Things to Know as You Enroll Your Child into Kindergarten

This is the time of year that most parents are getting ready to enroll their 5 year-old into Kindergarten. It's also a very exciting time for both parents and kids, but there can also be lots of questions too! If you are wondering if your child has all the skills that are helpful to start kindergarten this fall, you are in the right place!

Parents often worry about their child's academic readiness to start school. However, there are very critical social and emotional aspects that are just as important to consider. Here is a list that we've gathered for you.

Gross motor readiness

•Ability to jump with feet together
•Ability to hop on one foot
•Ability to run
•Ability to bounce a ball and try to catch it
•Ability to climb stairs

Fine motor readiness

•Ability to use scissors
•Ability to draw basic shapes
•Ability to complete an age-appropriate puzzle
•Ability to use a pencil or crayon with some form of muscle memory control
•Ability to make markings similar to letters and be somewhat familiar with the letters in their name

Math readiness

•Ability to count from 1 to 10
•Ability to put objects in the proper sequence from smallest to largest
•Ability to recognize what a rectangle, square, triangle and circle are
•Ability to recognize the number of objects in a group of objects up to five
•Ability to recognize the 8 basic colors
•Ability to observe greater than and less than values

Language readiness
•Ability to communicate with others using words
•Ability to notice what is different about two objects by comparing their shape, color, size or order
•Ability to understand uncomplicated directions
•Ability to speak in complete sentences

Reading Readiness

•Ability to say the alphabet and be familiar with the majority of the letters
•Ability to read and write their own name with little trouble
•Ability to sit calmly through a story
•Ability to understand how to properly open and look through a book
•Ability to recall familiar everyday objects and shapes like a cup or plate
•Ability to identify two words that rhyme
•Ability to know some letter sounds
•Ability to use writing and drawing tools to create drawings

Self-Care and Emotional readiness
•Ability to dress themselves independently with little help such as putting on and taking off their coat
•Ability to be away from caregiver without a great deal of anxiety
•Ability to independently use the restroom including washing and drying hands with soap and water
•Ability to listen and follow instructions during classroom activities
•Ability to interact with peers
•Ability to remember their full name

If you have doubts there are many great resources within your community that can be helpful including your child's preschool teacher, school district resources, your pediatrician, and your local children's librarian can suggest great free resources to work on some skills at home. Click HERE for a Kindergarten Phonics Packet made available by the North Allegheny School District.

Some useful ways that I used to help each of my kids to get ready to begin school was to invest in books and games that made learning fun by doing it with them as if these concepts were new to me too! Not all children learn at the same pace which is completely normal, and not all children are the same age or at the same readiness level when they enter kindergarten. What matters most is recognizing what works best for your child, and a playful approach is the best approach so that your child will develop a lifelong love of learning! According to Cara Goodwin, Ph.D., "parent playfulness is linked to improved emotional regulation skills in children and less negativity and defiance." So, this approach not only helps your child to soar, it also helps parents to avoid power struggles later down the line.

The structure of a typical kindergarten classroom is pretty standard. Click on the video below and observe what a day in kindergarten might look like for your little one.