
Most brain development happens in the first five years of life. The bolded skills below are the most important to have in preparation to start kindergarten.
We encourage you to work with your child on the bolded skills first, then move on to the other skills:
- Knows their given name.
- Can write their name, using a capital letter for the first
- Knows all the letter names.
- Knows 10 or more letter sounds.
- Can identify the first sound in a word.
- Can identify the numbers 0-10.
- Can count out loud to 20.
- Can follow one- or two-step directions (for example: “Please pick up your shoes and put them in the closet.”)
- Listens attentively for 10 minutes (for example: when you are reading to them).
- Takes turns and shares toys.
- Verbally states their feelings (for example: “I feel … “).
- Can go to the bathroom by themselves.
- Is able to snap, button and/or zip pants and/or shirt.
- Knows cheers, chants or songs
- Recognizes the letters in their name.
- Can tell a story in sequence: beginning, middle and end.
- Can follow words left to right, top to bottom, page to
- Can draw a picture of themselves that includes: head, eyes, nose and mouth.
- Can break words into syllables.
- Can retell a story or event.
- Knows geometric shapes, such as circle, triangle, square rectangle
- Recognizes and says nine colors (yellow, red, blue, green, orange, purple, black, white, brown).
- Can sort items by color, shape or size (for example: separate small marbles from large marbles).
- Can point to and count 10 items out loud.
- Offers simple, age-appropriate reasons and ideas for tasks and problem solving (for example: What to do if there are two paint stations and three people who want to paint?).
- Asks and answers questions.
- Acknowledges or responds nonverbally to common words or phrases such as hello, goodbye, snack time or bathroom, when accompanied by adult gestures.