Kindergarten Readiness

  • Today's Kindergarten looks remarkably different than the play-filled "children's garden" that was envisioned as a transition year between home and school. It has evolved into an academic year considered as a foundation for all future learning.

    Entrance Date

    • Children age 5 by September 30 may enter kindergarten
    • Children age 6 by September 30 must enter kindergarten

    Some essential skills for entering Kindergarten are: 

    Self Care

    • Manage buttons, snaps, zippers, and tying shoes
    • Pack up school bag
    • Use toilet independently - wash hands
    • Put on and take off a coat
    • Dress self
    • Eat independently
    • Know first/last name, address, and telephone #
    • Make a decision when given a few choices

    Fine Motor Skills

    • Display hand dominance - correct pencil grip
    • Use scissors neatly and accurately
    • Write first name using capital and lower case letters - 'Thomas'

    Gross Motor Skills

    • Demonstrate midline crossing
    • Walk a balance beam or curb
    • Run and jump with coordination
    • Bounce a ball
    • Swing

    Social Skills

    • Follow multi-step directions - complete simple jobs at home.
    • Separate from a parent without getting upset
    • Accept minor disappointments or limits without tears
    • Cooperate and share with others
    • Listen to and follow rules
    • Pay attention to adult-directed tasks
    • Have group experiences (preschool, church, libraries)
    • Function in a group of 25-30 children
    • Begin to use self-control 

    Speech

    • Speak understandably - speech is understood by a non-parent
    • Talk in complete sentences of 5-6 words
    • Tell/re-tell familiar stories 

    Intellectual Skills

    • Has often been read to
    • Listens to a story without interrupting
    • Recognizes name in print
    • Knows colors/basic shapes
    • Knows rhyming words - nursery rhymes
    • Identifies some alphabet letters (upper and lower case)
    • Knows the difference between a letter, number, words
    • Is able to match sounds to letters
    • Is able to count to 10 

    Preparing your family for Kindergarten 

    • Enjoy reading together
    • Play games, dress up and create art projects
    • Visit your pediatrician for a wellness check 
    • Visit your dentist for teeth cleaning
    • Engaged with your child in conversation and singing songs
    • Participate in community-sponsored activities with same-aged peers (such as visiting the local library for activities like storytime)