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Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?
Kindergarten used to be most children’s first experience in school, a time to learn how to separate from family, be part of a group, and begin to understand academic concepts. Today, kindergarten is very different. Many children have been in child care or preschool programs for at least a year, the kindergarten curriculum is more academic and fast paced, and teachers have less time to help children adjust to school.
Educators have identified some specific skills that signal children’s readiness to participate in a more academically oriented kindergarten setting:
- Self-care and motor skills: the ability to perform basic self-help and self-care tasks, use a pencil and crayon properly, and have general coordination on the playground;
- Self- regulation skills: the ability to pay attention, control impulses, participate in a teacher-directed activity ( such as circle time), play cooperatively, and follow directions;
- Social expression skills: the ability to listen to and tell stories, relate to children and adults, express needs appropriately, and show a curiosity for learning; and
- Kindergarten academic skills: the ability to write one’s name, engage with books, count 10 objects, and recognize letters, primary colors and shapes, and some rhyming words.
Educators have also identified signs that may indicate children’s lack of readiness to enter kindergarten:
- Difficulty separating from parents and entering new situations;
- Lack of self-control: impulsivity, aggression, and a tendency to become easily frustrated;
- Lack of interest in academics, teacher-directed activities, and group activities;
- Weak language skills: difficulty in communicating ideas or feelings clearly; and
- Health issues, such as large or small motor delays and/or complications associated with premature births.
All children have good days and not-so-good days and develop at different rates. Parents and preschool teachers can—and should—give children opportunities to practice kindergarten readiness skills. Remember, though, that some children more time to play and grow. Age, birth dates, and the type of school your child will be entering are also factors to consider.
A preschool teacher can be a great resource in helping you determine whether your child is ready for kindergarten. Occasionally, an outside source can be helpful, too. But you know your children best. After reviewing the signs of readiness, “go with your gut” in deciding whether your child is ready.