Kindergarten Readiness Checklist

There are so many different Kindergarten Readiness Checklist out there (seriously, I just did a Google search and it returned 517,000 results) and some are certainly more developmentally appropriate than others.  My all-time favorite list, the one that I consistently shared with my preschool parents is the checklist that was developed by my state's Department of Education.

I love this list because it focuses on health, safety, and social emotional skills. I'm including the images below, but you can also view the list here.

Parents are always surprised by the things that aren't on the list; it doesn't say anything about knowing their letters, numbers, or shapes.  It also doesn't mention sight words, being able to read, or being able to write their name.  I always remind parents that these are things that children will learn in Kindergarten, and while it doesn't hurt to introduce these concepts to children in preschool, the skills listed above build the foundation for academic success.  These are the skills that will help ensure that children are successful and confident in a Kindergarten classroom.