The summer before kindergarten is the perfect time to assess your child’s readiness to begin elementary school. By analyzing your child’s skills, you can check for any gaps or areas in which your little one doesn’t feel as confident. Every child has areas of strength, and you can be intentional about helping them feel comfortable in all areas of learning. If you’re checking to see if your preschooler is ready for kindergarten, we’ve put together some tips for reviewing their skills in several areas. Every preschooler should ideally have the following skills before entering their new kindergarten classroom.
1. Recognition of letters and some letter sounds
Letter recognition is one of the first Pre-K skills parents think of. There’s no question that early letter recognition can lead to improved outcomes in literacy. To help your child become a lifelong reader, recognizing letters and their sounds is the very first step. Familiarize your child with “The Alphabet Song,” and definitely make use of letter magnets on your refrigerator. For screen time that will help them learn, check out Jack Hartmann’s videos on YouTube. His introduction to letter sounds is perfect for kids preparing to enter preschool.
Another helpful activity you can do together at home includes reviewing sight word recognition cards. For improving language skills, help your child to connect letter sounds to letters, such as recognizing the sound of the first letter in their name. Finally, a helpful practice around the house can be to encourage you little one to use words to express his or her needs and wants.
2. Naming shapes and colors
By the time they’re ready for kindergarten, many children can be very opinionated about shapes and colors! They may have a favorite shade and might even know the colors their siblings and parents prefer as well. A great book for reviewing shapes is Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s Shapes Trilogy—Triangle, Square, and Circle. These three award-winning books make shapes memorable by giving them distinct personalities and motivations. Children and adults alike love this wonderful series!
Keep in mind that fine motor skills are strengthened in children when they practice using proper handwriting posture and grip. To take it a step further, children should be able to copy basic shapes, so this can be a great activity to have them practice at home. And, keeping children engaged with putting puzzles together is always a good activity for kindergarten readiness.
3. Knowing basic identification information about themselves
When children begin their school journey, they need to know basic information about themselves, in case of an emergency. By age five, children should be able to recite their first and last names, their age, their home address, their parents’ first and last names, and at least one phone number to reach a parent. This information can also help little ones feel more connected to their community. Most kids love having a sense of where “home” is—whether they live a few blocks from their school, or if they have to take a car trip to their new classroom.
Additional self-care and independence skills that every child should ideally be able to do before entering kindergarten include using the restroom, washing hands, and getting dressed on their own.
4. Counting up to ten and down from ten
In order to feel prepared for kindergarten, Pre-K students should be able to recognize numbers 1 through 10, count up to ten and down from ten without skipping numbers, and arrange at least three objects in the right order (from smallest to largest). To help with number recognition, parents can connect certain numbers to facts about their child’s life. If their older sibling is eight, that fact brings a narrative to the number, which enhances recall in children. Parents can also post pertinent information, such as phone numbers and addresses in a large, bright font on the refrigerator or a nearby wall. Reviewing these important numbers can keep kids safe and help them learn what numbers look like at the same time.
If you’re looking for a book to excite kids about learning numbers, check out 10 Minutes to Bedtime by Peggy Rathman. Although it seems like a book about getting ready to sleep, it actually helps with number knowledge by having kids count backwards from ten as they read about the child in the story preparing for bed.
5. Feeling comfortable with their peers
In kindergarten, your child will meet so many new friends. Before entering elementary school, watch your child interacting with his or her peers. Does she feel comfortable initiating play? Does he share toys with others? One of the best ways to teach your child these essential skills is through a vibrant preschool program. In Pre-K, children practice sharing, manners, teamwork, and compromise with their same-age peers. Through both structured activities and unstructured play, they form strong friendships and social bonds that help kids feel known, loved, and understood. Social and emotional skills development is very important at this stage of a child’s life, so being able to listen to directions, follow rules, and easily separate from parents and caregivers without getting upset are essential for a smooth transition to kindergarten.
Preparing Children for Kindergarten and Beyond
One of the most important components of education is making sure kids are feeling valued by the adults in their lives. Fonda Thompson, Education Support Specialist at The Gardner School, affirms, “The Gardner School prepares children for kindergarten by giving them access to the opportunities that promote school success. Our curriculum includes child-guided—as well as teacher-supported—activities that emphasize hands-on, integrated learning.”
At The Gardner School, we make it a priority to prepare kids emotionally and academically for the next steps on their educational journey through our Pre-K two-week kindergarten readiness boot camp. Our Kindergarten Boot Camp helps prep kids with exactly what they need to feel confident when they enter kindergarten. A quick refresher before they enter an elementary school classroom for the first time can set their minds (and yours) at ease.
Contact us today to learn more, or check out our virtual tours on our website for The Gardner School nearest you. You’ll quickly see why parents choose The Gardner School to help build resilient, compassionate, and engaged young learners.