Waterford Upstart is an interactive, at-home PreK learning program that brings families together to help children develop kindergarten-ready skills in reading, math, and science through fun, personalized learning in just 15 minutes a day.
Thanks to funding from the Nevada Department of Human Services (DHS), Waterford Upstart is available at no cost to eligible Nevada families.
Waterford Upstart helps children build kindergarten-ready skills through engaging lessons, songs, stories, games, and activities designed specifically for young learners.
The program adapts to your child’s learning level, building confidence as they learn at their own pace. Families receive support from a dedicated Family Coach and access to resources available in English and Spanish.
Just 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week, can help build important skills for kindergarten and beyond.
Nevada children
served since 2020
reported building a daily learning routine
scored kindergarten ready or above
Fun reading, math, and science activities tailored to your child’s learning level.
A dedicated Family Coach provides guidance, encouragement, and support throughout the program.
Families have access to resources and support in both English and Spanish.
Just 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week designed to fit your family’s schedule.
Meet Crystal and her daughter Raven, a lively dancer who loves learning through play! To give Raven a strong start in school, Crystal enrolled her in Waterford Upstart. In just minutes a day, Raven is building skills and growing her love for learning.
Watch their story and see how Waterford Upstart helps kids start school with confidence and joy!
Join local events and access helpful resources as you prepare for your learning journey. Enrolled families receive early access and onboarding information starting August 2026.
Beginning September 8, 2026, you’ll start your learning journey with guidance and support from your Waterford Upstart team.
Spend just 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week, building reading, math, and science skills at home.
Children continue learning through August 2027 while building confidence and school-ready skills.
Give your child the opportunity to build confidence, develop kindergarten-ready skills, and start school ready to learn.
After you fill out the form, you’ll access information on available programs in your area, and whether your child qualifies for the program. If there’s not a program you qualify for in your state, you may access Waterford’s library of digital books and resources in English and Spanish.
Waterford Upstart costs nothing for families who qualify. Our funding partners cover program costs for a state or region and set eligibility requirements for that location. Eligible families may also receive a computer and Wi-Fi for the program.
Waterford Upstart has a reading section and a math and science section. The reading lessons teach your child the six important skills that are part of learning to read, including: phonological awareness, phonics, reading fluency, reading comprehension and vocabulary, language concepts, and communication.
If your child uses the math and science curriculum, they will learn basic math and science skills to prepare them for school. These include numbers and operations, algebraic thinking, measurement and data, geometry, and science.
Your child will also develop mindset skills to foster a positive attitude, growth mindset, self-regulation, and empathy for others.
You can view the skills taught in the program here. Waterford Upstart is also fully aligned with the education standards of all U.S. states and Washington, D.C. To learn more, click here.
Waterford Upstart is a personalized program that adjusts to what your child knows. Your child will spend more time on the skills they need most to prepare them for kindergarten.
In the beginning, your child will need some help learning how to use the program independently. You’ll be amazed how quickly they can use it by themselves.
When using the program, let your child answer the questions on their own. That way, the Waterford Upstart software can assign lessons personalized to what your child is ready to learn.
If your child is stuck during an activity, suggest that they pick their best guess or favorite answer. Do not give them the correct answer or any hints.
Waterford provides families with resources and access to skilled educators who can coach families as they accomplish their learning goals. Your coach can help you create a routine, use resources available in the program, and offer tips for guiding your child to do their best.
To check your child’s progress and daily usage, go to upstart.waterford.org and check the Dashboard tab. The Resources & Activities tab has digital books and activities in English and Spanish that you can do with your child.
Most computers are compatible. Check compatibility.
Yes. Waterford Upstart is an adaptive curriculum, which means it responds to each child’s learning needs as they use the program. Waterford has earned the endorsement of the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) as a program that is effective for special education.
Research shows that the quality of screen time is more important than the quantity of minutes spent using a screen. Interactive content that moves slowly and helps young children learn new information is far more valuable than fast-moving content that children passively watch. Please check out our YouTube channel for examples of some activities in the program.
We recommend 15 minutes per day for the reading section, and 15 minutes for the math and science section, five days a week. This is within the American Academy of Pediatrics’ screen time recommendations for children older than 2 years, which is 60 minutes a day or less of high-quality programming.
To expand access, the Waterford team is open to joint funding efforts to add, expand, and sustain access to this evidence-based program. Contact support@waterford.org or call 888-982-9898 to learn more.
