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Preparing for Kindergarten

Skills to Practice

Have your child practice these skills throughout the summer to prepare for school

Life Skills

Restroom

  • Shut and lock stall door
  • Flush toilet
  • Wipe independently
  • Undo and redo clothing
  • Wash and dry hands

Lunch

  • Open drinks and wrappers
  • Throw away trash
  • Know the difference between disposable and reusable items

Clothing

  • Zip, button, snap, tie
  • Put on and take off jacket
  • Tie shoes


Family Information

  • Know first and last name
  • Know parent/caregiver’s first and last names
  • Know parent/caregiver’s phone number


Classroom Behavior

  • How to sit in a chair
  • Keep hands to self
  • Sit quietly and listen to a short story
  • Pack and upack backpack
  • Willingess to do non-preferred tasks


Fine Motor Skills

  • Hold a pencil
  • Use crayons
  • Hold and use scissors
  • Trace a dotted line
  • Draw basic shapes

Academic Skills


Literacy and Phonemic Awareness

  • Letter names and sounds
  • Understand we read from left to right
  • Understand that letters form words
  • Recognize letters in his/her name
  • Retell what happened in a story
  • Rhyming


Math

  • Count to 20
  • Identify numbers
  • Identify basic shapes
  • Sort by color, size and shape


Speaking and Listening

  • Follow multi-step directions (i.e.: push in chair and line up at the door)
  • Speak in sentences
  • Ask questions when curious
  • Participate in a conversation

Social and emotional skills

  • Respectfully answer adults
  • Responds to name
  • Know how to ask for help when confused
  • Separate from parent/caregiver without strong emotions
  • Win or lose without major emotions
  • Show and understand basic emotions (reacts appropriately when a peer is sad, etc.)
  • Be kind to peers
  • Share and take turns
  • Wait turn to speak

Kindergarten FAQs

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Kindergarten 101: Preparing you and your child for the fall

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