Kindergarten is supposed to be fun and educational, and allow children an opportunity to blossom. It is usually the first time the tykes are away from their parents for a significant amount of time.
While most kindergartens don’t exactly have GPA requirements, for a child to succeed there are a few milestones that should be reached before they toddle through the door, according to Alise McGregor, founder of Little Newtons, an early education center in Minnesota and Illinois.
“New parents especially can have a hard time understanding that there are actually things their child should know prior to kindergarten,” McGregor said, in a news release.
Children should know some basics to make kindergarten a better experience, she said.
McGregor recommends these typical things a child should know before entering kindergarten:
- Basic shapes. The child should have learned basic shapes like the square, circle, rectangle and triangle in preschool. If not, parents should teach them. In kindergarten, they will likely be introduced to the hexagon, star, heart and octagon.
- The letters of the child’s name. They should at least be able to recognize the letters of their name. In kindergarten, they will learn uppercase letters and begin lowercase letters. They also will begin to learn how to write freehand without tracing.
- Numbers 1 to 10. Some children will be able to count to 100 by the time they reach kindergarten, but all should at least be able to count to 10. Numbers will be used starting the first day of school.
- Social skills. The child should be able to follow directions, to be able to be separated from the caregiver, and be able to use a restroom independently. Children who scream and cry when separated disrupt the rest of the class. Teachers simply do not have time to supervise individual students who cannot independently use a restroom.
Getting your child off on the right foot early is important, McGregor says.
By teaching basic skills prior to attending kindergarten, success will come easier.
Published July 18, 2018
