Let’s face it. Kindergarten is not what it was when you were in school. Whether you are a 60 year old grandmother or a 25 year old father, Kindergarten is very different today. Today Kindergarten is full day, doesn’t allow for scheduled naps, and the children are reading. Is your child ready to learn?
Here is a checklist to help guide you are you prepare your child for school. It’s best to look at the items on the list as goals toward which to aim. They should be accomplished through everyday routines or enjoyable activities you’ve planned with your child. If your child lags behind in some areas, don’t worry. Remember that child grow and develop at different rates.
This checklist is not an official checklist used by the schools, but is a guide of skills for parents to practice with their child as they prepare for Kindergarten.
Self-Help Skills
Can recite/knows
- Birthday
- Mom, Dad Guardian
- First and last name
Has ability to:
- Put shoes on independently, correct feet
- Zip (pants, coat)
- Snap (pants, coat)
- Take coat on/off
- Use restroom independently
- Wash hands after using bathroom
- Cough or sneeze into elbow
- Use tissues to blow nose
Motor Skills
- Uses scissors correctly
- Holds pencil/crayon correctly (pinched between thumb and forefinger, and resting on middle finger)
- Can run
- Can jump or hop on one or two feet
- Can draw a picture of self with several details
Social Skills
- Plays well with others
- Respects others property (cares for books and toys)
- Keeps hands and feet to self
- Does not interrupt
- Listens and follows directions
- Understands and can use these words: please, thank you, sorry, and excuse me
Literacy Skills
- Can sing or say the alphabet
- Identifies some of the alphabet, both upper and lower case
- Recognizes environmental print (knows signs such as McDonald’s, Wal*Mart)
- Reads first name
- Can name common objects (door table, chair, pencil, etc.)
- Writes first name, with first letter capitalized and the rest lower case
- Basic understanding of books (follow left to right, top to bottom, knows front and back of books)
Math Skills
- Recognizes shapes…rectangle, circle, triangle, square
- Recognizes colors…red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, grey, pink, white
- Can count out loud up to 10 or more
- Can count up to 10 objects
