How time flies! My little baby is now a young boy. He is about to turn 5. In most schools around the world, Kindergarten starts at this age. And as early as now I am scouting a good school for him. I ask myself, is my child really ready for the Kindergarten? If you are an anticipating parent like me, here are areas of development and questions to consider.
Is My Child Ready For Kindergarten?
Ask yourself these questions and evaluate your child.
Cognitive Skills
Does my child know the alphabet?
Can he identify primary colors?
Can he be able to count to ten?
Can he identify basic shapes?
Does he know his birthday, age, and address?
Emergent Literacy Skills
Can he identify his own name?
Can he write his own name?
Does he exhibit knowledge of print?
Does he understand that words are read from left to right?
Can he answer basic questions from a story?
Can he recognize written numbers?
Listening and Sequencing Skills
Can my child follow simple directions?
Can he repeat a sequence of sounds?
Can he repeat a sequence of numbers?
Language Skills
Can he respond to verbal direction?
Can he tell a familiar story?
Does he enjoy taking turns to sing along?
Intellectual-Cognitive Development
Is he interested on how things work?
Can he recognise printed words?
Will he be able to tell which is big or small?
Will he be able to identify which is short or tall? Up and down?
Fine Motor Skills
Is he able to hold crayons with his fingers?
Can he copy a straight line?
Can he draw a circle?
Can he hold a pair of scissors correctly?
Will he be able to cut on a line?
Can he work on a simple six-piece puzzle?
Will he be able to button? Zip clothing?
Can he draw a recognisable person?
Gross Motor Skills
Can he hop, jump, and walk on a straight line?
Can he skip on alternate feet?
Is he completely coordinated?
Socio-Emotional Skills
Is he self-confident?
Can he get along with others?
Can he maintain self-control?
Can he take care of his toilet needs independently?
Does he respect authority?
Is My Child Ready For Kindergarten?
Checklist
| Cognitive Skills | Yes
✔ |
No
✗ |
| Does my child know the alphabet? | ||
| Can he identify primary colors? | ||
| Can he be able to count to ten? | ||
| Can he identify basic shapes? | ||
| Does he know his birthday, age, and address? |
| Emergent Literacy Skills | Yes
✔ |
No
✗ |
| Can he identify his own name? | ||
| Can he write his own name? | ||
| Does he exhibit knowledge of print? | ||
| Does he understand that words are read from left to right? | ||
| Can he answer basic questions from a story? | ||
| Can he recognize written numbers? |
| Listening and Sequencing Skills | Yes
✔ |
No
✗ |
| Can my child follow simple directions? | ||
| Can he a repeat a sequence of sounds? | ||
| Can he repeat a sequence of numbers? |
| Language Skills | Yes
✔ |
No
✗ |
| Can he respond to verbal direction? | ||
| Can he tell a familiar story? | ||
| Does he enjoy taking turns to sing along? |
| Intellectual-Cognitive Development | Yes
✔ |
No
✗ |
| Is he interested on how things work? | ||
| Can he recognize printed words? | ||
| Will he be able to tell which is big or small? | ||
| Will he be able to identify which is short or tall? | ||
| Can he tell which is up or down? |
| Fine Motor Skills | Yes
✔ |
No
✗ |
| Is he able to hold crayons with his fingers? | ||
| Can he copy a straight line? | ||
| Can he draw a circle? | ||
| Can he hold a pair of scissors correctly? | ||
| Will he be able to cut on a line? | ||
| Can he work on a simple six-piece puzzle? | ||
| Will he be able to button? | ||
| Will he be able to zip clothing? | ||
| Can he draw a recognizable person? |
| Gross Motor Skills | Yes
✔ |
No
✗ |
| Can he hop? | ||
| Can he jump? | ||
| Can he walk on a straight line? | ||
| Can he skip on alternate feet? | ||
| Is he completely coordinated? |
| Socio-Emotional Skills | Yes
✔ |
No
✗ |
| Is he self-confident? | ||
| Can he get along with others? | ||
| Can he maintain self-control? | ||
| Can he take care of his toilet needs independently? | ||
| Does he respect authority? |
If your child has mastered all the skills above, chances are your child is Kindergarten ready. Congratulations, he is on his way to Kindergarten success. But if there are areas of development your child has not mastered yet, that is okay. Children develop at different rates. There is time to work on those areas before Kindergarten officially starts. But if he is already enrolled in Kindergarten and you are worried about that particular delay in your child, approach your child’s teacher. Tell the teacher about your concern and team-up with her.
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