Kindergarten Readiness Skills

Is my child ready for kindergarten?  Is a frequently asked question this time of year.  As we wrap up our preschool year next month and move on to our fun summer curriculum it is important for us as teacher and especially you as parents to keep working on those basic skills.  I found a great list of Kindergarten skills over at Ready Set School.  I like this list because it not only list the academic skills that most parents worry about but also the very important  self-help and social emotional skills.  We forget that a child needs to emotionally prepare for the change kindergarten brings.  Daycare kids often have an easier transition than stay at home kids because they are used to: being away from parents, a daily schedule and interacting with other children. But it is still a big change of environment and rules. 
Here is the list from Ready, Set, School. Read it and assess where your child fits.  If you think there are areas where your child has a deficit work on those skills at home and let us know. We will try to include those in our lesson plans.

Self-Help Skills

• Eats independently.
• Uses restroom independently.
• Washes hands after using the restroom.
• Removes outerwear independently.
• Asks questions and seeks out adult help when necessary.
• Knows how to care for and use books.
• Cleans up after self.

Social/Emotional Skills

• Tries new things.
• Takes turns.
• Shares materials.
• Listens while others talk.
• Shows concern for others.
• Plays cooperatively with other children.
• Works well independently or in small groups.
• Separates from parent without undue anxiety.
• Knows parent or guardian's first and last name.
• Knows own first and last name and can tell an adult.

Large Motor Skills

• Hops, jumps, and runs.
• Bounces, catches, kicks, and throws balls.
• Walks in a straight line forward and backward.
• Balances on dominant foot for five seconds.
• Participates in simple games.

Small Motor Skills

• Holds writing instruments correctly.
• Holds scissors correctly.
• Uses scissors to cut straight or curved lines.
• Turns a single page in a book.
• Puts together simple puzzles.

Math Skills

• Counts to ten.
• Creates groups of up to five objects.
• Places like items together (e.g., red cars and blue cars).
• Plays with, identifies, and names the shapes (e.g., circle, triangle, and rectangle).
• Uses comparative words (e.g., heavier, shorter, less, taller, bigger).

Language and Literacy

• Listens attentively and responds to stories and books.
• Speaks in complete sentences.
• Speaks clearly enough to be understood by unfamiliar adults.
• Has a vocabulary that includes words to name colors, parts of the body, and positional words (e.g., in/out, to/from, around, upside down).
• Expresses feelings and ideas.
• Knows poems and songs.
• Identifies signs, symbols, or logos in the environment.
• Identifies 10 or more letters of the alphabet, especially those in own name.
• Writes using drawings and made-up or real letters. 

  Parent involvement in their child's education makes all the difference!  Teachers can only do so much...
Have a great day and let us know if you have any needs.