Kindergarten Readiness

Preparing for kindergarten is an important topic for many parents. Deciding whether your child is ready for kindergarten depends on many variables. The rigors of a full day in kindergarten requires a child to sit for long periods of time, as well as be coordinated and work well with other children. It is important children starting kindergarten are able to focus on given tasks, follow directions and interact well with others.

Areas of development for kindergarten readiness: Concept development, Physical development, Social and emotional development, Number concept, Language, Writing and Reading

Concept Development – Reading with your child and helping them understand that letters have important meaning will help you child begin to think abstractly.

Physical Development – Movement uses big muscles (gross motor) and small muscles (fine motor), which are important for children to be able to explore, participate and interact in the environment.

Social and Emotional Development – Children should be taught about sharing, taking turns, following simple instructions, waiting in line and participating in a group activity. They should be taught a sense of belonging and an eagerness to participate and learn.

Number Concept – Children should begin to understand that written numerals represent the number of objects, particularly numbers 1 – 10, and the corresponding number of objects.

Language – Among other words, children especially need to know the words they will need to follow directions; these words include top/middle/bottom, directional words such as over and under, size and color descriptions, as well as instructional words such as start/stop and my turn/your turn.

Writing and Reading – Many students between the ages of three and five are not ready to pick up a pencil and start writing. They simply lack the skills to start writing. However, they should be taught to hold a crayon and to identify numbers and letters. They should also understand the “tricks” of handwriting such as the fact that all capitals are formed by starting at the top of the letter, and know how each letter is formed. Studies show that children who have good handwriting skills are more confident and do better overall in school, so teaching the fundamentals of handwriting is critical. Kindergarten curriculum used in Georgia is based on the (CCGPS) Common Core Georgia Performance standards. To view more information about kindergarten standards, please visit www.georgiastandards.org.