TODDLERS/PRESCHOOL
As a former elementary teacher, I understand the importance of sending your child to kindergarten prepared. I have compiled a list of skills that I believe children should know before they enter kindergarten. Please keep in mind as you look over the list, that kids learn best with hands-on experiences, not memorization or drill practice! These early years with our children should be about fostering a love to play, explore, and learn! Also, it is important to note that children are all different and gifted in unique ways. Don't stress if your child has not met all of these goals by the time he/she enters kindergarten! This list is just a guideline and will give you an idea of the things I work on with the 2-5 year olds. Most of these skills are achieved naturally throughout the day using songs, games, arts and crafts, and play. A few things, such as writing letters and numbers, are explicitly taught once the children are developmentally ready (I use Handwriting Without Tears for writing skills). Before using worksheets to practice writing, the children have multiple and varied experiences forming the letters and numbers using playdough, writing in salt or sand, and other age-appropriate pre-writing activities.
Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
1. Gross Motor Skills:
catches, bounces, and throws a ball
jumps, hops, leaps, runs, skips
balances on one foot
crawls through an obstacle course or under tables and chairs
climbs along an obstacle course using a variety of equipment
kicks balls of different sizes aiming at a target
is able to put on his/her coat and shoes
2. Fine Motor Skills:
traces letters A-Z and numbers 0-9
begins writing his/her name
holds crayon/pencil correctly
cuts paper with children's scissors
cuts food with a safety knife
uses a glue stick correctly
assembles a basic puzzle
stacks one-inch blocks
makes a pancake, snake, and ball from playdough
strings beads onto yarn
3. Reading Readiness:
identifies letters A-Z
identifies rhyming words
spells his/her name
uses scribbles/shapes, and letter-like symbols to write ideas
knows that words are read from left to write
uses scribbles/shapes, and letter-like symbols to write ideas
4. Math Readiness:
completes a pattern
sorts objects by size, shape, color
identifies numbers 1-10
counts from 1-20
counts objects with meaning to 10 (understands one-to-one correspondence)
identifies basic shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle
5. Verbal Skills:
speaks clearly
pronounces words correctly
speaks in complete sentences
identifies objects and people by name
expresses feelings with words
retells a story in sequence
6. Health:
knows healthy vs. non-healthy foods
knows how to wash his/her hands
knows proper bathroom procedures
7. Personal and Social Development:
cleans up after play
follows 2-step directions
has self-confidence
makes good use of time when completing a task
shares with others/takes turns
works well independently
takes care of materials
uses self-control
follows directions
listens when others speak
uses good manners
plays well with others
uses words to resolve conflicts
8. Music:
participates in group music experiences
participates in group dance experiences
9. Art:
explores different art materials
draws lines and shapes
interprets pictures
colors a picture