Kindergarten Readiness Checklist

Can your child / does your child...
___ Grip a pencil, crayon, and marker correctly *+
___ Use scissors, glue, and paint *
___ Trace a line or a simple shape
___ Attempt to tie his or her shoes
___ Bounce a ball
___ Kick a ball
___ Walk in a straight line
___ Stand on one foot
___ Throw and catch a medium-sized ball
___ Dress himself or herself (coat, shoes, zippers, buttons)
___ Climb stairs with alternating feet
___ Have a dominant hand and/or foot
___ Ride a tricycle

Can your child / does your child...
___ Share and take turns with others *
___ Play independently for 15 minutes
___ Manage bathroom needs
___ Wash and dry hands
___ Follow one-step and two-step directions
___ Generally follow rules
___ Separate from parents for a few hours without emotional trauma

Can your child / does your child...
___ Sit still and pay attention for a short period of time *+
___ Show interest in books and reading
___ Listen to an age-appropriate story without interrupting
___ Work independently for short periods of time
___ Make simple choices
___ Finish a task before starting another
___ Respond to basic requests
___ Ask questions about things around them
___ Understand the difference between real and pretend
___ Speak comfortably with other children and adults

Can your child / does your child...
___ Identify some letters of the alphabet
___ Know some letter sounds
___ Identify the beginning sounds of some words
___ Write his or her first name with uppercase and lowercase letters
___ Speak in complete sentences
___ Speak in a manner adults can understand
___ Recognize common sight words (mom, dad, stop, go)
___ Identify rhyming words
___ Recite full name, address, telephone number, and birthday
___ Recognize his or her printed first name by sight
___ Retell a simple story

Can your child / does your child...
___ Count to 10
___ Write the numbers from 1 to 10
___ Classify objects by size, color and shape
___ Draw a circle, square, and triangle
___ Know basic colors (red, blue, yellow, green...)
___ Understand simple object relationships (over / under, more / less)
___ Identify groups of 2, 3, 4, or 5 objects
___ Recognize and extend a simple patterning sequence (ABABAB)
___ Understand the basic concepts of time (morning, afternoon, night time)
___ Identify missing parts in pictures