At KinderIQ, our determination of kindergarten readiness is rooted in over a decade of data collected from our comprehensive Kindergarten Readiness Test (KRT). This test has been taken by over 60,000 children, providing us with a robust dataset to analyze developmental milestones across various ages, particularly between 3 and 6...
As parents, we are constantly marveling at the growth and development of our children. We celebrate their first words, their first steps, and countless other milestones along the way. But how do we measure a child's overall development? One useful concept is developmental age, a term that can provide valuable...
Starting kindergarten is a significant milestone in a child's life and an exciting time for parents. However, it can also be a period filled with questions and concerns about whether your child is ready for this new chapter. This guide aims to help parents prepare their children for kindergarten, ensuring...
Art and craft activities play a vital role in the development of young children. They provide an avenue for creative expression, enhance fine motor skills, and contribute to cognitive and emotional development. Encouraging children to engage in art and craft activities can foster a lifelong love for creativity and help...
Encouraging a love of reading in young children is one of the greatest gifts a parent or educator can give. Reading not only enhances a child's language skills but also opens up a world of imagination, knowledge, and creativity. Here are some effective strategies to foster a love of reading...
Fine motor skills are essential for young children as they involve the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers. These skills are crucial for performing everyday tasks such as writing, buttoning clothes, and using utensils. Developing fine motor skills through play is a fun and effective way to...
Parent wants their children to grow up to become strong, happy, independent adults. But smart parents know that this doesn’t happen automatically. While some children may have a natural instinct for solving problems themselves, most need a little boost to learn this behavior. Problem solvers have better coping skills in...
Independent dressing is one of the many milestones young children must achieve within their lives. The more you do to make this milestone as smooth and easy as possible the better it is for your child, who experiences a great sense of accomplishment over each new skill he or she...
Few things in parenting are more exciting than hearing your child begin to utter their first words. Every new consonant-vowel combination leads to greater joy and an increase in two-way communication between parents and child. But what if you are the only ones who can "decipher the code?" Having a...
One of the best predictors in terms of how easy a child will find the process of learning how to read is rhyming. The reason for this is that children who know how to rhyme are generally better able to notice that words that rhyme usually have shared letter sequences....
tl;dr Potty training can begin at 18 months for some, but may be between ages 2 and 3 for othersBetween ages 3 and 4, most kids 'get it' most of the timeStart with the right equipment (potty training seat, pull-up diapers)Schedule potty breaks and reward success to stay motivated One of the...
Among the various concepts that children have to learn before they enter kindergarten, one of the most challenging is time. As a parent, you have probably tried to teach your young child the concept of time. Why is this such a challenge? There are several reasons why kids might have trouble...
tl;dr Start around 2 years-old - 66% of 3 year-olds got thisTime and repetition are the keys - use "the song"Picture books help with letter soundsTry our free worksheets to practice writing letters As a parent, you are probably trying to help your toddler learn the alphabet. This is a critical part...
While learning to hold and correctly use a pencil is generally developed during preschool, children who don't form solid habits early could struggle in kindergarten and the early years of elementary school when penmanship becomes more crucial. Building good pencil habits early on will just make school a little easier...
If you have a young child, you have probably realized that your child will go through phases from time to time. For example, your child has probably had a “mine” phase where he or she essentially marks everything as belonging to him or her. It can be a challenge to...
If you have a child that is getting ready for kindergarten, you are probably trying to make sure they are as ready as possible. One of the areas that children need to learn at a young age involves shapes and colors. These skills are important for making sure children are...
Helping your child to develop strong number sense is one of the best ways to help them prepare for math in school and later in life. Luckily, there are many fun and easy ways to help your child learn to count to 20. The following tips will help you teach your...
If you have a child who is getting ready to start kindergarten, you might be wondering how to teach your child left and right. This is a common frustration for many parents, so remember that you are not alone. This is a concept that many parents try to teach during...
When it comes to teaching children arts and crafts, scissors are an important skill. As a parent, you might be working with your child on how to use scissors. This is a skill that requires fine motor skills in order to properly cut paper. In order for a child to...
tl;dr Start young - don't wait for school to handle common maturity issuesEmphasize accepting responsibility for one's actions (the things you can control)Make honesty a priority at home - explain why even little fibs lead to lack of trust (for both parents and children)Focus on self-control and how it is a...
Is your child gifted? Every parent likes to think that their child is unique, has special talents and shows signs of being ahead of their peers. How can you tell if you truly have a gifted child? And if your child really is gifted, should you modify your parenting according...
tl;dr Children are naturally curious - don't discourage them!Curiosity drives better learningSet a good example - ask questions and keep learningChallenge ideasProvide encouragement when children question ideasEncourage flexibility and creativityLove and support foster good habitsHelp them find their passionCompare their cognitive development and school readiness against their peers Curiosity in children is...
Extra curricular activities are the key to promoting physical and mental wellness in children, especially in kindergarten and preschool. By engaging your children in fun and challenging activities, you let them uncover their innate talents and help them become well-rounded grownups. The good thing about extra curricular activities is that they...
tl;dr Homeschooling has tons of advantages, but a vibrant social life isn't always one of themYou have to make a real effort to socializePlay-days with other childrenMusic and art classesOrganized (and unorganized) sportsCamps and clubsVolunteeringStay aware of how your child is developing compared to their peers If you are the proud parent...
Project based learning can be a truly effective way for young children to learn new skills. This is especially true for children in kindergarten and preschool. It is a way to teach a child not to isolate itself. It teaches a child to problem-solve and work in a group. This new,...
tl;dr Dolch sight words represent the most common words in daily language.Exludes nouns, but still makes up 80% of words found in typical children's books.Children who learn the words at an early age may greatly outperform their peers in reading skills.Several learning tools and strategies exist to help children learn the...
As school curriculums and employer demands become ever more challenging, it stands to reason that children need to prepare more thoroughly for their future academic and business endeavors. This has led to the creation of the so-called Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as a way to ensure that children receive sufficient...
It goes without saying that you as a parent want your children to be successful in every aspect of their lives. But is it really necessary to set learning goals for kindergarteners? Of course it is. Learning to set and accomplish goals from an early age is one of the...
Kindergarten is a major event in your child’s life. It’s a point of transition from a safe environment into new, unfamiliar surroundings, with many other children, teachers and a different daily routine. Also, many schools administer kindergarten testing as a readiness evaluation tool. As a parent, your job is to...
The first day of school is both exciting and somewhat stressful for both children and parents. While some parents manage and get well organized, others find it quite challenging. In order to avoid the stress, it is essential to get well prepared and have a fail-proof strategy. These first day of...
Most children spend a good portion of their day in front of a screen, be it a TV set, PC, tablet or some other gadget. And while some of these activities are beneficial and educational, screen time for children should be carefully monitored so that excessive use can be discouraged....
The thought of taking on the education of your children can be both exciting and overwhelming. At times, you'll find questioning yourself whether you'll be able to find the time, resources, and ideas to successfully complete this task. The most important thing is to remember you can do it, as...
Is preschool worth it? In fact, is it really all that important? As soon as children turn 3 or 4, these questions start bothering most devoted parents. There’s both a lot of pressure to send the kids to preschool and arguments that they are better off at home with the parents....
A solid parent-teacher relationship is extremely important for you to develop. Remember that your child spends a large portion of the day in the classroom with their teacher. After all, both you and the teacher have your child’s best interest at heart, and an open communication channel will help you...
The KinderIQ free Children’s IQ Test is a tool to help assess fluid intelligence in children as young as three years old. As a parent, you surely want to provide the best education for your children. However, there are different factors in play when choosing an appropriate school or a career track...
While we all like playing games, children are especially drawn to games and game-like activities. This makes games the perfect vessel for children to learn life skills. Specially designed "learning games" are some of the most efficient learning tools you can find. Utilizing such games with your children, will help them acquire valuable skills that...
tl;dr Teach that there is more to life than school Do activities together to show you're interested in learning about the world (like reading books and watching documentaries together) Help them find their passion Use multiple resources to find information (try offline tools!) Ask and answer (and encourage) lots of...
There was a time not too long ago that when a child turned a certain age, they simply went to kindergarten, whether they had any preschool behind them or not. There were no tests, and the only requirement was that the child was a certain age. That seems to have...
As parents, we sometimes seem overly eager to obtain that magic number known as an IQ score. An intelligence quotient test, or IQ test, is a common way to find out how a young child's mind is developing. Most schools don't offer IQ examinations for students, leaving parents searching for...
Rhyming is one of the first skills that children can practice to start understanding letter-sound-word relationships and can be a fun way to expand early vocabulary by building on familiar word patterns that children are already comfortable with....
Think your child may be ready to start reading? A child with a head start on reading and literacy has a greater chance of success in the first years of school and is more likely to finish college compared to children who begin to read at a later age. There...
tl;dr Observe your child's learning habits Examine judgement and reasoning strategies Consider a free online IQ test to measure fluid intelligence Compare school readiness against peers Is your child gifted? Parents can spend a significant amount of time, energy, and money on learning aids and educational tools for gifted and talented children. All children are unique...
Before kindergarten and preschool children learn to read phonetically, they can begin memorizing common words (also known as sight words or Dolch words) that make up most of the written text they'll read in their lives. About 200 words make up between 50% and 70% of all English text! (There...
If you're a parent uncertain about whether to send your child to preschool, consider that preschool offers invaluable benefits that can greatly impact the course of your child's life. It boosts cognitive development and gives children a head start in learning social skills that will likely affect their future relationships....
Today's children are more exposed to technology than ever before. Lesson plans developed for preschool and kindergarten children can benefit from including a technology component. Computers, as well as tape recorders, video recorders, and other technical tools, will help children experience the digital world in fun, new ways that weren't...
Parents have many priorities when it comes to their children, not the least of which are to keep them happy, healthy, and educated. With so many activities vying for children's attention these days, it's easy to overlook one of the most basic methods of promoting early literacy: reading to young...
For many parents, teaching their child to read is among the most difficult things to do to prepare them for kindergarten. Often, parents believe that once their child knows the ABCs and has reached a certain age, such as 4 or 5, they should be ready to read. Unfortunately, this...
When children are between the ages of about three and six, one of the most important things you can do for them is to integrate their play with learning through fun educational games. Your child may think that he or she is playing a "game," when in fact they are...
A child's ability to learn and understand language begins in infancy. Some pediatricians believe that reading to a child in the womb not only familiarizes them with words and sentences, it also sets the stage for early vocabulary expansion. A child's mind is like a sponge, soaking up everything they see,...
In 2007, research data from six longitudinal studies covering over 36,000 preschoolers was analyzed to determine factors important for school success in children preparing for kindergarten. According to Northwestern University researcher Greg Duncan, "We find the single most important factor in predicting later academic achievement is that children begin school...
From the earliest moments of life through childhood, from infants to young children, early education is a fundamental part of building a foundation of lifelong learning through the support of emotional wellness and cognitive development for every developmental stage. By training in Early Childhood Education, important opportunities become available to...
The kindergarten year is packed with activities and lessons that children absorb in order to be successful throughout their entire school career. Today's kindergartners are expected to begin the year ready and willing to learn. By the end of the year, here are 10 areas teachers are hoping new first...
Getting ready to start school today is dramatically different than it was when we were children in many ways. Children are more aware of the adult world, more sophisticated, and certainly more aware of technology and the internet than was imaginable even a few years ago....
Many children begin writing or play writing well before they can read even the simplest words. Something about making letters and transcribing their own thoughts by putting pen to paper seems to trigger the imagination of the youngest learners. Here are three children's writing activities you can use to guide your child's...
Ready for school? The National Education Goals Panel defines kindergarten readiness through five domains or pillars: Physical and Motor Development, Social and Emotional Development, Approaches to Learning, Language Development, and Cognitive Development....
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