Grande Section (Kindergarten) Summer Workbook: what to review, and which one to choose
Grande Section is coming to an end, and first grade is around the corner: the year of reading, the most decisive year of primary school. In between, there are eight weeks of vacation. It is not the knowledge that fades during this time, but the automatisms—the letters recognized at a glance, the sounds heard without a second thought.
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Always choose the workbook for the grade the child has just finished: a child leaving Grande Section uses the GS workbook to consolidate before starting first grade.
- Target age: 5 and 6 years old, at the end of GS or the very beginning of first grade.
- The right pace: ten to fifteen minutes a day, preferably in the morning. The goal is never to finish the workbook, but to keep in touch with the subjects.
- Priority review topics: numbers up to ten and their decomposition, syllables, rhymes, introductory sounds, and small concrete problems: adding, subtracting, and sharing.
- Also called a GS to first grade summer workbook or GS summer homework: it is the same workbook, named after either the starting grade or the transition.
- To test the style before buying, a free printable summer workbook is available on kidibook.com.
- Our workbook: Bibou and the Star Tree — Large GS Activity Workbook, 94 A4 pages, including 72 pages of color activities, €24.99, free shipping, printed on demand in Europe.
Table of Contents
The GS curriculum in detail
A good summer workbook doesn't guess: it reviews, concept by concept, what your child actually worked on this year. Here is what the annual milestones for Grande Section (Cycle 1) require, in mathematics and French.
In mathematics
Your child counts and forms collections up to ten, by counting one by one and then recognizing small quantities at a glance. They recite the number sequence well beyond that, including starting from a given number, and read written numbers in digits. They decompose: five is three and two more. They use this for small concrete problems — adding, subtracting, sharing — and to name a rank: the first, the third, the last. They compare lengths and sizes, name the square, circle, triangle, and rectangle, and continue a pattern sequence.
In French
The ear has been put to work. Your child manipulates syllables, removes them, adds them, says where they are found, and begins to spot smaller sounds: they isolate the first sound of a word and recognize vowels. They know letters in all three scripts — uppercase, lowercase, and cursive — and connect the name of a letter to the sound it produces. They write their name in cursive, copy short words, and attempt their first word-writing based on the sounds they know.
Concretely, what a GS workbook must cover
- numbers up to ten and their decomposition
- syllables, rhymes, and introductory sounds
- letters in all three scripts
- cursive handwriting for the first name
- flat shapes and pattern sequences
- small concrete problems: adding, subtracting, sharing
The principle to remember A GS summer workbook reviews the curriculum of the year your child has just finished, not that of the following year. We consolidate before the start of the school year, we don't get ahead — that is what distinguishes a summer workbook from a remedial textbook.
Why review during the holidays
First grade is the year of reading, the most decisive year of all primary schooling. A child who arrives in September recognizing their letters and hearing sounds starts with a head start — not because they are ahead of the curriculum, but because they have lost nothing.
Two months without practicing is a long time for a 5 or 6-year-old child. It is not the knowledge that disappears — it remains somewhere — it is the automatisms: the reading that slows down, the table that needs to be reconstructed instead of recited, the agreement rule that takes a moment too long to recall. Researchers call this the "summer slide." A few pages a week are enough to prevent it.
And it's not about keeping the child busy: it's about sparing them the unpleasant feeling of having forgotten everything in September. It's as much about confidence as it is about academic level.
How to choose a GS summer workbook
Back-to-school aisles offer a dozen workbooks for the same grade, and they all look the same from the outside. Here are the six criteria that really make a difference, in order of importance.
| Criterion | What to look for |
|---|---|
| The right level | That of the grade just finished, never the one to come. A workbook that is too advanced is discouraging within three pages. |
| Curriculum coverage | French and mathematics, with the year's key concepts — not just thematic games. |
| Duration of activities | Short exercises, doable in ten minutes. One page = one session, otherwise the workbook becomes a chore. |
| Answer key | Included and readable by a busy parent. Without an answer key, you end up redoing the exercises in the evening. |
| Motivation to open | A story, a mascot, visible progress. This is the only criterion that decides if the workbook gets finished or abandoned. |
| Format | Large A4 format, paperback, which lies flat on a kitchen table and fits in a beach bag. |
The last criterion is the one most often underestimated. A summer workbook that becomes a chore has already lost: it will end up half-filled on a shelf, along with the reviews. This is the reason why our workbooks tell a story rather than just lining up worksheets.
Our GS to first grade summer workbook: Bibou and the Star Tree
GS Summer Workbook · 5-6 years old
Bibou and the Star Tree — Large GS Activity Workbook
94 pages, large A4 format, including 72 pages of color activities, driven by an 8-chapter story featuring Bibou the owl.
€24.99Free delivery · printed on demand in Europe
Discover the GS workbookThe principle is simple: your child doesn't "do exercises," they help Bibou the owl in the forest and the Star Tree. Each chapter advances the story, and each completed page moves the adventure forward. This is not just dressing: it's what makes a child reopen the workbook the next day without being asked.
What the workbook contains
- 94 pages in large A4 format, including 72 pages of full-color activities.
- The GS curriculum in French and mathematics, covering the concepts listed above.
- Games between exercises: mazes, word searches, coloring, observation games.
- All answer keys at the end of the book, to check at a glance — or to let the child self-correct.
- Visible progress and a diploma to fill out on the last page.
- Printed on demand in Europe, delivered for free, no minimum purchase.
One hour of tutoring costs about €30. This workbook costs €24.99 and accompanies your child all summer long.
How to use it without ruining the summer
About ten minutes a day, no more. Preferably in the morning, before the beach or the pool, when the mind is fresh. The goal is never to finish the workbook: it's to keep in touch with reading, numbers, and the pencil.
And if your child skips an entire week, it's not a problem — really. Better three pages done happily in August than thirty pages torn out in late July. At 5 and 6 years old, regularity counts more than volume.
The ritual that works Place the workbook in the same spot, at the same time, and let your child choose their page. The choice changes everything: it transforms an obligation into a decision. And keep the answer key for the end — correcting oneself is part of the learning process.
Which workbook based on your child's grade
The benchmark is always the same: the grade your child has just finished. A child leaving Grande Section uses the GS workbook, even if they enter first grade in September.
| Grade finished | Age | Workbook | Mascot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petite Section (Pre-K) | 3-4 years | PS Workbook | Titou |
| Moyenne Section (Junior K) | 4-5 years | MS Workbook | Rosie |
| Grande Section (Kindergarten) | 5-6 years | GS Workbook (current page) | Bibou |
| CP (1st Grade) | 6-7 years | CP Workbook | Plouf |
| CE1 (2nd Grade) | 7-8 years | CE1 Workbook | Léo |
| CE2 (3rd Grade) | 8-9 years | CE2 Workbook | Astro |
| CM1 (4th Grade) | 9-10 years | CM1 Workbook | Rex |
| CM2 (5th Grade) | 10-11 years | CM2 Workbook | Gauvain |
"GS to first grade summer workbook": what are we talking about?
Many publishers — and many parents — name the workbook by the transition rather than the grade: GS to first grade summer workbook. It is exactly the same book as the GS workbook: it reviews the GS curriculum to prepare for entry into first grade. You will also see the expression GS summer homework, which refers to the same thing.
Are you hesitating between two levels because the year was difficult or, conversely, very easy? Choose the one for the grade just finished in the first case — the workbook reviews the basics step by step — and also in the second case: reviewing quickly and well is better than floundering with concepts never seen before. Our FAQ details special cases.
Other Kidibook formats
For the school year: My Super GS Year
The summer workbook covers the summer. If you are looking for a daily ritual throughout the year, My Super GS Year — Kidibook offers one challenge per day, a star to color, and badges to unlock throughout the entire GS year. Both complement each other: one maintains, the other accompanies.
To try before you buy: the printable workbook
If you want to test how we design our exercises, a free printable summer workbook is available on our main site. It's a good way to see if the format suits your child before ordering the paperback version.
For winter holidays
The Great Advent Workbook uses the same principle over 24 days, with all six mascots reunited. The entire range is included in the Great Adventure Workbooks collection. As first grade approaches, our guide choosing a book to learn to read will tell you how to prepare for reading gently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which summer workbook to choose for a child who just finished Grande Section?
The one for the grade they just finished, so the GS workbook. A summer workbook consolidates the past year: it is not intended to introduce the first-grade curriculum, which will be taught in class at the start of the school year.
What age is the GS summer workbook for?
For 5 and 6-year-old children, at the end of GS or the very beginning of first grade.
How much time per day should be spent on it?
Ten to fifteen minutes are sufficient, four or five times a week. Beyond that, attention wanes and the workbook becomes a constraint. Better a short daily session than a long weekly one.
My child had difficulties this year, is it adapted?
Yes. The workbook reviews the basics step by step, without assuming that everything is mastered. It is precisely the opportunity to review what was difficult in a calm environment, without the pressure of grades or the gaze of the class.
Are the answer keys included?
Yes, all answer keys are at the end of the workbook. You can check at a glance without having to redo the exercises yourself, and your child can also correct themselves when they feel like it.
What is the delivery time?
Each copy is printed on demand in a partner workshop in Europe: expect 5 to 10 working days between ordering and receipt. Delivery is free, with no minimum purchase, throughout metropolitan France. The GS workbook is €24.99.
Can it be used during the school year, and not just in the summer?
Absolutely. Many families open it during the autumn break or make it a weekend ritual. The exercises are short and include answer keys, making them easy to integrate at any time.
What is the difference between a GS summer workbook and GS summer homework?
None, in reality: both expressions refer to the same summer review material. "Summer homework" emphasizes the academic aspect, "summer workbook" emphasizes the playful side. You will also come across the phrasing "GS to first grade summer workbook," which names the workbook by the transition rather than the grade finished.
Should we already work on reading before first grade?
No, and this workbook doesn't do that. It consolidates what GS has installed — letters, sounds, syllables — without tackling decoding, which is the work of first grade. We consolidate, we don't get ahead.
The GS summer workbook, ready to go on vacation with you
94 pages, 72 pages of color activities, all answer keys included. Printed on demand in Europe, delivered for free.
Order the GS workbook — €24.99Summarize this page with AI:
Kidibook designs educational workbooks and books from kindergarten to high school, written based on the annual curriculum guidelines of the French National Education Ministry and illustrated in-house. All our books are printed on demand in Europe. A question about choosing a level? Write to us, we will respond within 48 hours.