How to know a child is ready for kindergarten

by Nalani Linder and Nola Renz, Community Impact Managers

How to know a child is ready for kindergarten? For many children, one’s fifth birthday is a milestone in that it’s time to leave the familiar scene of home, child care or preschool to enter kindergarten.  With registration opening this month for school districts throughout Pierce County, parents and caregivers of five year olds might wonder not only how to register for kindergarten, but even more: is my child ready?

What does it mean to be ‘ready’? Most school district offices offer ‘checklists’ of basic reading and math skills as well as language and social development skills to help you know if your child is prepared for a successful kindergarten experience.  Here’s a sample:

1. Counts from 1 to 20.
2. Prints his or her first name.
3. Follows simple directions – listens and completes instructions.
4. Sits still – can sit long enough to listen to a story and/or participate in class activities.
5. Uses the restroom – knows when they have to go to the bathroom and can do so by themselves.
6. Recognizes letters – They don’t have to be reading, but letter recognition is important.
7. Works on fine and gross motor skills – jumping, running, throwing a ball, holding a pencil and cutting with scissors.
8. Gets along with peers – knows how to share and take turns.
9. Handles emotions – knows her feelings and has coping skills.
10. Shows an interest in learning – likes to listen to stories, music, and is stimulated by the information.

For an example of a complete list, see A Family’s Guide to Kindergarten Readiness from Tacoma Public Schools.

How does your child feel about it?  We want every five year old to be excited and eager to start kindergarten, but know that sometimes that’s not the case. The Washington State Department of Early Learning (DEL) has a wonderful checklist for kindergarten readiness as seen through the eyes of a child.  This ‘child’s checklist’ includes things like ‘I feel comfortable with the school I’ll be attending’ and ‘I feel ready to start kindergarten’.  Consider taking your child to your local school’s playground on a weekend to talk about their own feelings of beginning kindergarten. 

What if my four year old is ready?  Do you have a four year old who’s reading up a storm?  It may seem like she’s ready to make the jump to kindergarten, but think twice before you enroll her. Experts caution in putting your child in too early, as academic readiness doesn’t always mean social/emotional readiness for the long days in the kindergarten classroom. Think too about the long term implication: do you want to commit your child to being the youngest in their classes when he is in middle and high school?  Many kindergarten teachers encourage parents to consider having their little ones in a high quality preschool an extra year, to let them continue to grow and learn so they are ready for kindergarten success in all ways.