Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

“Is my child ready for kindergarten? How can I help them get ready?” These two questions are asked of every preschool teacher when kindergarten registration nears. Kindergarten teachers are pros at getting children from different ability levels and backgrounds all on the same page. Children who begin kindergarten with a solid foundation and knowledge base will have a much easier time adjusting. While they don’t have to know everything, these 10 Important Things will help them make an easy transition on the next step of their educational journey.

Starting kindergarten is such an exciting and important time! Parents naturally want their children to have a terrific first experience at school. There is so much to learn in kindergarten — How to ride the bus, how to make new friends, how to function in a class of 20-25 students, how to go to lunch and music and art, how to find the right seat, how to walk in line in the hall, and on and on! How can a parent know if their child is ready for kindergarten?

While teachers certainly don’t expect children to come to school knowing everything already, the first few weeks will go much smoother if the child has a solid foundation. Students who are entering kindergarten should be able to:

1. Verbalize Wants and Needs

Children who greet one another with a “Hello,” who ask their teachers for what they need, who negotiate well with peers, and who speak up for themselves will do well socially in kindergarten. Practice this skill with play dates, play-based preschool, and out in the community. Help a child learn to order from a menu themselves instead of ordering for them at a restaurant, encourage them to ask for help finding a particular book at the local library, and set them up for success!

2. Write Their Names

Ideally, the children will write their first names from left to right with a capital first letter and the rest lowercase. At the very minimum, though, they need to be able to write some form of their first name that is recognizable to the teacher.

3. Handle a Book

Don’t expect a preschooler to read at this age, but rather be able to locate the cover, hold it in the right direction, turn the pages, and locate the text. The one and only way to teach this skill is to read to your child every single day. Have books in every room and in the car. Make sure that your child sees you reading your own books, too. Visit the public library often. Read, read, read! Children that are ready to daily begin more ready for kindergarten, as they are used to listening to stories, following along, and have seen reading positively modeled.

4. Get Themselves Dressed

Kindergartners need to be able to put on their own coats and shoes and button their own pants. If your child hasn’t mastered shoe tying at the beginning of the year, don’t panic! Keep practicing, but be sure to send them to school in velcro shoes (or something similar) that they can do independently.

5. Be Independent in the Bathroom

Kindergarten teachers are likely not going to be able to accompany their students to the bathroom. The students must be able to handle their own pants (no overalls or onesies!), wipe themselves, and wash their own hands. Help them succeed with easy clothing with elastic bands and progress with buttons and zippers as they gain confidence. Start practicing at age 4!

6. Use Scissors, Glue, and Crayons

There’s a lot of coloring, cutting, and pasting going on in kindergarten. The children who already know how to use their school supplies at the beginning of the year get a big gold star. If you need some suggestions for using scissors, this set of pictures that shows the “right” way and the “wrong” way.

7. Identify Some Letters and Letter Sounds

Starting with the letters of their name, children who are entering kindergarten should know many of the letters. It’s helpful if they also know that letters make sounds, but not imperative that they know what each one is.

8. Count to 10

Kindergartners should be able to rote count (1-2-3-4…) through 10 and also be able to count a set of objects (4 crackers) with good one-to-one correspondence.

9. Rhyme

There is research that shows that children who have good phonological awareness skills (Rhyming is one of them!) tend to become better readers. Play with rhyming words with your child. Sing nursery rhymes and rhyming songs. Read books that have rhymes.

10. Separate from Their Parents

Separation anxiety is very common among children who are just beginning school. Kindergartners who are happy and comfortable in the school setting are off to a great start. Read here for more information about separation anxiety.

Free Printable!

Here is a free printable copy of this list – perfect for handing out at kindergarten registration or preschool graduation!

Want Extra Help Getting Ready for Kindergarten?

Sometimes, we all need a little extra help. Click here for a free week of Play Your Way to K – a fully online kindergarten readiness program made just for preschoolers!

I’d love to hear from you. What do you think are the essential skills that all kindergartners need to have? If you are a kindergarten teacher, what do you wish that your incoming students would be able to do?

As always, have fun playing and learning with your children today!