Kindergarten Information

Here is a checklist of items that are beneficial for your child to know or to have worked on before coming to kindergarten, as well as ideas of how to work on these skills with your child. This checklist is simply to be used as a guide in preparing your child for kindergarten. Remember, our kindergarten teachers will teach your child where they are and move them to the next step. 

I know my:

• first and last name
• age
• gender
• birthday
• parents’ names
• siblings’ names and if siblings are younger or older

I can take care of my own coat, as well as bathroom needs.

• Allow your child to start zipping, buttoning pants, etc. on their own when they go to the bathroom.
• Practice buttoning/unbuttoning, zipping/unzipping with clothing around the house.
• Begin working on tying shoes.

I can cut with scissors.

• Have your child cut out coupons
• Have your child cut out pictures from old magazines of things they are interested in.

I can buckle and unbuckle my seatbelt.

• Start allowing your child to buckle/unbuckle their seatbelt on their own. This is important if you plan to pick up or drop off your child at school.
• If you will be dropping off or picking up your student from school, ensure the booster seat is on the passenger side of the car. Students enter/exit vehicles on the passenger side for safety so they do not walk between vehicles. 

Here is a checklist of items that are beneficial for your child to know or to have worked on before coming to kindergarten, as well as ideas of how to work on these skills with your child. This checklist is simply to be used as a guide in preparing your child for kindergarten. Remember, our kindergarten teachers will teach your child where they are and move them to the next step. 

I can sing/say the alphabet.

• Read and enjoy alphabet books together.
• Practice recognizing and writing both upper and lower letters.
• Help your child recognize letters of the alphabet in everyday life, such as restaurants, road signs, cereal boxes, etc.

I can count to 10.

• Have your child count their snacks, such as pretzels, crackers or grapes.
• Count each item as you pick up 10 things to put away in the house or bedroom.
• Count the number of stair steps in your house or the number of steps from your car to the store.

I know my colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black).

• When your child is coloring, ask what colors were used.
• Have your child draw objects on paper and ask them to color the objects a certain color.
• Have your child sort objects by color (such as clothes, blocks, Skittles, M&M’s or Fruit Loops) then have them name the colors.
• Discuss colors of things in the world around you, such as the sky, grass, cars and clothing items.

I can write my name using only one capital letter.

• Have your child practice writing their name using a variety of tools such as a Magna Doodle, crayons, pencils and markers. Check that your child is gripping the writing utensil correctly.
• Write your child’s name in large letters. Say each letter aloud as you write it so your child can associate the name of the letter with the shape of the letter.
• Cut apart the letters of your child’s name (or use magnetic letters) and have them put them back in the correct order, saying the name of each letter while doing so.
• Label your child’s door or other objects so they can see their name in print.

I can write numbers 0-5 and count and touch objects.

• Read and enjoy counting books together.
• Use magnetic numbers to have your child practice naming them. Have your child put in the numbers for your phone number in order, saying each number while doing so.
• Practice writing numbers with a variety of materials such as pencils, crayons, markers, sidewalk chalk, etc.

Here is a checklist of items that are beneficial for your child to know or to have worked on before coming to kindergarten, as well as ideas of how to work on these skills with your child. This checklist is simply to be used as a guide in preparing your child for kindergarten. Remember, our kindergarten teachers will teach your child where they are and move them to the next step. 

I can identify the letters in my name.
I can recognize the difference between a letter and a number.
I know proper book handling skills.
I can talk about books read to me.

• Discuss how to open a book from the front. Point out the front of the book versus the back. Discuss the front of the book is where the story begins and the back is where the story ends.
• Discuss how to hold a book right-side-up, how to read left-to-right and top-to-bottom.
• Discuss how to turn pages one at a time.
• Read to your child daily.
• After finishing a book, ask your child what happened at the beginning, middle or end of the story.
• While reading a story, ask what your child thinks will happen next.
• Encourage your child to finish predictable phrases or rhymes.
• Ask your child what they think will happen based on the pictures.