Have you ever wondered what exactly your child needs to know before kindergarten?
Here is a list based upon a Preschool Inventory given to children at the very end of our local Pre-Kindergarten program. I was looking through my old student-teaching notebook and came across this list (granted, it is six years old). It was used as both a guiding document as well as an assessment at the end of the year.
I did not come up with this list.
Please keep in mind as you look over this 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 our children are all different and gifted in unique ways. Obviously, if your child has special needs, exceptionalities, or is delayed in a particular area, this won’t necessarily be relevant to your child. This is simply a guide…not something to stress about! Finally, all areas of development are of equal importance to young children! Gross motor and social development tasks are just as important as cognitive and pre-reading tasks at this age.
Have fun learning together through games and various experiences while still encouraging your child’s natural creativity!
Personal and Social Development
Approach to learning
Shows eagerness and curiosity as a learner Persists in task and seeks help when encountering a problem Is generally pleasant and cooperative
Self-Control
Follows rules and routines Manages transitions (going from one activity to the next) Demonstrates normal activity level
Interactions with Others
Interacts easily with one or more children Interacts easily with familiar adults Participates in group activities Plays well with others Takes turns and shares Cleans up after play
Conflict Resolution
Seeks adult help when needed to resolve conflicts Uses words to resolve conflicts
Language and Literacy
Listening
Listens with understanding to directions and conversations Follows one-step directions Follows two-step directions
Speaking
Speaks clearly enough to be understood without contextual clues Relates experiences with some understanding of sequences of events
Literature and Reading
Listens with interest to stories read aloud Shows interest in reading-related activities Retells information from a story Sequences three pictures to tell a logical story
Writing
Uses pictures to communicate ideas Uses scribbles, shapes, and letter-like symbols to write words or ideas
Alphabet Knowledge
Recites/sings alphabet Matches upper-case letters Matches lower-case letters Identifies upper-case letters Identifies lower-case letters
Mathematical Thinking
Patterns and Relationships
Sorts by color, shape, and size Orders or seriates several objects on the basis of one attribute Recognizes simple patterns and duplicates them
Number concept and operations
Rote counts to 20 Counts objects with meaning to 10 Matches numerals Identifies by naming, numerals 0-10
Geometry and spatial relations
Identifies 4 shapes- circle, square, rectangle, triangle Demonstrates concepts of positional/directional concepts (up/down, over/under, in/out, behind/in front of, beside/between, top/bottom, inside/outside, above/below, high/low, right/left, off/on, first/last, far/near, go/stop).
Measurement
Shows understanding of and uses comparative words (big/little, large/small, short/long, tall/short, slow/fast, few/many, empty/full, less/more.Physical Development
Gross-Motor Skills
Pedals and steers a tricycle Jumps in place, landing on two feet Jumps consecutively- 7 jumps Balances on one foot for 5 seconds Hops on one foot 2-3 hops Hops on one foot- 6 ft. Throws a ball with direction- 5 ft. Catches a thrown ball with arms and body Climbs a playground ladder Skips smoothly for 20 feet
Fine-Motor Skills
Stacks 10, one-inch blocks Strings 4 1/2″ beads in two minutes Completes a seven piece interlocking puzzle Makes a pancake, snake, and ball from playdough Grasps pencil correctly Copies: vertical line, horizontal line, circle, cross, square, V, triangle Copies first name Prints first name without a model Grasps scissors correctly Cuts within 1/4″ of a 6″ straight line on construction paper Cuts out a 3″ square on construction paper Cuts out a 3″ triangle on construction paper Cuts out a 3″ circle on construction paper Uses a glue stick appropriately Uses appropriate amount of glue for tasks
The Arts
Creative Arts
Identifies 10 colors: red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, black, white, brown, pink Uses a variety of art materials for tactile experience and exploration
Music/Movement
Participates in group music experiences Participates in creative movement/dance
Creative Dramatics
Makes believe with objects Takes on pretend roles and situations
Parents, if you’re looking for some suggestions on things you can do to prepare your child for Kindergarten, check out 33 Ways to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten. You can download and print a list with simple, easy activities that will help to ensure your child is ready!
