Readiness skills that students should know and be able to perform on the first day of
Kindergarten

Can independently take care of bathroom/toileting, personal hygiene, and dressing needs (e.g. washes and dries hands, blows nose, zips, buttons, ties shoelaces)

Finds and takes care of personal belongings

Knows first name, last name, and age

Can express and relate ideas, thoughts, experiences, and feelings in words

Can speak in short sentences, ask questions, and engage in conversation

Can follow simple 1 or 2 step directions

Recognizes and can name many body parts

Knows or is beginning to learn relationship words (e.g. above, below, under, etc.)

Shows interest in learning new words and word play (joining in repetitive patterns or verse heard frequently, picking out rhyming words)

Can recognize & match shapes, colors, most letters, numbers that are the same/different

Can distinguish difference in size

Can distinguish between different sounds (which spoken words are the same/different)

Can hear and is beginning to identify sounds and words that rhyme

Can correctly hold and use crayons, pencils, and scissors

Is learning to draw a person and some basic shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle)

Has interest in stories and books

Can count by rote (at least to 10, usually higher with errors in sequence)

Recites alphabet by rote in sequence (e.g. knows ABC song)

Recognizes some alphabet letters, both capital and lower case; is beginning to name them and tell the corresponding sound

Has interest in trying to communicate messages in writing/drawing (e.g. draws pictures, tries copying some words or write some random letters to communicate message/story)

Can recognize a few words in print (including his or her name and some common words found in the environment, such as STOP)

Can write his or her first name with only (1) capital letter

Comfortably interacts with children and adults

Can work/play independently and in a group

Can sustain attention to a task for a reasonable amount of time (approx. 10 - 15 minutes, e.g. listening to a story in a small group setting)

Can or is learning to adapt to different settings and transitions (changes in activity/routine)

Knows how to follow rules, share, and take turns

Copes with anger/frustration without excessive inappropriate behaviors, such as hitting, having tantrums, and or running away

Is beginning to understand difference between work time and play time