Does your child know their ABCs? Can they count to 10 or higher? Are you worried that they may not know these and other skills yet or feel pressured to teach them as much as you can before they start kindergarten? Families, I want to put your minds at ease and provide you with a summary of what your child “needs” to be ‘school-ready.’
Starting Kindergarten
I imagine you are both excited and nervous about your little one starting school this fall. I know because not only have I been there with my three children, but also as an EarlyON facilitator and former RECE in a kinder class I have had many conversations with children and families leading up to and during the kinder years. If you’re looking for a list of must-have skills and knowledge your child needs to know before starting kindergarten, you won’t find one at least not on any Ontario school website. On Ontario’s Ministry of Education website, you won’t find a list of prerequisites but rather a detailed outline of what to expect your child to learn as they go through their two years in kindergarten (Government of Ontario, 2016).
Preparing Skills for School
Essentially, your child is already ready for kindergarten! Now, there is a list I would like to share with you and it’s not a list of academics, but a set of skills you can prepare them with to make the transition and future learning a little easier. The following are some suggested skills to help your little one practice in preparation for kindergarten:
Language and Literacy
- Follows 2-step instructions
- Recognizes own name/first letter in own name
Social and Emotional
- Communicates needs to adults/peers
- Expresses ideas, thoughts and emotions in age-appropriate ways
Physical
- Dresses self with little to no assistance
- Independent toileting or with instructional assistance
- Opens & closes a variety of containers (lunch/snacks/drinks
Independence and Responsibility
- Blows/wipes own nose
- Independently washes & dries hands
- Assists in clean up after play
References
Ontario. (2016). Kindergarten. https://www.ontario.ca/page/kindergarten