What Children Need to Know to Start School

There is a wide difference in the development of children entering kindergarten. Some children will be bigger than others, some will be sociable, some shy. Some will be reading, others will not be able to write their name. Whatever your child's stage of development, there are some guidelines on readiness for kindergarten. While every school district has different expectations on what a child entering Kindergarten should know, but in general, preschoolers should work on the following skills:
  • Colors: Red, green, blue, yellow, orange, black, gray, purple, brown
  • Shapes: Square, circle, triangle, rectangle, octagon, pyramid, cylinder
  • Count from 1 to 30
  • Read and correctly write number 1-10
  • Recognize their first & last name
  • Know 80% of the alphabet out of ABC order
  • Name upper case & lower case letters
  • Write their first & last name
  • Know their address & phone number
  • Zip and button clothes

Other important skills that will help your child succeed in Kindergarten include:

  • Ability to sit quietly and listen to a story or directed activity for 15 to 20 minutes
  • Ability to play by self or stay occupied in an activity for 15 to 20 minutes
  • Handle own tolieting needs
  • Is able to share with others
  • Can follow a simple direction
  • Is an attentive listener
  • has experience with simple tools such as scissors, pencils and crayons and is able to use them and hold them correctly
  • Understands the concept of taking turns
  • is able to play with others without putting their hands on them
  • Is able to verbally make their needs known
  • Can correctly form all the letters in their first and last names
  • can correctly form the numbers 1-9
  • Knows left from right

Activities to build upon these skills:
greyarrow: Colors, Shapes & Numbers: Strengthen these skills through sorting activities. Children can sort practically ANYTHING! Legos, playing cards, seashells, crayons, socks or silverware are just a few!

greyarrow: Big, Bigger, Biggest: Use a piece of cardboard (large, lap sized) and trace different sized buttons (or legos, lids, seashells, etc.) onto the board. Give children the objects to see if they can put them in the proper order on the board.

greyarrow: The Name Game: Have your child write his/her name using a variety of tools such as a Magna Doodle, crayons and markers. Check that your child is gripping the writing utensil correctly. Other fun ways to practice writing are pudding, sand and shaving cream. Be sure that your child uses a capital letter only at the beginning and lowercase letters for the rest of the name. (Example - Buddy not BUDDY)

Cut apart the letters of your child's name. Have them name each letter and then put them in correct order. When your child has mastered writing his/her first name then begin working on their last name. Label your child's door or other personal items so his/her name can be seen in print.

greyarrow: Listening: Play Simon Says with 2 and 3 part directions. (Touch your nose, hop 3 times and then sit down – GO!). Read a book to your child and ask them questions about the book. (Who was in the story? or What happened after..?)

Give them 3 directions at once. (Please put your shoes up, take a bath and then bring me your independent reader.) Only ask your child to do something once. After that have a consequence for not listening!

greyarrow: The Telephone Game: have your child practice the phone number on a play telephone. Make up a rhyme or song to go along with your phone number that your child can remember. Practice it regularly.

greyarrow: Play School: Play “going to school” with him. This can be as simple as pointing out words in books you read together. You do not have to teach him to read, but you are helping him discover that he can learn. That will lead to a good attitude about school.

greyarrow: Social Studies: Practice taking turns and listening respectfully with your child by playing "I Wonder." For example, start with "I wonder what it would be like to be a bird." Ask your child to answer. Then take your turn answering. If your child wants to say more, encourage him or her to wait until your turn is finished. Look at family photos together, and talk about what makes your family special. Practice problem solving together by asking "What would you do if..."

greyarrow: Vocabulary Builders: Work with your child on the words: Above/below, up/down, high/low, big/small, largest/smallest, before/after/between, longest/shortest & right/left. Use them in daily conversation and when giving directions.

Always remember that you are your child’s first and most influential teacher. Be positive about your own memories of school. Tell him about your favorite teachers, good friends, interesting things you learned, etc. Point out that many of the things you enjoy are things that you first learned to do in school. Explain how important it is to go to school every day.

You can help your child make the most of kindergarten by doing the following:

1. Always talk about learning and school in positive ways.
2. Help your child learn skills of independence like buttoning a sweater and using a tissue. Encourage your child to do things for themselves like putting away toys and helping prepare dinner. This will help them build a sense of self-reliance and self-confidence in their own skills.
3. Limit television time. We all learn best by doing. When a child is watching television they are missing out on opportunities to participate in their household.
4. Make all outings an opportunity for learning. Trips to the grocery store are opportunities to talk about colors and to count vegetables or cans. A visit to the bank is a chance to learn about taking turns and using good manners.
5. Be a family of bookworms. Read to your child everyday. Let your child see you spending time reading. Making books a natural part of your home will foster a lifelong love of reading and learning in your child.
6. Teach your child to follow rules and directions by offering consistent house rules as well as consequences.
7. Make sure your child eats well and gets a substantial amount of sleep each night. Try to adjust sleeping and eating schedules long before school starts so there are not too many changes in routine at one time.
8. Create opportunities for you child to socialize with a variety of children and adults. Play dates, library story times and preschool all help emphasize the sharing and cooperation skills your child will need in school.
9. Visit the school and meet your child's teacher before the first day of school. Take the time to show your child important places in the school--where the bathroom is, where they will hang up their coat, where they will have a snack.
10. Dress your child in clean, comfortable clothes and rubber-soled shoes. No one can get up to their elbows in learning when they are worried about ruining their best clothes.
11. Teach your child the rules of the road, especially if they will be walking to school or taking the bus.
12. Keep a constant line of communication open with your child's teacher and principal. Together you form an important partnership in the growth and development of your child.

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