All children develop skills at different times and ages. Your child may be ready for their first school experience or may shy away from new places with new people. The following "Kindergarten Readiness Checklist" and "Ways to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten" will help you to get your child ready to enter kindergarten.
Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
____ Can they spend a number of hours each day in a place that is unfamiliar? Can they spend a number of hours with adults and children they don’t know?
____ Can they obey directions, even if no one is watching them every minute?
____ Can they sit still for fairly long periods and do one thing at a time? Can they gradually learn to enjoy the practicing and problem-solving that are a part of their playing?
____ Can they wait and take turns?
____ Can they hold a pencil? Are they able to turn the pages of a book one at a time? Do they know their colors and shapes?
____ Can they put on their coat, socks and shoes? Can they tie their shoes?
____ Can they handle responsibility, such as picking up toys, setting the table, etc.?
Health Hints
Well Baby Checkup: 60 months—make your appointment now!
Be sure to get your child's physical and make sure all of their shots are up-to-date. It is better to do this about a month before school begins rather than the week they enter school.
Ways to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten
• Allow them to spend time in a preschool program. This will help them learn to separate from you. It will also help you prepare yourself for leaving your child in a kindergarten program.
• Provide play opportunities with other children. Your child will learn to get along with others and to wait their turn.
• Play games that require your child to wait or take turns, such as "London Bridge" or "Duck, Duck, Goose." Provide a variety of activities during the day—quiet activities such as reading a story and loud activities such as "Musical Chairs." Let them run, jump, gallop, etc., as well as paint, color and draw.
• Provide opportunities for your child to speak up and express ideas.
• Allow them to select clothing and to dress themselves. You can lay out several pieces of clothing and let them choose what they want (remember, it is better to limit the choices of clothing before your child starts to dress, rather than have a fuss after your child has finished dressing).
• Let them clean their own room and help with chores around the house. Praise them for their efforts.
• In the bathroom, provide a step stool and place things such as soap and washcloth in their reach. Make sure they know how to use the bathroom properly: how to zip, button and pull their clothes up and down, how to use toilet paper, how to flush the toilet, and how to wash and dry their hands.
• Teach them basic information:
o Their full name, address and telephone number
o Your full name and where you work
• Take them to visit their school before school starts, and talk about the things that happen at school (most schools have an open house or a visiting day for kindergarten children who are beginning school).
• Use positive, happy words when talking with your child about starting school.
• Continue to read to your child. Let them pretend to read the book back to you. They can tell it in their own words as they hold the book and turn the pages.
• Be prepared for school entrance by having a completed medical examination form for your child as well as your child's immunization records, birth certificate and Social Security number.