We have created this pamphlet to help you as you get ready for your child to begin kindergarten.  We have put together a list of skills that most children can do before they get to kindergarten.

 

 

What your Child Needs to Be Able To Do	What You Can Do to Help Your Child Practice
Manage own bathroom needs (toileting, washing hands, button/zip pants).	Use gestures and social cues to help the child understand the behavior expected (such as washing hands before eating) and use words to label the action.
Button shirts, pants, and zip zippers (tying shoes is great too).	Give your child opportunities (and enough time) to "do it myself." The should practice dressing and caring for themselves.

 

 

What Your Child Needs to Be Able to Do	What You Can Do to Help Your Child Practice
Talk in complete sentences of five or six words	Talk with your child as much as possible and encourage responses
Separate from parents without upsetting	Give your child opportunities to be away from you for a few hours (visit grandparents, friends, daycare, etc.)
Accept discipline and limits, follow directions from adults, respect authority	Set expectations for behavior in the home & provide guidance when behavior goes off-track. Model appropriate ways to express emotions.
Listen to stories without interrupting	Play games that require listening and following directions that change throughout.
Cooperate and share with others	Model respect for diversity and fair ways to take turns and share. Give life examples that highly characters that share, take turns, cooperate, and solve conflicts in constructive ways. Reward appropriate behavior.

 

What Your Child Needs to Be Able to Do	What You Can Do to Help Your Child Practice
Write his/her name legibly	Let your child practice writing his or her name with a capital letter at the beginning.
Name the letters in his/her name	Let your child practice writing his or her name, point to the letters and speak them out loud.
Have an awareness of letter sounds	Read alphabet books and practice letters and letter sounds together.
Know common nursery rhymers and hear rhyming sounds.	Read or tell stories and point out words that rhyme. Play rhyming games:  "What rhymes with star?"
Cut with scissors	Let your child practice cutting shapes and lines, with supervision.
Sort similar objects by color, size, and shape	Point out shapes and colors when you see them in the environment.
Count orally to 20	Line up items on a table and ask your child to practice counting them. Count the items in your grocery basket. Count snack items aloud.
Recognize numbers to 10	Practice reading and writing numbers together.
Be familiar with the basic shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle, rhombus/diamond)	Point out shapes when you encounter them in the environment. Let your child practice drawing shapes.
Recognize the eight basic colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, brown)	Point out and name colors when you see them in the environment.