Kindergarten Readiness Indicators
Topics: Early Years (Birth-5), Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?
This is a short checklist that helps you keep track of skills that children have mastered as they move through the pre-kindergarten year. You can use one checklist for each child, and check off skills in the fall, winter and late spring. Some children will not possess all of the skills included here, but that will not prevent them from entering school. This is simply a list of skills that will give you, as an early education professional, a place to begin in preparing children for entering kindergarten.
| Child's Name: | Date of Birth: |
Expressive and Receptive Language
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| Speaks in complete sentences most of the time |
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| Understands and follows directions with at least two steps |
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| Understands vocabulary related to position, direction, size and comparison: | ||||||
| like/different |
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| top/bottom |
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| first/last |
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| big/little |
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| up/down |
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| Makes simple predictions and comments about a story being read |
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Approach to Learning and Cognition
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| Matches two like pictures in a set of five pictures |
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| Classifies (same/different, alike/not alike) objects by physical features: |
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| Shape |
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| Color |
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| Size |
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| Organizes objects that go together in groups |
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| Recognizes, copies or repeats patterning sequence |
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| Demonstrates the ability to correctly put in order or sequence up to three story pictures |
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| Participates in repeating a familiar song, poem, finger play and/or nursery rhyme | ||||||
| Retells a simple story after listening to a story with pictures |
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| Does simple puzzles (up to four 4 pieces) |
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| Identifies or points to five (5) colors |
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Phonological Awareness and Print Knowledge
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| Recognizes own name in print |
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| Points to and/or recognizes letters in own name |
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| Attempts to write letters in own name |
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| Recognizes familiar signs, words and logos in the child's environment |
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| Demonstrates book awareness: | ||||||
| Cover and back of book |
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| Left to right order |
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| Words are read top to bottom |
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| Book handling: | ||||||
| holding book right side up |
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| beginning/ending |
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| Identifies two words that rhyme/sound the same when given rhyming picture words |
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| Recognizes ten alphabet letter names (may include those in own name) by pointing to requested letter |
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| Matches three letters with the sounds they make |
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| Uses symbols or drawings to express ideas. |
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Mathematics
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| Counts number of objects in small group (up to five objects) |
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| Matches a numeral (0-5) to a group with that number of objects |
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| Demonstrates an understanding of "adding to" and "taking away" using objects up to five |
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| Arranges numerals in order 1-5 |
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| Identifies/points to three shapes | ||||||
| Circle |
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| Square |
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| Triangle |
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| Counts in sequence 1-10 |
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| Understands concepts of more and less up to five objects |
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Social/Emotional
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| Identifies self as a boy or girl |
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| Knows first and last name |
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| Knows parent's first and last name |
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| Identifies age |
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| Makes needs known |
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| Interacts with other children |
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| Demonstrates independence in personal care (washing hands, dressing, bathroom use) |
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| Separates from parents by appearing comfortable and secure without parent |
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Physical Development
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Uses writing and drawing tools and child-sized scissors with control and intention |
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Copies figures such as: |
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| (straight line) |
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| O (circle) |
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| Square |
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Demonstrates gross motor skills: |
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| Hops |
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| Jumps |
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| Runs |
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| Catches and bounces ball |
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These Kindergarten Readiness Indicators have been adapted by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc, with permission from the Arkansas Department of Human Resources, Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.
Reprinted with the permission of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. © 1999-2008 Get Ready To Read!, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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