Before starting kindergarten, children should have pre-academic skills in reading, writing and math, knowledge of safety, health, nutrition, responsibility and social skills. They should also be able to speak in sentences, write their name, draw recognizable pictures, know numbers and basic shapes, and understand safety measures.
When parents prepare their children to start kindergarten, there are many things schools want kids to know before they start. Depending on where in the world children start kindergarten, they must be around five or six years old. Different countries have different prerequisites for a child’s school entry, so it is important that parents check with their child’s school for a specific list of pre-kindergarten entry requirements.
While schools differ around the world, reviewing the common skills required before starting kindergarten will give parents a good starting point. Children entering kindergarten need pre-academic skills in reading, writing and math. They should also know some elements of safety, health and nutrition, responsibility and social skills.
Children starting kindergarten need not fully know how to read, however, they should be off to a good start. They should be familiar with numerous books and stories, know the alphabet, and be aware of the direction words are read on a page. Children should also be able to speak in five- or six-word sentences, tell stories, ask questions, and should be able to read their own names before entering school.
As far as writing skills are concerned, children should know how to hold a crayon, pencil or marker correctly. As well as being able to write their own name, they should be able to draw simple, recognizable pictures of people, places and things. Children should also know the basic colors when drawing. Since drawing coincides with writing, it is also necessary for a child to learn how to use scissors and glue or paste correctly.
The math skills required for children before starting kindergarten are to learn the numbers 1 to 10 or 1 to 20 and understand how they work. For example, one finger is 1 and two fingers are 2. Children entering school should also know the basic shapes and understand the concepts of less and more.
For safety reasons many schools require children entering kindergarten to know their full name, address, telephone number, names of parents or guardians and place of work and the location of the school by walking or driving. Children starting kindergarten should also know where the bus stop is and how to cross the street and look both ways. The most important safety element that children should learn before starting school is how to contact a safe adult when there is an emergency.
Other important skills kids need to know before starting kindergarten are related to health and nutrition. Children should know to wash their hands before and after each meal and to cover their mouths when they sneeze or cough. Kindergarteners should also be able to choose healthy foods from the basic food groups.
The prerequisites for kindergarteners that are a bonus have to do with responsibility and socialization. It makes life much easier for teachers and other adults during the day if children entering kindergarten are able to dress and undress without assistance, tie their shoes and put on footwear. Children should be able to share and play well with other children of their age group and most importantly, follow rules and directions given by an adult.
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