Superintendent's Blog

Is your Child Ready for Kindergarten

SUPERINTENDENT BLOG #2

December 2, 2011

Is your child ready for Kindergarten?

It is not too early to think about next school year

Part 1 of 3 part series

Skills and behaviors to expect from most children at the beginning of Kindergarten:

·          Emotional Development

·         To be away from parents/family without being upset

·         To follow simple rules and routine

·         To express his/her own wants and needs

·         To express concern for other’s feelings

Social Development

·          To get along with others

·         To share with others

·         To participate in large and small group activities

·         To listen to adults/others and follow simple instructions

·         To work with others reasonably well

Physical Development and Care

·         To have visited a doctor and dentist

·         To dress and meet toileting needs independently

·         To run, jump, hop, and climb

·         To use pencils, crayons, and scissors in some fashion

Language/Vocabulary

·          To try to write first name

·         Tell the difference between print and pictures

·         Write or scribble notes, letters and stories

·         Recognize own name in print

·         Hold a book correctly

·         Recognize letters of the alphabet

·         Listen to stories read to them

·         Tell that print/word and not pictures are being read

·         To use 5-6 word sentences

·         To recognize and say simple rhymes

·         To sing simple songs

Math

·          Count to 10

·         Sort objects by color, size or shape

·         Understand simple concepts of time (example:  day, night, today, tomorrow, yesterday)

Taken from:  **The Northern Kentucky kindergarten readiness definition was developed with feedback from Northern Kentucky kindergarten teachers, preschool teachers, elementary school principals, community child care providers, home visitation personnel and Head Start educators.  The definition is also based on Kentucky’s Early Learning Standards and a review of current research on best practices in early childhood.