you go to your table and eat. I love pancakes for lunch.”
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Alexis Forlenza
Huntington“Very boring. All you do is sit there and eat lunch. For snacks, I love Oreo cookies and grapes.”
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Ava Jannotte
West Babylon“We eat lunch in the cafeteria. I like strawberry bread with cream cheese, but if I’m not hungry I throw it out.”
What is the best thing you learned in kindergarten?
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Fanilyn Nahon
Lawrence“To never give up!”
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Liam Haas
Holbrook“Math. I also learned how to read. I like to read the ‘Bad Kitty’ series and history books.”
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Ella Muilenburg
Hauppauge“How to write, read and solve math problems.”
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Penelope Dugan
West Hempstead“I learned about a lot of insects. Dragonflies have four wings.”
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Chloe Williams
Deer Park“Learning new math games.”
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Andy Tsang
Williston Park“Science. My favorite thing was learning about the skeleton. We got to touch pretend bones.”
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Danielle Morra
West Babylon“I learned how to meet new friends.”
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Rajan Sukhu
East Meadow“I did not know how to read and write my letters, do plus or minus and now I do. I loved kindergarten!”