Middle Kindergarten Summer Workbook: what to review, and which one to choose
In Middle Kindergarten, your child is overflowing with curiosity—but between the desire to learn and the page itself, a story is often missing. Classic workbooks all fall into the same trap: disjointed exercises without a guiding thread, which the child completes without understanding where they are heading. Motivation usually vanishes after two worksheets.
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Always choose the workbook for the class your child has just finished: a child finishing Middle Kindergarten takes the MS workbook to consolidate skills before starting Senior Kindergarten.
- Age group: 4 and 5 years old, at the end of Middle Kindergarten or the very beginning of Senior Kindergarten.
- 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.
- What to review as a priority: graphism (loops, bridges, waves, zigzags), numbers 1 to 6, and mazes or observation games.
- Also called MS to GS summer workbook or MS summer homework: it’s the same workbook, just named by the starting grade or the transition.
- To test the style before buying, a free printable summer workbook is available on kidibook.com.
- Our workbook: Rosie and the Golden Flower — Large MS Activity Book, 94 large A4 pages including 72 full-color activity pages, €24.99 with free delivery, printed on demand in Europe.
Table of Contents
The MS curriculum in detail
A good summer workbook doesn't guess: it reviews, notion by notion, what your child actually worked on this year. Here is what the annual guidelines for Middle Kindergarten (Cycle 1 (preschool)) require in mathematics and French.
In mathematics
Quantities expand. Your child counts up to six, compares two collections (more than, less than, as many as), and begins to recognize small quantities without counting. They continue and complete simple algorithms (red-blue-red-blue), name the circle, square, triangle, and rectangle, and sort objects from smallest to largest.
In French
The ear is training. Your child spots syllables in a word, taps out the rhythm of a name, and recognizes rhyming words. They know capital letters and begin to write their own name. Graphism becomes structured: loops, bridges, waves, zigzags, with a continuous and controlled movement. They tell a short story while respecting the order of events.
Concretely, what an MS workbook must cover
- graphism: loops, bridges, waves, zigzags
- numbers from 1 to 6
- capital letters, by movement families
- shapes, colors, and sizes
- syllables and rhymes
- mazes and observation games
The key principle An MS summer workbook covers the curriculum of the year your child has just finished, not 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 tutoring manual.
Why review during the holidays
Senior Kindergarten is the precursor to first grade: children isolate sounds, write their name in cursive, and manipulate numbers up to ten. Arriving in September with a fluid graphic motion and an ear trained for syllables completely changes how the year unfolds.
Two months without practice is a long time for a 4 or 5-year-old. It isn't the knowledge that disappears—it stays somewhere—it is the automatic skills: reading that slows down, the multiplication table (or similar number skills) that one must reconstruct instead of reciting, the grammar rule that one remembers a second too late. Researchers call this the "summer slide." A few pages a week are enough to avoid it.
And it is not about keeping the child busy: it is about preventing them from having that unpleasant feeling in September of having forgotten everything. It is a matter of confidence as much as academic level.
How to choose an MS 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 the difference, in order of importance.
| Criterion | What to look for |
|---|---|
| The right level | That of the completed class, never the upcoming one. A workbook that is too advanced will be discouraging within three pages. |
| Curriculum coverage | French and mathematics, with the key concepts of the year—not just thematic games. |
| Activity duration | Short exercises, doable in ten minutes. One page = one session, otherwise the workbook becomes a chore. |
| Answer keys | Included, and readable for a busy parent. Without answer keys, you end up re-doing the exercises in the evening. |
| The desire to open it | A story, a mascot, a visible progression. This is the only criterion that decides if the workbook is finished or abandoned. |
| The format | Large A4 format, paperback, which lies flat on a kitchen table and slides into a beach bag. |
The last criterion is the most underestimated. A summer workbook that becomes a chore has already lost: it will end up half-filled on a shelf, and the revisions along with it. This is why our workbooks tell an adventure rather than just lining up worksheets.
Our MS to GS summer workbook: Rosie and the Golden Flower
MS Summer Workbook · 4-5 years old
Rosie and the Golden Flower — Large MS Activity Book
94 large A4 pages, including 72 full-color activity pages, driven by an 8-chapter story featuring Rosie the bee.
€24.99Free delivery · printed on demand in Europe
Discover the MS workbookThe principle is simple: your child doesn't "do exercises," they help Rosie the bee in the garden and the Golden Flower. Each chapter moves the story forward, and each completed page advances the adventure. This is not just a gimmick: it is what makes a child want to reopen the workbook the next day without being asked.
What the workbook contains
- 94 pages in large A4 format, including 72 pages of entirely full-color activities.
- The MS curriculum in French and mathematics, covering the notions 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 certificate 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 throughout the entire summer.
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 is to keep in touch with reading, numbers, and the pencil.
And if your child skips a whole week, it's not a big deal—really. Three pages done with pleasure in August are better than thirty pages forced at the end of July. At 4 and 5 years old, consistency counts for 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 keys for the end—correcting oneself is part of the learning process.
Which workbook based on your child's grade
The marker is always the same: the grade your child has just finished. A child who is finishing Middle Kindergarten takes the MS workbook, even if they are starting Senior Kindergarten in September.
| Grade finished | Age | Workbook | Mascot |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS (Small Kindergarten) | 3-4 yrs | PS Summer Workbook | Titou |
| MS (Middle Kindergarten) | 4-5 yrs | MS Summer Workbook (current page) | Rosie |
| GS (Senior Kindergarten) | 5-6 yrs | GS Summer Workbook | Bibou |
| 1st Grade | 6-7 yrs | 1st Grade Summer Workbook | Plouf |
| 2nd Grade | 7-8 yrs | 2nd Grade Summer Workbook | Léo |
| 3rd Grade | 8-9 yrs | 3rd Grade Summer Workbook | Astro |
| 4th Grade | 9-10 yrs | 4th Grade Summer Workbook | Rex |
| 5th Grade | 10-11 yrs | 5th Grade Summer Workbook | Gauvain |
"MS to GS summer workbook": what are we talking about?
Many publishers—and many parents—name the workbook by the transition rather than the grade: MS to GS summer workbook. It is exactly the same book as the MS workbook: it reviews the Middle Kindergarten curriculum to prepare for the start of Senior Kindergarten. You will also come across the expression MS 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 completed grade in the first case—the workbook reviews the basics step-by-step—and the one for the completed grade in the second case as well: reviewing quickly and well is better than floundering in notions never seen before. Our FAQ details specific cases.
Other Kidibook formats
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 is a great way to see if the format appeals to your child before ordering the paperback version.
For winter holidays
The Grand Advent Workbook follows the same principle over 24 days, with the six mascots brought together. The entire range is gathered in the Great Adventure Workbooks collection. To continue in the "doing it alone" spirit, also see our guide to choosing a Montessori activity book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which summer workbook to choose for a child who is finishing Middle Kindergarten?
The one for the class they just finished, so the MS workbook. A summer workbook consolidates the past year: it is not intended to introduce the Senior Kindergarten curriculum, which will be taught in class at the start of the school year.
What age does the MS summer workbook correspond to?
To children 4 and 5 years old, at the end of Middle Kindergarten or the very beginning of Senior Kindergarten.
How much time per day should be spent on it?
Ten to fifteen minutes is enough, four or five times a week. Beyond that, attention drifts and the workbook becomes a chore. A short daily session is better than one long weekly session.
My child had difficulties this year, is this adapted?
Yes. The workbook reviews the basics step-by-step without assuming everything is mastered. It is precisely the opportunity to review what was tricky in a calm environment, without the pressure of grades or the judgment of the class.
Are the answer keys included?
Yes, all answer keys are at the end of the workbook. You verify at a glance without having to redo the exercises yourself, and your child can also self-correct when they want to.
What is the delivery time?
Each copy is printed on demand in a partner workshop in Europe: allow 5 to 10 business days between order and receipt. Delivery is free, with no minimum purchase, everywhere in metropolitan France. The MS workbook is €24.99.
Can it be used during the school year, not just in 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 an MS summer workbook and MS summer homework?
None, in practice: 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 "MS to GS summer workbook," which names the workbook by the transition rather than the grade finished.
Do I need to stay by my child's side?
Yes, at least to read the instructions and start the activity. At 4 years old, the child cannot read: each page contains instructions written for you, in one sentence. Afterward, many children continue on their own.
The MS summer workbook, ready to go on holiday with you
94 pages, 72 pages of full-color activities, all answer keys included. Printed on demand in Europe, delivered for free.
Order the MS workbook — €24.99Summarize this page with an AI:
Kidibook designs educational workbooks and books from preschool to high school, written based on the French National Education curriculum guidelines and illustrated in-house. All our works are printed on demand in Europe. A question about choosing a level? Write to us, we will respond within 48 hours.