Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?

  • Separates from parents without difficulty
  • Maintains attention to classroom activities
  • Makes eye contact with adults
  • Independently chooses activities of interest
  • Behavior is easily redirected
  • Uses words to express wants and needs versus using actions/aggressive behavior
  • Able to use words to tell stories, share ideas and express feelings
  • Plays by him or herself
  • Plays next to a peer
  • Cooperates when playing in a group
  • Takes turns
  • Shows concern for friends
  • Helps friends when needed
  • Adapts easily to change of routine
  • Recognizes first name when written
  • Able to print first name
  • Able to print last name
  • Recites the ABC’s
  • Able to name at least 10 capital letters
  • Able to name at least 10 lowercase letters
  • Knows letter sounds
  • Matches a letter with the beginning sound of a word
    • Match “B” to the picture of a “Ball”
  • Identifies rhyming words (ie, cat / hat)
  • Understands concept of “top”, “bottom”, “big” and “little”
  • Recognizes the names of 5 colors (ie, red, blue, yellow, green, black)
  • Matches 2 items that are alike
  • Categorizes objects by shape, color and size
  • Able to group things that go together like a spoon and a fork
  • Able to draw a repeated pattern like circle, circle, square - circle, circle, square
  • Able to place pictures in sequential order – for example, take a bath, dry off with a towel, put on clothes
  • Recites name, address and phone number
  • Identifies if he or she is a boy or a girl
  • Tells how old he or she is
  • Able to count to 10
  • Identifies numbers 1-10
  • Able to put numbers 1-10 in written order (ie, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc)
  • Counts at least 5 objects (ie, 5 blocks)
  • When shown a number understands 3 means 3 items (ie, 3 bananas)
  • Adds and subtracts items like cookies
  • Uses objects to shows understanding of “more” and “less”
  • Identifies shapes
  • Knows their colors
  • Understands concepts of over, under, above, below and through
  • Identifies all the parts of the body
  • Identifies all 5 senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing)

Gross Motor Skills

  • Navigate a set of stairs with alternating pattern
  • Catching a large ball with hands only from 5 feet away
  • Jumps forward 26 inches
  • Throws a ball overhand to hit target 5 feet away
  • Hops 3-5x on each foot
  • Gallops 10 feet
  • Skips 8 feet
  • Rides a 2 wheeled bike with training wheels
  • Catches a small ball with hands only from 5 feet away
  • Pumps self on swing
  • Able to jump over a partner turned rope
  • Jumps over 10-inch hurdle
  • Imitates 4 positions
  • Stands on one foot for 10 seconds
  • Performs 10 jumping jacks with coordination
  • Rides a 2 wheeled bike without training wheels

Fine Motor / Self Help Skills

  • Traces around the edges of basic shapes
  • Copies a horizontal line and circle
  • Makes continuous cuts with child-safe scissors
  • Dresses self with help with fasteners
  • Can put on/ take off coat
  • Puts shoes on correct feet
  • Fastens large buttons
  • Brushes own teeth
  • Draws a person with 3 different body parts
  • Cuts a piece of paper in half with scissors
  • Uses restroom independently
  • Washes own hands
  • Puts socks on correctly
  • Traces simple shapes (ie, circle, square, triangle, rectangle)
  • Draws simple shapes (ie, circle, square, triangle, rectangle)
  • Cuts out simple shapes (ie, circle, square, triangle, rectangle)
  • Cuts on a line
  • Holds scissors correctly
  • Zips most zippers
  • Prints first name
  • Draws a person with 6 or more different parts
  • Cuts well with scissors
  • Uses pincer grasp with pencil
  • Shows hand preference

Language / Social Skills

  • Follows simple 3-step related commands ( ie, get your coat off the hook, put it on and get in line)
  • Begins to use adjectives for color and size
  • Responds to “wh-“ questions (who, what, where, when, why)
  • Asks many questions
  • Uses most speech sounds correctly
  • Will put toys away when asked
  • Will follow directions to get own items like pencil, book, coat
  • Appropriate eye contact
  • Pretend plays
  • Initiates simple greetings
  • Does well with sharing and taking turns
  • Asks for permission
  • Can carry a plot when telling a story
  • Understands time concepts (yesterday, today, first, then, next, last week)
  • Initiates and joins in conversations with friends and adults
  • Ask questions about how things around him/her work
  • Recites or sings familiar nursery rhymes
  • Holds a book correctly
  • Tells a story from a picture
  • Able to retell a simple story

Through steady improvement, your child can attain a boost of confidence.

Help your child find new levels of independence with pediatric therapy in Cincinnati and Dayton, OH.