Kindergarten Readiness

Kindergarten Readiness

Speech and Language Development
-Speaks in complete sentences.
-Speaks clearly enough to be understood by someone
who does not know him or her well.
-Communicates well with peers.
-Can rhyme and recognizes rhyming sounds.
-Identify the beginning sound of some words.
-Identify some alphabet letters.
-Tells the meaning of some simple words, like “stop.”
-Can recite ABC’s and count to ten.
-Asks questions.
-Looks at pictures and can tell stories about them.
-Can answer questions about a short story.
-Repeats phrases said by an adult.
-Can communicate with both adults and peers.


Social Development
-Can be taken away from parents without being overly
upset.
-Can spend extended periods of time away from
parents.
-Explores and tries new things.
-Curious and motivated to learn.
-Puts away toys and helps with family chores.
-Meets visitors without shyness.
-Able to stay on task and work independently.
-Finishes tasks.
-Describes some basic emotions and feelings.
-Expresses feelings and needs.
-Recognizes authority.
-Gets along and plays cooperatively with other children.
-Can take care of own toilet needs independently.
-Feels good about self and talks easily.
-Dresses self and cares for own belongings.
-Waits his or her turn.
-Exhibits self-control
-Seeks out interactive play with other children.
-Listens to stories without interrupting.
-Uses words rather than physical aggression to get what
he or she wants.
-Understands that actions have both causes and effects.
-Beginning to share with others.
-Follows simple directions.
-Shows beginning of ‘empathy’ skills.
-Knows parent’s names, home address, and phone
number.
-Can recite own first and last name.
-Says ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’
-Understands basic safety rules (e.g. don’t talk to
strangers).
-Aware of any food allergies he or she has.
-Can tell a story about a past event.


Motor Skill Development
-Runs, jumps, skips, hops, and gallops.
-Can bounce and catch a ball.
-Walks backward.
-Walks up and down stairs alternating feet.
-Can walk in a straight line.
-Uses hand-eye coordination. (e.g. can jump on one
foot, clap hands).
-Holds a pencil or crayon correctly.
-Holds scissors and cuts correctly.
-Can use scissors and glue to cut and paste.
-Can trace basic shapes.
-Builds with construction toys and blocks.
-Draws and colors beyond simple scribbles.
-Can put a 10 to 12 piece puzzle together.
-Can button, zip up zippers, or snap clothing.
-Ties own shoes.


Academic and General Knowledge
-Can write full name and recite address.
-Recognizes own first name in writing.
-Knows basic shapes.
-Knows colors.
-Knows relative sizes (e.g. big, small, smaller).
-Recognizes and completes patterns.
-Knows body parts, such as nose, ear, and elbow.
-Can match similar objects and explain why they are
alike.
-Can count to twenty.
-Knows ABC’s and can recognize and write most
letters.
-Can memorize things that have been read to him
repeatedly, (e.g. pretends to read a favorite story).
-Understands that print carries a message.
-Uses left to right progression.
-Understands general times of day, such as day and
night.
-Knows own age and birthday.
-Understands position and spatial concepts, such as up,
down, full, empty.
-Identifies simple opposites.
-Can sort items by color, shape, and size.