The kindergarten transition has implications for children’s short- and long-term academic trajectories. In this study, we assess the role that parent expectations about kindergarten readiness and parent–child home activities have on children’s early reading and mathematics skills. We conducted latent profile analyses (LPA) using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten (ECLS-K) Class of 2010–2011 parent interviews (n = 12,670). Results revealed four distinct profiles: (1) high expectations, fewest home activities; (2) high expectations, high activities; (3) very high expectations, moderate home activities; (4) very high expectations, most home activities. We examined both predictors and distal outcomes of displaying these four profiles. When examining children’s academic skills at kindergarten entry, children with parents in the very high expectations, most home activities profile (Profile 4) have the most advanced academic reading and mathematics skills. Therefore, this profile was deemed most optimal. Children with parents in the very high expectations, moderate activities profile (Profile 3) had higher reading and math scores than children in Profiles 1 and 2. Findings of this descriptive study reveal the heterogeneity of parental involvement during the kindergarten transition and the need for more nuanced research investigating how families assist children during this critical developmental period.

幼儿园过渡对儿童的短期和长期学业轨迹有影响。在这项研究中，我们评估了父母对幼儿园准备情况和亲子家庭活动的期望对孩子的早期阅读和数学技能的作用。我们使用2010-2011年儿童早期纵向研究幼稚园（ECLS-K）班级进行了潜伏性分析（LPA）家长访谈（n = 12,670）。结果显示出四个不同的方面：（1）期望值高，家庭活动最少；（2）高期望，高活动；（3）寄予很高的期望，适度的家庭活动；（4）期望值很高，大多数家庭活动。我们检查了显示这四个特征的预测因素和远端结果。在入学时检查孩子的学习技能时，父母对孩子的期望很高，大多数家庭活动档案（档案4）具有最先进的学术阅读和数学技能。因此，该配置文件被认为是最佳的。父母对孩子的期望很高，中等活动配置文件（配置文件3）的阅读和数学得分高于配置文件1和2中的孩子。这项描述性研究的结果表明，幼儿园过渡期间父母参与的异质性以及对更多内容的需求细致入微的研究，调查在这个关键的发展时期家庭如何帮助儿童。