Pediatricians urge families to schedule checkups, update vaccinations and start school-year routines early to help kids stay healthy and prepared for the year ahead.

Preschool years are a period of rapid brain development. By age 5, children's brains are approximately 90 percent of adult-sized brains. How to boost young children's brain growth.

Kindergarten teachers recommend building up your child's independence, practicing simple life skills, and attending a kindergarten orientation to prepare them for the new school year.