Your child is ready to be a kindergartener soon! But amidst all the excitement, as a parent, you’re probably wondering: What should your child know by kindergarten? What skills will my child be expected to have? Get ready to get some answers and tackle the world of kindergarten readiness.
These questions can be stressful, but the good news is that attending VPK programs like Amazing Explorers Academy can help make that transition a whole lot smoother for you and your child.
What Does Kindergarten Readiness Mean?
As children grow and develop, they experience different stages in their lives. It’s no different when it comes to their school progress.
Across the country, it’s common sense that children are expected to be enrolled in kindergarten by the time they’re around 5 years old.
Kindergarten readiness refers to setting the basic skills in terms of emotional, social, language and motor abilities so that your Little One can enroll in kindergarten and make the best out of it.
To make sure the plan goes as scheduled, parents have a crucial role in preparing kids for this new educational stage in their lives. Let’s dive into understanding what kindergarten means and what it requires from young students.
What Do Kids Learn In Kindergarten?
Kindergarten education sets the stage for future learning. This is the time when children will develop and refine their abilities when it comes to motor skills, basic literacy, simple math concepts and, specially, navigating through social interactions.
During kindergarten, children learn the ABC, count numbers, recognize objects’ forms, name colors, read words and form simple sentences, time of the day and seasons of the year.
The importance of kindergarten
If you take a closer look, all the concepts listed above are part of children’s daily lives.
Children make the best of kindergarten when they can connect what they learn in class to their routines.
They need to know the hour of the day to know when it’s time for dinner or for bed; they can acquire more independence if they know how to identify colors and shapes of objects; they pave their way towards creativity when they have enough motor skills to hold drawing utensils, use scissors, paste and write.
Making sure children do well in kindergarten means planting the seeds for success as they grow – both academically, as well as in their personal lives.
Social, motor and cognitive skills for kindergarten
When it comes to starting kindergarten, technical or academic apparatus such as knowing the alphabet or counting many numbers is not as important as social-emotional and language skills.
So don’t worry if your child can’t count many numbers, or still lacks a little refinement in their painting or drawing!
Instead, spend your time and energy making sure that the child can communicate appropriately, that they can understand instructions, and know how to interact with other peers respectfully and collaboratively: this makes a lot more difference during the kindergarten’s routine.
Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
To get an idea of what to expect in kindergarten, here’s a short kindergarten readiness checklist you can review before your little learner starts the next stage of their education.
Of course, please remember that all learners are different and that the expectations for every school can vary. Think of this checklist as a guideline, but not an absolute rulebook.
- Can your child speak in complete sentences?
- Can your child recite their full name, address, phone number and birthday if asked?
- Can your child recognize their written name?
- Can your child draw a picture to express their thoughts?
- Is your child comfortable taking two-step directions?
- Is your child able to listen to a story without interrupting?
- Is your child able to pay attention to a five-minute task led by an adult?
- Is your child comfortable managing their bathroom needs?
- Can your child grip a pencil, crayon or marker correctly?
- Can your child comfortably use scissors and glue?
- Can your child bounce and catch a ball?
- Can your child count to 10 without skipping numbers?
- Can your child recognize when words rhyme?
- Can your child recite the alphabet or recognize several letters?
- Does your child know the names of basic colors?
- Does your child know basic shapes?
- Does your child know how to describe objects in relation to one another by their size, shape, and quantity?
- Does your child feel comfortable being away from their parents?
- Does your child feel comfortable interacting with other kids?
- Can your child share toys and/or work collectively with peers?
- Can they regulate their emotions and understand instructions to calm themselves down if they’re nervous?
Feel free to take it with you and share!
Download Your Kindergarten Readiness Checklist Here
The checklist above includes various general language, motor, social, math, and reading readiness skills that will help your child be ready to take the next steps in their learning.
If you’re concerned that your child isn’t ready for that step, don’t panic; take the opportunity to practice some of these activities at home! You might be surprised at how quickly your child can learn!
And remember you can talk to the school’s principal, teachers and your child’s doctor for further support. Every learner’s path is a little different, after all, and every school is structured differently.
How Can Parents Influence Kindergarten Readiness?
At AEA, we’re strong believers that you can learn while having fun. It’s no different when your child is about to start kindergarten.
Parents have a major role in stimulating their child to be curious and learn more about the world that surrounds them.
In order to prepare your child for kindergarten, incite their curiosity and show that you care for their findings by participating in what is part of their world.
Here’s a list of simple attitudes parents can take in order to prepare children for kindergarten.
Encourage them to ask questions about what they don’t know yet; have conversations about what’s going on with them; ask about their day and what they like to do; provide social interactions so that they learn to coexist with peers; talk about different cultures and places; correct your child with kindness and stimulate them to find answers themselves instead of providing answers yourself.
Tying all things together: independence
Ultimately, stimulating independence is key. If a child suffers from extreme insecurity, they might have a hard time completing lessons in school, participating in social activities, or even pointing out when they need help or if something’s wrong.
Build up your child’s emotional repertoire by giving them small tasks and choices that build confidence and responsibility.
To make sure that first strategy works, create a safe and supportive environment where they can explore, solve problems, and express themselves freely.
With patience and encouragement, you’ll be helping your child blossom into a capable and well-adjusted adult.
Are You Preparing Your Little Explorer For Kindergarten?
At Amazing Explorers, we believe that tomorrow’s great minds are in today’s classrooms. That’s why our innovative STEAM learning programs are specifically designed for the 21st century learner and aimed towards giving them the tools they need to successfully deal with the challenges of the future.
Now that you’ve got the grasp of kindergarten readiness, is your pre-kindergartener ready for adventure? Schedule a tour with us at the closest unit to you!
We’d be glad to show you how we foster a nurturing environment for the next generation of great minds.
