When Entering Kindergarten, Your Child Should...

• Recognize first name in print
• Tie his/her own shoes
• Open food packages and milk containers with little assistance
• Zip or button coats, jackets and pants
• Count to 30 by 1's
• Recognize some numerals 0-10 (out of order)
• Correctly form some numerals (starting at the top, forming them in one motion, except for 4)
• Begin to write his/her first name
• Recite his/her first and last name when asked
• Correctly identify 10 or more...
  • Uppercase letters
  • Lowercase letters
  • Letter sounds
    (Please practice these out of order, and allow no more than 3 seconds per letter before moving on)
• Copy words from magazines or books onto paper
• Listen to and make up stories
• Pretend to read out of favorite books
• Draw pictures and random letters to tell a story
• Listen to and follow a three-step set of directions
• Hold a pencil using a three-finger grip
• Correctly hold and use scissors
• Play and interact well with other children his/her own age

When Kindergarten Ends, Your Child Should Independently...

• Count to 100 by 1's
• Recognize numerals 0-31 (out of order)
• Form all numerals 0-10 correctly
• Demonstrate understanding of mathematics concepts using numbers, pictures and words
• Explain verbally how mathematical or scientific solutions were reached or problems were solved
• Read and spell eleven basic sight words
• Read basic text
• Compose a simple sentence using punctuation, capitalization and spacing
• Sound out basic word in stories
• Sound out basic words and use invented spelling to aid in writing
• Use letter blends to aid in reading and spelling