Kindergarten Readiness Checklist

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

Fall

Winter

Spring

Speaks in complete sentences most of the time

Understands and follows directions with at least two steps

Understands vocabulary related to position, direction, size and comparison:

like/different

top/bottom

first/last

big/little

up/down

Makes simple predictions and comments about a story being read

Approach to Learning and Cognition

Fall

Winter

Spring

Matches two like pictures in a set of five pictures

Classifies (same/different, alike/not alike) objects by physical features:

Shape

Color

Size

Organizes objects that go together in groups

Recognizes, copies or repeats patterning sequence

Demonstrates the ability to correctly put in order or sequence up to three story pictures

Participates in repeating a familiar song, poem, finger play and/or nursery rhyme

Retells a simple story after listening to a story with pictures

Does simple puzzles (up to four 4 pieces)

Identifies or points to five (5) colors

Phonological Awareness and Print Knowledge

Fall

Winter

Spring

Recognizes own name in print

Points to and/or recognizes letters in own name

Attempts to write letters in own name

Recognizes familiar signs, words and logos in the child's environment

Demonstrates book awareness:

Cover and back of book

Left to right order

Words are read top to bottom

Book handling:

holding book right side up

beginning/ending

Identifies two words that rhyme/sound the same when given rhyming picture words

Recognizes ten alphabet letter names (may include those in own name) by pointing to requested letter

Matches three letters with the sounds they make

Uses symbols or drawings to express ideas.

Mathematics

Fall

Winter

Spring

Counts number of objects in small group (up to five objects)

Matches a numeral (0-5) to a group with that number of objects

Demonstrates an understanding of "adding to" and "taking away" using objects up to five

Arranges numerals in order 1-5

Identifies/points to three shapes

Circle

Square

Triangle

Counts in sequence 1-10

Understands concepts of more and less up to five objects

Social/Emotional

Fall

Winter

Spring

Identifies self as a boy or girl

Knows first and last name

Knows parent's first and last name

Identifies age

Makes needs known

Interacts with other children

Demonstrates independence in personal care (washing hands, dressing, bathroom use)

Separates from parents by appearing comfortable and secure without parent

Physical Development

Fall

Winter

Spring

Uses writing and drawing tools and child-sized scissors with control and intention

Copies figures such as:

(straight line)

O (circle)

Square

Demonstrates gross motor skills:

Hops

Jumps

Runs

Catches and bounces ball

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.

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Kindergarten Readiness Checklist (page 2)

Expressive and Receptive Language

Approach to Learning and Cognition

Phonological Awareness and Print Knowledge

Mathematics

Social/Emotional

Physical Development

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Kindergarten Readiness Checklist (page 2)

Expressive and Receptive Language

Approach to Learning and Cognition

Phonological Awareness and Print Knowledge

Mathematics

Social/Emotional

Physical Development

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Ask a Question

Related Questions

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Related Articles

Related Topics

Today on Education.com

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