What does my child need to know before he goes to kindergarten?

Question

I dont want to send to him preschool but I dont want him to be behind neither so what does he need to know?

Answer 1

The best thing about preschool is that your child learns to socialize with both children his age and other adults. He can become self sufficient in a classroom setting without dealing with the expectations when he starts required school learning. I like my pre-k children to also know how to count, say their ABC's and know their colors and shapes. Also to do one to one counting and recognize many letters both upper case and lower case. They also know how to write their first name in both upper case and lower case letters. These children can gather their own materials for a project in the classroom and they have learned at which times they are allowed to do free activities and free center play. More than anything they are comfortable in the classroom setting and can deal with taking care of their own needs much more so than when they first came to preschool. I would say it is more the social and self sufficiency than it is the academics that will help them adjust to kindergarten.

Answer 2

All schools are different - the academic necessities in our district include:  knowing name, address, phone number, age, count to 20, shapes, colors, identify numbers and letters - write their name with first letter capital, the rest lower case.  

Social skills are also very important - sitting still, self reliance, self control and sharing.  If he is still young, I highly recommend preschool - kindergarten teachers can very much tell the difference between those who attend and those who don't.

Answer 3

He needs to know his colors, numbers, and alphabet. He needs to know he has to only touch himself, and nobody around him. He needs to know he needs to share, and that his mom won't always be with him. He needs to know he needs respect for his teachers. He also needs to know how to go to the bathroom(very important!)  

Good luck.

Answer 4

A good website is

http://www.readyatfive.org/

It is the Maryland Model for School Readiness.  (MMSR) which will give you parenting tips for ways to help your child get ready for school and you can browse the MMSR standards which is what he should be able to do in Kindergarten.  It would be a good place to start.

Answer 5

If your child can write his first name and last name its a great start.  This shows you have exposed your child to activities that help strengthen his small motor muscles.  If your child has a hard time writing his name in lower case letters than this shows he needs to work on his small motor muscles development.  It doesn't happen from one day to the other.  Its a good idea to have him play with playdough and or putting legoes together and other tinker toys that help him to build those small motor muscles.  Do this every day (just play) and you will see the difference in his writine his name.  

Along with this I suggest you expose him to the alphabet if you haven't already.  If you have you can start playing simple games that help him recognize the sounds of the letters. PLEASE don't use flash cards or drills because its not developmentally appropriate plus this technique will turn your child off to school and will set him up to be wrong.  Its sad to say that some kindergarten teacher still use flash cards and drills to teach the alphabet.  

Learning to recognize the letters and numbers should not be hard if you do it in a fun way involving paint and other crafts.  Reading is another great way.  The same thing with the colors.  Teach colors and numbers from 1-20 through songs and finger plays.  Don't be surprised if your child learns them quick.  

Shapes, following directions, up down, side etc., left and right.  Using his words when angry and learning to wait for his turn or same as self control.  Again some children don't do these things right away because it could be that they will mature later, but its not a bad idea to play games that teaches the child to take turns and folllow directions.  Limiting the tv and video games and reading to the child every day is a great way to learn new vocabulary words.  Anyway I hope I helped you.  If you need more information go to creative curriculum.com for more ideas.

Answer 6

Your child would benefit greatly from attending at least a three hour a day program. They cover so much, and the socialization is so important.

Answer 7

I AM  a kindergarten teacher- and many of the things that are listed on here are for what your child will learn IN kindergarten. I worry that you are going to see these lists and panic. Please don't. Very few of my children come to school knowing how to write their name, their address or telephone number or how to create a pattern. None know their alphabet except for those who attended Pre-K before.

Here is what I would focus on:

-Recognizing their name. You can begin to teach your child the letters of their name at home. It is fun for them because it is THEIR name- and they love anything to do with them.

-Using scissors- to teach- thumb up, open and shut- and I repeat this as they learn to cut with scissors. I begin teaching my students how to cut by using clay or playdough first. I don't introduce paper until they get a grasp on the motion and movement with the scissor on playdough. It works wonders!

-Vocabulary- name and identify everything in the home- even things that you would think they KNOW the word for. Vocabulary development is tied to the acquisition of reading. Build up vocabulary.

-Read to your child. Discuss the parts of the book- cover, back, spine (show him where his spine is and tell him why it's there), title page, title, author. Point to the words as you read. Teach your child left to right and top to bottom as you read.

-Math- counting to 10(at least), colors, basic shapes. (Again, we teach this in the first 6 weeks of school so those that don't know it will learn it)

-Good fine motor skills. How to work on this at home- using clay or playdough with scissors to cut, pulling pennies out of playdough- anything that works the finger muscles.

-Socialization skills- you can read stories at home, practice sharing, using the word: share/sharing, taking turns, etc. as you play with your child to teach if there are few children around.

-Keep sessions short at home- 10 mintues.

-Make it fun.

-You can use shaving cream on the shower walls to teach the shapes, their name, letters. Our son has autism and this is how he learned. I use this in my classroom to practice numbers, letters, shapes while I teach small groups.

Bottom line:

When  child starts kindergarten- we take them as they are and for what they already know and we work from there to meet the needs of all children. If they don't already know it- in the first 6 weeks we teach it- patterns are a little later (early October) in that they get the foundations first- colors, shapes, and sizes.

HAVE FUN  and best of luck to you and to your child.

Answer 8

Make an appointment to go to see a preschool teacher when they aren't busy and ask what they teach.  Our daughter's preschool had a time table on the wall--what time everything was done.  Get your child on a schedule.  Do any of your friends or neighbors have kids that go to preschool?  Ask what they're learning.  A lot of what our daughter is learning in kindergarten should have been taught in preschool.  The standards are higher now.  She's already expected to learn some first grade stuff.  Go to NickJr.com for preschool learning games.  Don't be scared by what other people here have written, but most of it is true.  They do have to know a lot.  Our daughter's kindergarten puts one or two smart kids at tables with kids that need help.  It will help your child's self esteem to be one of the smarter kids.  Don't wait until kindergarten to get your child started on learning.  Buy Kindergarten World for your computer now and use it over the summer.   Stickers and praise go a looong way, too.  If you suspect a learning disability or ADD, you can get help BEFORE school starts.   Good luck!

Answer 9

here in new york

they had to learn to write their name recognize thier name shapes colors how to count shapes

some of the letters sounds

Answer 10

All of the basics colors, shapes, letters and numbers. Learning to count to 30 is good, being able to count 10 objects, can he see shapes in his environment, not just know shapes, but be able to recognize that the door is a rectangle and that pizza is a triangle. Spell his first and last name, but not just memorize them. Know letters and their sounds. Listen to a story and be able pick out the beginning the middle and the end. Be able to make and understand  patterns. Where are you from? There are standards for kindergarten in most states, right? Check your states website for educational standards for kinder, otherwise good luck!

Answer 11

READING/LANGUAGE ARTS

*identify the front and back cover of a book

*know that print goes from left to right, top to bottom

*imitate/pretend read

*predict what will happen next in a story

*reproduce movement/sound patterns (e.g. clap, stomp,clap, stomp)

*use location words (inside, outside, beside, under, over, behind, below, above, etc.)

*use time interval phrases (in the morning, after snack, etc.)

*make comparisons (bigger than, smaller than, etc.)

MATH

*colors, shapes, and letters (upper case/lower case)

*count to 10 or higher/count concrete objects to 5 or higher

*simple color/shape patterns

*predict what comes next in a pattern

*put together puzzles

*biggest to smallest/smallest to biggest

*sort objects by attribute and explaining their reasoning

*fill in a given space with solid objects

SOCIAL STUDIES

*take turns, cooperate with others to accomplish activities

*identify and follow rules and directions given by teacher and other adults

Answer 12

How to interact with other children in an appropriate way, basic primary colors [try buying a package of 8 Crayola crayons for him], His alphabet [A-Z], Counting numbers up to 20 and number recognition up to 20 as well. He has to know how to write his own name and recognize his name when it is written or displayed somewhere. He should know the difference between LEFT and RIGHT, and also his opposites. Recognizing and being able to identify the missing objects in a pattern is also important for a kindergarten child. Also; how to tie his shoes, brush his teeth, fine motor skills and coordination, Being able to draw basic shapes [circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval], and being able to recognize them as well. Good luck to your son and to yourself.

Answer 13

I run a preschool/day care out of my home. Recently I spoken with a veteran Kindergarten teacher and asked her what kinds of things she would like her students to come in knowing. She explained to me that it's nice if their know all of their "academic stuff" like some of the things others have listed, but she felt that it was more important for children to work on their social skills, such as taking turns and sharing, and self help skills such as going to the bathroom unassisted and knowing how to put on their coats or tying their shoes.

If you don't want to send him to preschool you might want to consider sending him to a home day care for half a day just so that he can interact with others. If that's not a option try a play group, or sign your child up for some age appropriate activities, like Kindermusik, or art class at a community center. This way your son can get a taste of what it's like to have to instructions/directions from another adult and see how other children behavior and interact with each other.

B.T.W. If you want to work on the academic stuff you could get a home curriculum such as Funshine Express, Mother Goose Times, or even Abeka- I've used all 3. Their also a lot of good "homeschooling" materials on-line.

Answer 14

I know they have to be able to spell their name...recognize numbers and letters.  Write letters of the alphabet.  Shapes, colors, opposites, patterns...

Answer 15

how 2 take a nap

how 2 share

how 2 color

how 2 hold a pencil

Answer 16

I thought I was being punished when my folks sent me there. I couldn't figure out what I had wrong. I thought they were going to leave me there with all those strangers. I was scared to death!

Make sure your kid knows that going there is not punishment and you will bring them home after.

Answer 17

depends on where you live. here in ct...here a a few...

alphabet, write his/ her name, toilet trained, you can usually get a checklist from the school if you ask for it.

Answer 18

How to get along with other children, how to share, basic colors (buy 8 color crayon sets), alphabet, recognition of letters (capital letters), print own name, know address/phone number, self-control, tie shoes, what objects are called (e.g. show a picture, name the object).  Read alot to your child.  What your child will be missing, and what is the greatest challenge to a kindergarten teaching is getting a child to share and how to interact with his/her peers.  If you do not want to send your child to a preschool consider organizing a playgroup with other mothers.