71 Things Your Child Needs to Know Before Kindergarten

1,028 Comments

1. I think that’s a lot for a kindergartner!

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   1. As a teacher, I can say that this is pretty accurate for what we expect students to come to kindergarten knowing. It makes me sad when students arrive on the first day of school and they have not had any prior education. I don’t think preschool is necessary, but some parents don’t even read with their children or count with them or color with them. By doing these little things, children can be prepared for their first year of school.

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      1. Try being on the parent’s end and realizing at Kindergarten orientation day that your child may not know everything they need to know for kindergarten because you had no idea what they did need to know and you heard that preschool doesn’t prepare them for kindergarten. It’s very embarrassing to go in there and find out that there are things they should know but you thought that was what they were going to Kindergarten for, was to learn those things. :(

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         1. My son is 3 and he does all but 10 or so of the items above. I know all children are different and develop at a different rate, but if you spend time with your child every day, read them a story, play with them, and expose them to different environments, they inevitably pick things up. Those little buggers are like knowledge-hungry sponges after all. :)

            Also, if you send your child to preschool, they more than likely do have a curriculum to prepare the kids for Kindergarten. If there is no curriculum, it is either just a daycare or a bad preschool…

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            1. Well said .. at the end of the day it’s up to us parents to ensure we spend time and teach our children.

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            2. Yes, and my twin 3 year-olds too, also have almost all of those skills down. with no pre-school. Parents can learn how to educate their pre-K children through “montessori at home” youtube videos, and library books, and Kumon work books for ages 2-5, and getting play dough or clay for them and beads for stringing, and markers and paper, and reading and counting with them, and doing puzzles and talking about shapes and sizes and locations. Of course, all kids are different, and have different attention spans and strengths. Also, dance with them, sing and play music with them, recite nursery rhymes to them, teach them to climb ladders and build with blocks and ride a tricycle or bicycle, ski, skate, swim, hop, skip, jump. Teach them how to and have them crack the eggs for breakfast, wash dishes, sweep the floor, wash the table, wash their face and hands, comb/brush their hair while looking in the mirror, put away toys, set the table, pour their own milk or juice or water. It’s all so fun and easy, given enough time, for them to learn. If you don’t know how, read 20 pages or so from each of several different books.
               Good Luck!

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               1. Even just a running commentary on your day can help teach these simple tasks. IE. “You have 4 dogs on your shirt, would you like to wear the green pants or the red ones, the cup is a circle, we are going to the grocery store. People look at me like I’m nuts when I point out all of these things to my 2 month old son but my sister-in-law did it with my nephew from birth and he does most of that list at 2 years old.

                  As a teacher myself, I know that the biggest complaint that our Kindergarten teacher had was the kids that showed up to school with lace-up shoes but couldn’t tie them. If you have not taught your child to tie their own shoes yet, get them velcro for school!

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                  1. Lisa, I did the same thing. People would either look at me all crazy-like, or tell me how wonderful it was when I would tell my newborn in the store that “We like orange carrots because they have good vitamins. We also eat these round red apples. Mommy is going to buy 1…, 2.., 3 apples!” He is 2 now, and helps me shop. He is reading some words already, talks a blue streak, knows alphabet, colors, shapes, and can count items up to 20. We have also let him make a lot of choices from as soon as he could show preferences – all of his snacks and bowls are reachable, and he chooses what he wants, sometimes at odd times, but it is almost always a good choice and acceptable time. He has chores too (he is in charge of closing all the doors, starting the washer, and feeding the dog), and he helps to put the shoes away :). Why some people just drift through those first years confuses me. I had plenty of people tell me to stop doing those things because “He will learn all that stuff you are traeching him in school. You don’t want him to be bored in school.” Hogwash. They are capable of whatever we allow them to be capable of.

                     My son can do almost all of those things except a lot of the motor skills stuff. He is just not physically capable of all that yet.

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                     1. Well Dana, I guess you can just reply “well, if he’s bored at school, I guess they can just skip him ahead to the next grade” ;-)

                     2. I am also confused as to why many parents don’t do these things with their children. My son exceeds all the requirements on this list and he’s only 2. While I understand that all kids are different, I believe that they’re capable of way more than what most parents give them credit for. Not right. Why not teach them to their full potential? They will absolutely not be bored in Kindergarden because if they will probably be placed in gifted classes if they qualify. Keep up the good work!

                     3. Val…you are doing great. As a PreK teacher with more than 16 years of experience, I can tell you, you can never start too early when it comes to enriching your child’s life. You are doing it all right…hand-on learning in his environment, not flashcards or worksheets. He will not be bored. It only takes a teacher a few minutes with a student to tell how much has been put into him or her. A parent is a child’s first teacher and from my experiences, children who have been taught creatively are more attentive in class, have more confidence, are problem solvers, and become leaders to their peers. Keep up the good work.

                     4. I completely agree. It would take me hours to shop because I was educating my little one as early as possible! People would say I should let her be a child – really? It’s the most fundamentally highest absorbtion period a child can have between 0 and 6! Its a travesty some parents just let them drift around – I see babies all the time coming into my office and the mom’s have them strapped down and ask why their 1yr old can’t walk yet! Well, let them try for pete’s sake!

                     5. Dana, I am with you. I did not allow baby talk with my son and he was ready for school at 2 also. Some parents do not understand that the education starts at home with us. Prime example…My 4year old step son came for the summer and I in shock by how far behind he was for his age. He was able to recite 24 of Alphabets and count to 10 only. In 2 months he can now recite and recognize all 26, count to 25 and know 17 sight words and 2nd level shapes like crescent & octagon. I say all this to show, that all it took was me taking the time to teach him with a $5 trip to the dollar store and reward stickers. We are the 1st teachers and once they enter school we should reinforce what is being taught at school. I also work a full-time job and training for a 1/2 marathon and still made time.

                  2. Knowing how to tie their own shoes or wearing velcro shoes is an excellent suggestion! I’m a former Kindergarten teacher’s aide and we spent SO much time tying shoes!!

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                     1. You teachers want them to know everything by the time they start Kindergarten, what exactly is left for you to do? Our tax dollars at work again. Maybe they can plan your curriculum for you too. My three year old twin grandchildren know 99%of the above already because I watch them everyday, ALL DAY, and it is not easy to educate them as I am not a trained teacher. Also, let me tell you these things were NOT requirements when my daughter started school and she was taught many of the above “requirements” in Kindergarten, and she did very well in school and college. I think its a bit over the top to put so much pressure on parents and caretakers. It takes more than a few evenings after work. I work with them 7 hours a day trying to accomplish items on the list shown above. I feel they barely have a chance to be just kids.

                     2. So sorry you get posts like the one above by boops. There is nothing wrong with parents teaching their kids the basics. It’s ridiculous, absolutely RIDICULOUS that any parent would oppose this and justify it by saying that they don’t want their tax dollars to go to waste by teaching their children. How sad!!!

                     3. The above reply by Boops is why teachers get so frustrated. I am a teacher/reading specialist and things have changed greatly since her child was in kindergarten. We are required to teach so many things at such lower levels that children must learn to read in Kdg or be behind when they are in first grade. That creates problems for them that last sometimes all the way through school. It is absolutely a job for both parents and educators. We must remember that parents are the first teacher that a child has and as such it is imperative that they work with the school to ensure a successful educational career.

                     4. I also honestly think children can know much more than the list above if allowed to learn. They are born with insatiable curiosity; so if you let them drift, they’ll learn alright – stuff you have to break them of later. Taking a hand in their development will slingshot them past the seemingly long list above. It’s a minute-by-minute labor of love. Never give up, Never surrender!

                  3. Seriously, after that nice post about how many cool things parents can do, you then say that teachers can’t help tie shoes? Hey, in my kindergarten days that was one of the things to be taught in kindergarten. I hate teachers that want parents to do all the work and then bring their kids in with velcro. If their shoelaces aren’t tied, they should be practicing in school just like they also should at home. It is very normal for a kindergartener to be learning shoe tieing when they’re 5 and 6. It’s not one of those skills that can easily be taught beforehand.

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                     1. That is because in your day, kindergarteners were not expected to read by Christmas! It is not the teachers who make up this stuff. Teachers have common core standards to meet. We can spend all day teaching how to tie shoes or teach your children to read! There is so much more that teachers are expected to teach. If you think it is easy I challenge you to come to a kindergarten class room and teach!!!! I agree kindergarteners need to know a lot, but you can thank administration and government for this. They want to fire teachers whose students who do not perform well on tests. Really teaching your child to tie their shoes is too much! Maybe we should potty train them too!

                     2. Kinder is no longer what it used to be….it is definitely a different time and different expectations. This list is not what kinder teaches, this is what the kids need at a minimum to begin kinder….it is a starting point, kinder has a checklist and in order for them to go to 1ST, they need to master this checklist, kids that are not mentally prepared for school start off already behind and being so small they stress very much when a teacher asks them to do something and can’t. They cry and have anxieties because of this…..Teachers are accountable for helping the kids master what they need to know by the time they END kinder. Yes people reality check kinder is way more rigorous than it used to be….and even tying a shoe is a luxury…and if there are 20 kids with untied shoes….You either teach or tie shoes, and that is precious minutes teachers can’t afford to give, the day and lessons are back to back with no wiggle room…. believe it…. and if someone has an objection to this…talk to your state rep in education cause they are the ones doing this…..Teachers just try to do what they love, meet the standards, keep their jobs, explain this to parents every day, and smile……isn’t life wonderful….no other person in any job has all this pressure….and still smile!

                     3. I am sooooo glad I sent my daughter to daycare while I ran my business from home for the first two years. While she can do most of the things on this list as well, as a parent I would have never known to teach them to her…needless to say I have a master’s degree and attended law school. It’s interesting to hear how verbal teachers are about this topic. I hope my child doesn’t end up with such a teacher. I am almost certain that these feelings would show up in the classroom one way or another.

                     4. I taught my kid to tye her shoes at 4..it took a day. Now she ties everything into bows – she’s 5 and a half. Your child can learn what you want to teach them…

                     5. Teachers are NEVER the enemy. I have no idea when people decided we were, but it’s completely illogical. We want the best for your kids, but we NEED your help! I encourage you to attend any of your kid’s classes, particularly in elementary school, so you can actually view what we are doing and what your kid CAN do. We abide by standards, common core, testing- etc and our time with your children is PRECIOUS. You give us your best and we want to be magical with it. The absolute best teaching and instruction is done through cooperation. These are great suggestions for knowledge- is it an absolute? depends on the district.

                  4. Lisa, I agree with everything you just said. Simple interaction and explaining and pointing out things throughout the day is all it takes. And I agree with the shoe thing as well! To me, that’s just common sense!

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                  5. I agree with most of what you say. I have a grandson that will be 4 around the end if July. He does all but about 5 of the 71.
                     But the part of wearing Velcro, well that’s another story. He has big feet. And a lot of his size shoes are not Velcro. Yes, I know I can teach him. But to teach a 3-4 year old to tie his shoes is going to be a chore. Another big chore is teaching him to wipe his butt. He has been potty trained for 2 years+. We have always used wipes on him. Now I’m going to have to teach him to use toilet paper without using the whole role and getting his butt clean.
                     Tell this is quite a bit for a grandma!!! Lol

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                     1. Donna – you said teaching your grandchild to tie shoelaces will be a chore for you. If the shoe was on the other foot (pun intended) would you prefer a highly trained professional to teacher another child to tie their shoelace, or would you prefer them to teach your child/grandchild skills/knowledge/tasks that you are unable to? What if there are 15 kids in the class that can’t tie their shoelaces? I teach high school, 13-16 year olds, and you would be stunned by the number of students that are unable to look at a clock and tell the time!

                  6. Amen!

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                  7. I agree with you! Start early! My daughter started reading to her son right out of the hospital. I continued to read to him and simply talk to him about everything going on in the day when I cared for him while she worked. He started kindergarten reading at a second grade level!
                     It was nothing special that we did, simply that we were consistent and intentional. Just reading every day is important and really means a lot!
                     By the way, he never went to preschool at all!

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               2. my son who is only 2.5 years of age also have developed most of the skills on the list.As parents we can do a lot just by spending some quality time with them.
                  by the way can you please tell me where i can get hold of kumon workbooks for 2-5 years old?

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                  1. You can get them at Barnes and Noble.

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                     1. Also, for any moms that don’t have a lot of extra money (not that the kumon books are expensive, they’re not) they have pre-k trainer books at the dollar stores.

                     2. You can find plenty of free printable books for any level reader online. Most public libraries allow you to print for a few cents per page. Even cheaper than the dollar store and I have used them with my preschool classes.

                  2. 1 Never rely on someone else to teach your kids alone because classrooms have one teacher to many students. You want to see them succeed more then these teachers. 2 You are all obviously responsible for children but your behavior towards one another leaves a lot to be desired. The pressure is up for learning because we are competing with other countries who teach their kids nonstop. I got custody of my 3 year old granddaughter 4 months ago and she just started learning these things with me and can do 97% all ready and my 19 month old can maybe do half. I use every opportunity wether playing in the tub, asking the shapes and colors or with legos etc. I use youtube to have educational videos that teach with song Time, ABC and their sounds as well as different words with them, opposites, colors, reading, counting, sign language and Spanish. Plenty more we do. It is interactive, fun and it gives them time with me while learning and they have fun doing it. I sit my grand baby on my lap and have her read to me. I made flash cards with her name the alphabet, colors numbers and shapes as well as small words. I hung a mess of them on the wall and we go through an hour of this every day and they get a sticker for it. Again we do it in everything like painting pine cones, talking like B for Belly Button I am going get your bbbbbelly button. These our our kids and our responsability. If they get bored in school challenge them at home. You are your childs number one teacher, you are the one they learn from better because they are with you more and you know them better, can do 1 on 1 and you love them

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                     1. Plus you’re developing your relationship with them with every minute spent helping them learn! Good Luck! :)

                  3. You can also get them at Sams Club Its huge book and has everything that this article list. They have them all the way up to 8th grade and have been approved.

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               3. I agree. Since the day she could sit up and look around in the shopping carts. I point to stuff around the grocery store and ask her…what’s this? what color is it? How many and I putting in the bag? I read her a book every night before she goes to bed. For drawing…we have one of those doodle pads so she doesn’t waste paper….but she still has her coloring books and crayons too! She also has one of those barbie laptops made for kids under 7 years old that has her go over shapes, colors, numbers, words, letters, etc as well as a handheld gaming device by V-tech that does the same thing! When I shop for educational material. I don’t look at the age limit…I think we limit our kids when we go by that! The previous comment above is right…they are lil sponges…even when we watch Dora or other cartoons together…she will repeat words back together and I encourage her to participate in anything and everything. We also cook diffent dishes from around the world and I read her lil things about the dish and the country. She’s been cleaning her own room since I can remember. Her daycares are always impressed with how polite she is and how much she knows and is willing to learn…Okay, enough about my daughter! lol Sorry I’ve very proud of her, but the point I was getting at is. Kids love to learn because they are so curious…weather they learn from leggos, to educational toys, to books, to outtings with the family….make everything fun and a learning experience. It will naturally come to the little ones…if it doesn’t…find other ways to make it more fun and it will eventually come. ;-)

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               4. Kumon is a excellent program my son is 9 and he is doing great in Math. He has been in Kumon for about 2 years. He is a grade ahead in Math

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               5. WOW! You’re are a great parent. Cudos to you. Amen to all you your coments.

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            3. Yeah, my 2 year old can do much of those (knows letters, matches, shapes, numbers, etc), I can’t imagine the majority of children with proper exposure to books and being listened to and talked to at home, would have a hard time knowing these concepts prior to kindergarten. Very accurate list, I agree!

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            4. I am the director and Lead teacher at a Pre-School and yes we do more then just play. So I agree with your statement, if they don’t it’s just a bad Pre-school…..

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            5. I agree that these are all great things to expose your children to. Being a kindergarten teacher it is amazing to see the students that come in not being able to tell you the alphabet song. It seems like their parents just sit them in front of a tv and expect them to succeed in school. Even shows like Dora teaches the alphabet. If they know all their letters that is a huge benefit they have coming into kindergarten! :)

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               1. I have a In home childcare Center I really work with my kids that I keep. Usually In home care is more laid back. I really work with my kids. My toddlers can count to five.
                  They also know how to stack blocks. I sing to them a lot and we listen to music and dance. My three preschoolers are writing their names, they also know all their colors,know their letters ,and shapes.

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            6. As a mom who’s kindergartner was OVER prepared for kindergarten, I think that my daughter was bored in class a lot because she was so far advanced. She really just picks things up quicker than other kids and is on her summer break and works in 3rd grade workbooks easily. If your kids do not go to daycare/pre-k at least hire a tutor. Our kids are nannied by someone that is going to school to be a kindergarten teacher and that helped us in she was learning new things in school then testing them on the kids later. My 3 year old and 2 year old are a little behind where she was at that age but still sing their ABC’s and are able to count to 20 and 50…

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               1. Melissa…yes go right ahead and assume that if a child does not know the alphabet that the parent MUST sit them infront of the tv all day long. Keep assuming you snob

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                  1. I imagine some kids know it but get anxiety being in school.

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                  2. I think it’s silly how comparing people are for one child to the next, even if in the same level of supposed need for education. My daughter was NOT very receptive at home with me in the beginning. It took a lot of continuous effort to get her to snap into recognizing that I was teaching and helping her. I dont know whether it be that she was bored, or uninterested, maybe not ready, but she would not pay attention very well. I would go over color flashcards with her, and we would identify the color red, in several differnt ways, then I would go back to the original card, show the red circle and the word red and ask what color it was… She would say brown, yellow… just mess around truly. She went into preschool, and I think that helped quite a bit. I can have her write her name one day, and spell it for me, and the next day, she can say I dont know how… just like that. It’s frustrating sometimes, but I keep at it. We do flashcards to identify the lower and upper case letters, and she has understandable problems with the little b and d, and the u and n, backwards you know. i and l. but the rest is pretty good. I am preparing her at home for kindergarten. She can do colors, I can ask her to find something red or blue and she will do it, and I’m working on having her Describe things, instead of point and say “that right there”, ok what is it, what does it look like…. this helps with touching at the store, if she sees something I ask her to tell me about it, dont touch. Days of the week is another thing we work on, and i want her to have a sense of time before kindergarten too… knowing morning, afternoon, early evening and such. She is kind of stubborn, she knows how to do so many things, yet its almost a matter of when and if she feels like it at the time when you ask her to. She still throws a fit some days to put on her own clothes, even though she knows darn well how to. That’s frustrating somedays. She can pour her own juice, help dish her own food items for dinner, open packages, use tape, glue, scissors and cut along lines and outlined shapes or images. She can follow steps, such as now glue the pink circles to the black x’s or things like that she can follow with some guidance if she is not paying attention as well as she should be. she can count to 30 when i point to the numbers for her, and I made a game at home, with to stick the words of colors with the colors.. and the numbers with the words of numbers. I am not wanting to over do it, but I know she is full of potential and needs to stretch all she can with opening up to learning and having fun with it.

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            7. I worked in daycare for 6+ years and yes for the 2-4 year olds that I taught, we had a curriculum. Age appropriate of course.

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            8. I agree, my sone will be 3 tomorrow and also can do all but maybe 10 of these items. My husband and I work weird hours, I am a nurse and he is Firefighter so we are able to spend quite a bit of time with our son and we teach him things all the time. In fact my husband has a Bachelors in Childhood Education so he is constantly working with him. Also he goes to daycare 3 days a week and they have preschool there starting at age 2 that is based off the local school systems curriculum.

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            9. even my sons daycare had a curriculum. I think any larger one should . the only time I can thin kthat you migth not have a “learning” envornment is at a small home daycare where it is jsut a babysitter type situation. but even then they learn through play. We sing counting songs while driving my oldest to school etc. It just takes a bit of fore thought. I agree even as a 1st time parent and a full time working mommy I still made time to read and do other activites that fostered learning. I think to say you just didnt know they needed to know these things is a bit crazy.

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         2. So much of this list is made up of things that most children will know how to do if they just have some basic parent interaction in their early years!! My son is not yet 2 years old, and can rote count to 14, recognizes and names all capital letters of the alphabet and most lowercase, and can say every color except gray. Not to mention being able to follow directions, mold play-dough, knows up/down, big/small etc. He has never been in a pre-school setting, and both my husband & I work full time. He is watched by grandparents during the week. But they key is we read together, we tell him letter names when he points to letters, he plays a few Ipad games with ABC’s, we color together and talk about colors, we play with play-dough, etc.

            Obviously not every Kindergartener will have mastered the entire list before Kindergarten, but most Kinder’s should have mastery of most of these items. Unless the child just sat at home doing nothing all day every day for the first 5 years of their life, were never read to, never talked to, never expected to follow directions….

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            1. You just said: Unless the child just sat at home doing nothing all day every day for the first 5 years, does that mean, that kids doens start in kindergarden until the age of 5-6 years old?
               Im a bit confused, because in denmark, what we call kindergarden, is the place where children are in the age from 3-5, a daycarecenter.
               So the 71 things you need to know before kindergarden, means before the age of 6??

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               1. yes that is right- it is the first formal schooling for a kid- age 5-6 years. It is at a higher standard then a daycare center or preschool (age 3-5)

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               2. yes at age 5 years.

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            2. Nathasja – yes, in the United States Kindergarten doesn’t start until at least 5 years old.

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            3. I’m glad I came across this list, after reading some news stories about children being kicked out programs for not being ready I have been wondering what is expected of them at that age.
               My son is behind in speech and I have been worried, however after reading the comments I just feel horrible.
               How can people be so arrogant, every child develops at different stages, so if your under 2 year old happens to be doing half this list you don’t need to brag about it and call other people bad parents, and if you happen to be a single mother with no time for her kid but you “make the most of it” that’s great for you but you don’t need to be so arrogant about it.
               The last thing any mother needs is to feel like she’s not doing her job right and half of you have succeeded to do that with your comments, and I doubt I am the only one affected.

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               1. I agree. I have 6 healthy kids that are all very different in their abilities. I have a 7 year old who has been reading chapter books since she was 4 but also a 2 year old who has a limited vocabulary much less being able to rote count to 14. We expose them all to books and games and museums but all children are different. I have twins and one can almost read at 4 but can not write his name and the other who can write and draw amazingly well but counting and letter recognition is more of a struggle. I see this as a guideline to make sure I focus on their God given strengths and work on each childs individual struggles to give them the best opportunity I can. We all can only do our best and that you took the time to look into what your kid needs is a huge part

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                  1. I have been a teacher of young children for thirty years, and am amazed that with all of this bragging, no one has mentioned that there is a two year continuum of normal development at each age. If a child is taught to do something at two, that does not mean that he will be any further ahead in Kindergarten than the child who learned the same thing at four! My daughter was speaking in full sentences at 1 year, but was at the same level as most of the other children when she started school. This is a suggested list; the most important items are the social development, listening skills, and attitude toward learning. Almost anything else will be learned when the child is ready. There is even a body of evidence that suggests that drilling a child to learn before he is ready can be detrimental to the child. So your child can sing the alphabet at two – whoopee. It may allow you to feel superior, but will have no long range effect on your child’s school success.

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                     1. Thank you for this feedback. I have two children who are night and day to each other. My daughter, who is now 13, was very advanced as a child and still continues this way. My son, who is currently 3, frustrates the heck out of me sometimes with what he isn’t doing yet. However, every day things change and he develops some new skill or word (he is not a big talker) and it gives me hope. I don’t expect my son to be as quick of a learner as my daughter and it’s nice to read that every skill under the sun is not needed prior to going to kindergarten.

                     2. I really like this comment. No, I thoroughly enjoyed this comment. My daughter is two years old and happened to have learned how to read sentences at 22 months. Even though she excels in that area and others as well, I don’t find those things to be as important as her knowing she is loved….socially adept and respectful. Initially, I was all into it, but am ever so thankful that I learned to help her succeed, but enjoy life too. What a very grounded comment!!!

                     3. Wow! This is the best post I’ve read! Amen!

                     4. Thank you so much for that comment! We work w/ our son, just turned two, often. We read books, color, do puzzles watch educational shows (limited) have regular play….so on and so on. He knows some of the list. He’s not stupid in any way. We will tell him green is green until we are blue….and he will insist it is blue. The same with every single other color. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t only see blue, either. He pretends to count. He thinks he knows how, and I’m okay with that for now. He’s encouraged to do at least that and we will do it the right way with him. We are just happy he’s happy to try and to listen. He’ll get it right eventually. Making parents feel bad because their kid isn’t top dog as a 2 yr old is seriously snooty. Guess what? I wasn’t even close to being top dog in school, but boy…..my common sense soars next to Mr. Brainiacs! If my kid has nothing else but a willingness to learn, a great attitude in social settings and can use common sense-he’ll may get further than your Little Einstein. :)

                  2. Thank You for this post. I agree. I have 2 children. One still 5 and is just finishing kindergarten. After having had 2 years of preschool plus us reading to him at home and working though workbooks still has trouble with reading but is great in math. He has a july birthday and is definitely behind many of the kids in his class– some who turned 6 in September. My 2nd child who is 2 and also a boy is much more laid back and can do a lot of the items on the list. We do not do much more with him than our 1st child. He will pull out the legos himself without much encouraging but my 1st child would say he didin’t want to do this or that and made it much more difficult to teach him. Each child is different and to those who posted such mean arrogant comments I just hope you have a 2nd child who is strong-willed so you can truly wear the others shoes.

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               2. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with pointing out that some parenting strategies are better than others. What’s wrong with being ashamed of how your child is doing? That’s what makes you want to change what you’re doing so that you can do something that’s better for your child. The other commentators aren’t talking about one or two milestones that are negligible, they’re talking about a lot of items on a list that is essential to child development. Parent have a role in the process and about the time that we molly-coddle parents who are not challenging their kids (or in this case parents who are not willing to do the bare minimum) we get kids who will never realize their potential. Another commentator was right when she wrote that children are like sponges! We have a duty as parents to help our children rise to the expectations we have of them. The standard of American public schools is the BARE MINIMUM. Of course this is avoiding the issue that parent’s are supposed to be proud of their children and that pride is shown through talking about the amazing accomplishments of our children. This “bragging” isn’t bad. It’s normal. It’s how our children know we’re proud of them and how other parents know what another child of a similar age is capable of. You can assume the identity of a victim and point fingers or you can change some habits and do what’s best for your child.

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                  1. This has got to be the rudest, most unkind, nasty comments I have ever read on a mothering website. I also teach my own child lots of things and she is doing well, but that does not give me the right to demean or be nasty to others. Putting others down, just so you can feel good is what I see here. I hope your child does not pick up your nasty habits.

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                     1. Agreed.

                        I don’t know why people have to brag about what their 2-3 yr old is doing when this site is to gauge what your 4 or 5yr old should know. If your kid can do all this by 3, great!! I don’t mean to hate. Just think that some of the posts do come across as braggish and uppity.

                        I’m gonna be honest here… I don’t like to read that much!! And I really wanted to be excited about reading with my son, make it fun. In his earlier years he was too impatient to let me read the pages or talk about them (not real wordy books) and even now it’s hit and miss if he wants to read. And my husband is a librarian! We’re not perfect and all kids are different.

                        Personally I found that Nick Jr’s website with the Dora’s Beyond the Backpack quiz was helpful. After taking the quiz they recommend areas to work on. We have used some activities and games from the site. My son is 4 and is not writing his name yet. He needs assistance and would rather write it in all caps. He finds practicing letter writing a chore. Since we will be doing homeschool this fall (rather than wait and feel rushed I started the curriculum early – since it began with Pre-K first, anyway and he never went to preschool) I guess he’ll have a little more lee-way, but I really want him to be writing his name by official school time. I know other kids younger are writing their name daily in pre-school. I have to remind myself not to freak out. I mean, afterall, I started first grade behind and I caught up (they didn’t tell my mom I was expected to read. We moved to a new state and based on birthday they said I could skip kindergarten). Don’t want that oh no he’s behind moment to happen to him but I know if for some reason he is behind we will tackle it. Good luck to all the parents out there. Kids are not always able/willing and it can be difficult at times.

                  2. “What’s wrong with being ashamed of how your child is doing? ” MommaBean – why should parents be ashamed of how their children are doing if their children are simply following another path of development and learning at their own rate? Please tell me that you are not a teacher as I fear that if you are, you will be busy pointing fingers at parents whose children are not able to keep up as if everything is their fault rather that sometimes due to their own path of development.

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               3. I applaud you for what you wrote. I am the grandmother of a very active 5 1/2 year old who just started kindergarten. After only two weeks in kindergarten my grandson’s teacher has informed my daughter that my grandson is not conforming and requires too much attention!!!! All this depite the fact that he knows his abc’s, counts easily to twenty, knows the US geography, understands basic addition and subtraction, and puts together complex puzzles easily.
                  They expect these little one’s to sit like little soldiers at lunch time, snap to get into line right away, and follow multiple instructions.
                  How sad that the education system is forcing more and more intelligent, creative, free thinking children (who will probably grow up to be brilliant people) out of the school system and into home schooling, all because they do not aspire to be good little Germans.

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                  1. “…good little Germans”? Wow, some people are so ignorant…

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                  2. Jane, we are one of those doing homeschool due to the lack of education going on in the class room anymore. It’s not the teacher’s fault though. It’s the inherent nature of the public school idea. There is no way to improve it’s intrinsic nature. 1. a mish-mosh of parenting skills leads to having the teachers worry more about classroom order/safety than teaching, 2. They are forced into standardized testing procedures which don’t take into account social/cultural demographics of an area, 3. They get less time with each student because the class sizes are so big, 4. Teachers are being dumbed down by Teacher Trak programs, 2yr teaching certificates and ‘give back to the school’ programs where a 19yr old can be a teacher and be earning his degree in education. An Educations Master’s teacher can’t get a job in public schools anymore due to the salary mandates between an education bachelors degree and an education master’s degree. The line between students and teachers are getting more and more blurred each year from all that dumbing down. Then ‘No child left’ behind-like programs shunted student growth due to competition elimination in teaching to the lowest common denominator – and now Common core is turning the teachers into little standardized data trackers and the children into standardized data generators. Schools aren’t what they used to be due to the assault on the love of education as a core problem in this country. So many want to turn it into a profit center who either dropped out and made millions off the backs of other peoples ideas (Bill Gates/Common Core as an example – he also wants to vaccinate everybody through genetically modified mosquitoes – tsk…). It is my fundamental duty to teach my child and Public schools used to be a viable tool – now I have to find new tools. Public school was nice while it lasted but it’s no longer a viable way to ensure the future of my child’s education as it was mine. Don’t get mad at the teachers, it’s the education system, politics and corporations mucking up a good sound foundation in educational processes in this country today. If we can take corporations and billionaires who have no background to pursue making changes to our educational system out of the educational equation, it might have a fighting chance of a comeback. Until then, I’m homeschooling and we are muddling through as best we can.

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               4. You’re right Katie! I am a preschool teacher in a public school. I am charged with getting my students ready to go to Kindergarten. However, the Kindergarten teacher is also charged with accepting the students at whatever level he/she is at upon entering Kindergarten and taking them as far as she/he can.
                  Part of my job is parent education as well and I can share these types of checklists and ideas/activity suggestions to parents for meeting some of the lists. The checklist is only a guide, or at least it should be! The are no requirements for entry into public school Kindergarten other than that the child must be age 5 by a certain cut off date. In many states, there are no mastery levels for exiting Kindergarten and moving on to first grade either. In many states, Kindergarten is not even a required grade level.
                  If we want our children to grow into productive members of future society we have to stop pointing fingers at each other and casting blame. Life is difficult enough and the list of what we all have to know to do anything just keeps getting longer, no matter what our age. If we work together to give the children what they need when they need it, we’ll be doing very well.
                  It’s true, teachers are being asked to do more, teach more, produce more, raise scores every time we turn around, there’s something else being demanded of us. We need parents to be on our sides and to work together. And just because someone somewhere decides that a child of a particular age needs to know some specific skill/information/task does not mean that it’s a developmentally appropriate endeavor. Love your child, know your child, challenge your child and advocate for your child with the loving, knowledgeable, experienced and dedicated professionals who keep taking on tomorrow’s expectations as they strive to meet the oppressive expectations of an imperfect society.

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               5. I completely agree. A lot of Sanctimommies tooting their own horn here, complete ignorance and arrogance. If I had only my daughter I would agree with them, yet if I had only my son I would be left feeling horrible by these judgmental comments. EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT!! Just because your precious buttercup can do this list back and forth by age 2 doesn’t mean that if another child doesn’t then the parent must be lazy and not have basic conversation with their child,

                  I am lucky enough to be able to work from home, so I got to spend a lot of time with my kids and I have been teaching them all the tricks in the book since infancy. My daughter is a tiny sponge that picked everything up very fast, is eager to learn and loves everything on this list. My son is completely different and I didn’t give him any less attention. He picked up certain things relatively fast, such as counting objects to 20, colors, shapes, letters etc, but there are certain things that he would just not do or have any interest in. For example he absolutely hates music, hates nursery rhymes, if I sing or read to him he puts hands on his ears and yells at me to stop! He loves discussing what is going on on a page, such as “How many yellow dogs are here? Which one is the biggest? Why is this dog sad?” but just plain reading- hates it.
                  He doesn’t like any artsy projects, writing or coloring. He’s 3,5 now and I think the list is pretty fair, but I’m not sure if he will change his likes and dislikes by kindergarten. Pediatrician has told me to leave him alone and not force the things he doesn’t like.

                  The bottom line is that children develop at a different pace and some are so much easier to teach. Just because you have an easy learner doesn’t give you the right to put others down so a lot of commenters here need to get off their high horse.

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            4. Katie – I’m sorry if my comment offended you. I never called anybody a bad parent if their child isn’t doing all of these things. I was just pointing out that it doesn’t take a ton of time for most children to grasp these concepts – that’s why I pointed out that my husband & I both work full time, and don’t have much time with the kids. But the little time we do have, we simply interact and play with him.

               As I said originally: “most children will know how to do if they just have some basic parent interaction in their early years”. I didn’t say ALL children can do ALL of it. I said MOST children can do a LOT of it… with some BASIC interaction. I didn’t say parents that spend hours and hours with their kids drilling them on numbers, letters, etc. I don’t have time for that, and neither do most other parents I know.

               The fact that kids can learn so much and pick up so much information quickly, means quite a bit of this list will be accomplished as long as they have some BASIC interaction and experiences – playing outside, they’ll get most of the gross motor skills. Just being given crayons, playdough, paper & scissors, they’ll master most of the fine motor skills with practice. They watch adults and they mimic.

               Again, I’m sorry if you were offended – that was not my intent. I know every child develops at their own stage – and that’s why I said things like “MOST” children. I know all kids are different. And again, I never called anyone a bad parent – unless it happens to be a parent who never bothers to talk to, play with, or read to their child in the first few years. Then yes, I’d say that’s an awful parent. But I’m sure you, and anyone else, can agree with me on that point.

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            5. I have taught Pre-school for over 20 years and your 2 year old is definitely an acceptionally bright child, and you are very fortunate to have grandparents caring for him. Most children (I can safely say that at least 95%) don’t know a majority of the things on the list when they enter my classroom at age 3. Parenting is a Very difficult job. As a mother of 3, it was much more difficult to be a full time mom of a baby, 2 and a 3&1/2 year old than teaching a class of 9 3-yr-olds for 2 1/2 hours! Now that my children are young adults, my advice is to enjoy every crazy minute of it. I love my job….hats off to all you parents who either stay home all day and live through the craziness or come home after a long day of work and try to spend a few hours or even minutes of quality time with your little ones! My daughter’s comment about her favorite preschool teacher (at age 4) …”Mrs. Jungers loves me even when I’m naughty!” I’ve always made it my goal since she said those words to be that kind of mother/teacher so that every child who is in my care knows that he is loved even when they are naughty!

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               1. Bravo – I love your attitude.

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               2. *exceptionally

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         3. What do you think the first four years are for? If we expect our kids to start “learning” at the beginning of kindergarten, then we’ve failed as parents already. We’re their first teachers. It’s our fault if these things don’t get done. Other than about 3 or 4, our 3y/o can do all of this on the list.

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            1. I agree with the above… My 2 1/2 year old can do most of the things on this list as well. My husband and I both work full time, and yes, I am a high school teacher, but I also think it is common sense to want to teach your child most of these skills. We are fortunate that my spouse’s mother cares for our daughter most days… And my daughter has some gross motor delays, however, that won’t stop us from working with her and encouraging her to do the things on the list… Without looking at the list! :)

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               1. I agree! These parents act handicapped! P.S. Thanks for teaching our kids! We know what a sacrifice it is at times, but some parents do appreciate it!

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            2. Agreed, I spent so much time focusing on my own school I missed out on the first 4 years of my son’s life. I was in complete shock with how far behind he was when I got out of school and started spending time with him and other kids. I understand and feel for the parents that didn’t have the time for their kids because we were working so hard to make their lives better. But I’m ashamed of turning into one of those parents as well. I’ve got only a couple months left to get in the last few items on this list before he starts school too…

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         4. How does a parent show up to orientation with no idea of what their child should know?? And exactly when did it become a schools job to teach your child everything on that list?? If a parent showed up with their child not knowing half of what is on that list I would question what the child had been doing for the last 4-5 years. When parents don’t grab their reigns when it comes to education, they are doing a huge disservice to their child. That’s the equivalent of setting them up for failure or at least a lot of struggling. My son started half day preschool this year and is thriving but a lot of that has to do with what WE taught him before. He could write his name, add small quantities, identify letters, colors, etc, recognize many sight words, etc. And don’t start with the arguement, I don’t have time. If you have time to talk on a phone, watch 5 minutes of TV, stay in the shower for 20 minutes you have time to teach your child something. There are plenty of parents that do it.

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            1. Thank you for this comment! :) As a Kindergarten teacher, I can honestly say that many of these skills could never be taught in the classroom because we would never have the time to teach things like pedaling and steering a tricycle. Kindergarten students these days, with the new curriculums, are expected to come to Kindergarten already knowing letters, sounds, and writing names. We are starting to read by the Christmas break. That’s so different from Kindergarten long time ago when there was play centers and recess. All of our “play” centers have been removed from classrooms and replaced with literacy centers and students have 15 minutes of recess time each day. So, it IS important for parents to be involved with their children. Just a little attention each day will include the majority of the skills listed here, many without you even realizing you are teaching it to your child.

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               1. I must say, taking away play centers is a terrible idea in Kindergarten. These little kids deserve to be kids! Let them play and have fun. Plus, my son is starting Kindergarten next week and the only things he is lacking on this list are all gross motor skills which he could improve while playing with other kids! He can count to over 130 but can’t or won’t (jury is out on that) pedal a tricycle. How is 15 minutes of recess going to help that?

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                  1. I agree, Megan. I am a Bilingual/ESL K-2 Teacher this year, and I taught Bilingual Kindergarten two years ago and it just saddens me how Kindergarten is no longer “fun.” Let me just say this: Exactly 20 years ago I started Kindergarten–and it was HALF-DAY. I played in the play-centers, had (what felt like a 30 minute) recess, sang songs, colored, and went home. So did a lot of my friends and…20 years later, I graduated from college, have my ESL/Bilingual Endorsement, studied abroad and learned a second language, and am nearly finished with my Masters degree. I think I turned out alright based on my Kindergarten experience plus the fact that my mom read to me every day since birth—to this day, I am a voracious reader and writer. These children are 5 years old…let them play and be children!! What will they think in 20 years about their Kindergarten experience I wonder? :(

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                     1. I agree. K should be a place to play, learn to be kind to others, share, interact with all kinds of others, and develop a love of school and learning.

                     2. I don’t want to sound rude either, but if you think that kindergarteners should just play all day, then you are seriously behind the times. I have taught 3rd grade for 35years, and have seen so many changes in that time (not all good changes!). The biggest thing that has changed is that more a nd more is expected of kids at every level – not just kindergarten. State tests require that students prove that they know what is expected b efore they go to the next grade. so, if children don’t know the above skills before entering kinder garten – there is really no time for them to catch up. Each fall, teachers must hit the ground running and keep moving in order to get everything covered and do the best they can in helping the studentsvwho may be behind to catch up and keep up. Parents have to be willing to help every step of the way, because no teacher has enough hours in the day or enough days in the year for every single student that may be struggling in one way or another. Parents cannot just leave it all to the shool. School pesonnel work very hard to to their best for every student in their care for the year, ut parents HAVE to do their part. And somone said tkids don’t need any recess or P.E. class. Well, I don’ know many adults who work an 8 hour day without at least one 10 or 15 minute break to just let off steam. – so why should we expec that of our children?

                  2. School is for academics, home is for play. I, personally, would prefer that all schools (at any grade level) get rid of things that are a waste of time like recess and gym class. Those are things my daughter can learn at home or in extra activities outside of school.

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                     1. As an amendment to my previous comment, home is also for study and strengthening the skills that were learned at school.

                     2. I feel sorry for your children. Kids need to be able to play. It is the best way for them to learn. Based on multiple studies in childhood development, they need play to learn. Gym and recess are not a waste of time. Kids only have so much of an attention span

                     3. Play **IS** learning for children. Young children are not designed for work as we adults know it. They learn BEST through play. I wish I could get people to realize that.

                     4. Numerous studies show that humans (adults and children) retain the content of the teaching when their bodies are in motion. When you take away the opportunities for movement in school (recess, gym) then you are hurting their ability to learn at their full potential.

                     5. Recess and gym class are a waste of time?!?! What?!?!
                        Recess is where kids get to have a 20-minute, unstructured, self-regulated break and usually get some exercise! They get to socially interact with peers and practice conflict resolution without direct supervision of an adult.
                        Phys Ed is when they learn to play games, follow rules, MOVE THEIR BODIES, acquire and develop gross motor skills, and have fun! They can also learn to develop strategies, count, compare and contrast numbers, count and learn letters, depending on the game or activity. For kinesthetic learners, p.e. is the best part of the day! It’s also a chance for some kids to SHINE, since they might have difficulty in other areas of the curriculum! Waste of time? Psh! No.

                     6. Science and academic studies of children do not support your theory.

                     7. “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” -Fred Rogers

               2. For the very reasons written above are why my husband and I have opted to homeschool our children. Our children are 1 and 3 right now & we have been working diligently for the past year on our curriculum and classroom. For ten years prior to becoming a mom, I worked as a preschool teacher (teaching 3’s and 4’s). I am used to creating curriculum and lesson plans so this isn’t a new venture to me like it might be for some. Our main reason for making this decision not only stems from the increase in school safety concerns, bullying, budget cutbacks, student to teacher ratios, etc, but the lack of free play. What I mean by free play isn’t recess time (even though I don’t see how decreasing recess helps with childhood obesity any), but rather fine arts, creativity, and imagination. Not all children will excel in core subjects such as math or science. Yes, a child should learn the basic fundamentals of every subject including literature and history, but at an elementary level this is extreme! Mind you, our three year old can do a majority of things on the list, but I don’t agree with creating a list that makes the expectations of each child the same. We were not all born the same, we cannot all be expected to learn the same & in the same time frame. It is lists like these that cause children to get “left behind.”

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               3. Where do you teach? Kindergartners and First graders are required to have more than 15 minutes of recess a day? Most states require it. Making first graders and kindergartners sit all day with only 15 minutes of recess is setting them up for failure and a sedentary lifestyle.

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                  1. Unfortunately my kid is in a 1st grade class with only 15 minutes of recess. Fairfax County Public Schools outside of DC. We hate it, but enjoy the school besides this one downside.

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                     1. You are not too far from where I went to school… I was in Stafford County from 3rd grade to 12th grade.

                        My husband and I have been working with our daughter (who is just over 3 years old) since birth because I am determined to not let her fall behind/ become disinterested in school, like I was. She is very intelligent, loves to learn and can do a lot of things on this list already, but I fear that she will end up like me.

                  2. We are given 15 minutes recess daily for Pre-K, as well as kindergarten thru 5th grade. Starting in 6th grade and up they have zero recess.

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            2. Why so judgmental?

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            3. So, Cathy the Kindergarten teacher says that the K curriculum is so much more academic than it used to be, so Kindergarten teachers don’t have time to teach other skills. is the problem that parents aren’t doing their “job” or that we expect too much from 5 year olds?

               Screw high-stakes testing and academic kindergarten. it doesn’t make our kids smarter or better.

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               1. It doesn’t make them smarter or better….but the politician who knows absolutely nothing about early childhood education is going to tell you what your child needs to know so that we can ruin their childhood. CHILDHOOD SHOULD BE A JOURNEY…NOT A RACE!

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            4. What’s with the bullying? Kids don’t come with instruction booklets. Great that you’re on top of things, but not everyone is. Have some compassion. Not everyone HAS 20 minutes to spend with their child every day. Some work 2-3 jobs, some are single parents, some have NO support and leave before their child wakes and doesn’t get home until bedtime, leaving time for cuddling, not writing drills.

               What you model here, you model for your children. By being mean and judgmental here, you are setting that example for your kids. Is your child getting an A and then bullying the child who’s falling behind. LIfe is more than reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic.

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               1. Weird that the high paying jobs go to the people who are best at “reading, writing and ‘rithmetic.” Life is a race. Personally, I want my daughter to know what she has to do to win that race every time. And for those who don’t get to spend 20 min a day with their kids should probably take a closer look at the person they’re dumping their kid with for all that time. Good grief!

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                  1. Career-wise it’s great to know all that, but when you die no one cares how good at math you were. They care how you were as a person. Were you kind? Or mean and rude? That doesn’t get you ahead in life…

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                  2. If that were true, we teachers would be the highest paid.

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                  3. Honestly “MommyBean”….what a horrible comment. You’re completely unwilling to understand another persons situation. The world is not black and white. Be careful of being so uncaring. Your world could change tomorrow for all you know.

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                  4. Seriously Mammybean? I’ve seen plenty of extremely book smart people that don’t get paid as well as say….an artist, musician, actor or someone who plays sports. You’re completely misguided in your thinking and I really hope that your children are able to succeed in life despite your lack of common sense.

                     I mean…”there’s nothing wrong with pointing out that some parenting strategies are better than others.” Right? Maybe now you can “change what you’re doing so that you can do something that’s better for your child.” Good luck.

                     I guess I’ve pointed out that your parenting skills aren’t nearly as proficient as most. Because there’s nothing wrong with that…right? Maybe you can take this comment and become a better parent for it.

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            5. What’s with the bullying? Kids don’t come with instruction booklets. Great that you’re on top of things, but not everyone is. Have some compassion. Not everyone HAS 20 minutes to spend with their child every day. Some work 2-3 jobs, some are single parents, some have NO support and leave before their child wakes and doesn’t get home until bedtime, leaving time for cuddling, not writing drills.

               What you model here, you model for your children. By being mean and judgmental here, you are setting that example for your kids. Is your child getting an A and then bullying the child who’s falling behind? LIfe is more than reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic, you know. Be kind.

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               1. Why on earth would anyone have a child/children if they didn’t have 20 minutes to spare in his/her day?!
                  I give a lot of credit to parents who are forced to go it alone, and I know that life must be difficult, but I’m sure there are some kinds of assistance programs of which you could take advantage for the benefit of your child. Goodness gracious! Otherwise, what is the point of even being a parent?! I can’t imagine not having 20 minutes!!! Clearly, something’s gotta give, and it shouldn’t be your child.

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                  1. Really? Then maybe you should let us know what programs those are and how we can lose enough income to qualify and still be able to live!
                     My daughter raises two little ones. A gifted 7 yr old and a 4 yr old.
                     She works hard to have the money to NOT be on welfare.
                     Guess what? That makes her too rich to qualify for those programs!
                     In addition you should let us know where those programs are in our rural area! And how she is to AFFORD them also! Because if your NOT on welfare you must be rich?
                     Guess you have never had a partner walk out on you and the kids. You best count your blessings! She gets no help from a dad that left 3 yrs ago and hasn’t been heard from since. Or a government that told him he didn’t have to pay but $20/month because he could find women to live off of!
                     Thank the Goddess I am able to watch my grandbabies. But if I had to work they would be with cheap babysitters that only want to make money.
                     Some people need their attitudes checked! Seems they think they are better than others.

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                     1. You are right, everybody’s situation is different. When I agreed to have a child with my second husband I planned on being a stay at home Mom. I ended up being alone in a small town, raising four kids, working two jobs, with fibromyalgia, and sending them to babysitters who didn’t give a crap. Needless to say the time I was able to spend with my baby when she was little was minimal.

            6. Oh. My. Goodness. I am genuinely worried for any child whose parents don’t have twenty minutes a day to spend with their children a day. Aside from all the learning and education discussions, what about just loving on them? Seriously. Twenty minutes a day? I am saddened that anyone would even think that acceptable, normal, or possible. :(

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               1. I agree… 20 minutes is not even enough time in a day to spend with your child. Some people should rethink their priorities, yes bills have to be paid but I’d much rather give up some ‘extras’ & have time with my children then work work work & they never have time to see a parent who cares.

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            7. That’s pathetic that Kindergarteners don’t have but 15 minutes of recess each day! And we wonder why our kids are so fat! Maybe, just maybe, we’re trying to accomplish too much with the new curriculum. I know that the core content for middle school language arts is ridiculous, and I know because I teach it. All of the 5th graders graduate from elementary school totally unprepared for middle school, so we end up backtracking and reteaching what needed to be taught in elementary school but wasn’t. You can’t write a 5 paragraph essay if you can’t construct an effective sentence. We need to get back to teaching the basics in the elementary years so that the students have a strong foundation to buld on when they go into middle school. It’s amazing that students today are doing more and more in school and are having to do an abundance of high stakes testing, which their predecessors did not have, yet the students today are graduating from high school and they are dumber than the previous generations and they aren’t prepared for college. People need to wake up and realize that high stakes testing is not the answer! And fellow teachers need a reality check and must realize that it is their job to teach, not the parents’. Parents are there to reinforce what the teachers are teaching, but teachers went to school to specifically learn what skills to teach a child and how to teach these skills. It’s time to focus less on complaining about parents and collective bargaining rights and focus more on actually doing our jobs!

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               1. Could it be that same-age groups of children herded together in classrooms is not the way to teach small people at all? Don’t get me started about politics and school and teachers unions. I am a former public school teacher turned home-schooling Mom. Tooting my own horn here, but I was a great teacher and I did as much as I could for every young person in my class. But it was never enough. Look into the history of education. And please do not tell me how “lucky” I am to “be able” to stay to stay home with my children. It was a decision and we sacrifice a lot to do it on a $45,000 income for a family of 4.
                  I guess my tangent comes from reading all these comments by people bragging on their kids, teachers complaining about requirements, and parents feeling badly about their children not meeting certain standards. Guess what? The child who begins reading at age 8 will likely read equally as well as the one who began when he was 3. But when they are stuck in a classroom and teachers are pressured to meet “standards” and are trying to get information to 25 wiggly people who NEED to be outdoors getting dirty, the child who is not yet ready to read gets labeled as “delayed.” And that sticks.
                  By the way, my three-year-old is outdoors hunting for frogs and snakes right now. And he is head-to-toe filthy. He also loves nothing better than to cuddle up with me and have me read picture books and chapter books with him. Not going to mention whether or not he reads yet. :-) It doesn’t matter.

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                  1. Thank you for this. The current system doesn’t serve our children or teachers, and parents are pulled in so many directions. I will keep my children children as long as possible – no reason to break their natural love of learning with too much pressure.

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                  2. I LOVE it! I wish the list contained a section for: knows how to make a fort indoors and out, can catch fireflies and frogs-and let them go, can find the moon and the Big Dipper, knows how to roast a marshmallow without it catching fire, etc. Those are the things that give them something to write and talk about. I teach 3rd grade and specialize in science.

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         5. Most of those ideas can be learned through experience. Sit down at a restaurant and expect your child to sit too. Look over the menu together, count stuff, fold the napkins, teach him a nursery rhyme, read a short book. When the food comes have conversation etc. Nothing but being there and present. If your kid can’t sit through a meal with a few fun, learning distractions your kid will have a tough time in school.

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            1. Jennifer Rasmussen,
               I am a PreK teacher for the public school system, and I happen to be a single parent since my daughter was born a little over two years ago. I have no support from her father at all, and no family or help where I live other than childcare. Up until a few months ago, we had an hour and a half drive to get to work/daycare. I had very little time to sit down and directly work on these things with her. But guess what? She can do almost everything on that list. Why? Because even though we were “pressed for time” and I was/am exhausted, I spent time on these things. Use your time wisely to TALK to your children. In the car, discuss what you see. Cars, trucks, trees, houses, animals, etc. the list is never ending. Don’t wait until they can talk back to have meaningful and educational conversations with them. While grocery shopping, discuss the items…what they are called, used for, taste like, smell like, look like, color, etc etc etc. while getting dressed in the morning, talk about the clothes…the way they feel, smell, look, color of them. Let them help you with chores around the house and talk about it. Sing Nursery rhymes while they are brushing their teeth, changing their diaper/clothes, etc. Conversations can happen anywhere at anytime about anything!
               Don’t expect a child to sit down and be quiet because you’ve had a rough day or because you’re too tired. I’m amazed every year at how many students don’t get read to at home, and even some that tell me mom or dad says “no we will read a book another day”. Even if you don’t have money for books, read environmental print (food labels, road signs, things in the grocery store, blah blah blah)
               You don’t have to teach your child everything on this list, but at least give them a good base. And as far as kindergarten pushing kids too hard and expecting too much, that’s a load. Kids aren’t being overworked, they are just being expected to work to their full potential. There are so many more resources available to them than there was when we all were their age, take advantage! I have four year olds in my classroom reading books right now, not because I am pushing them too hard, but because I give them the opportunity to learn these things, and they learned at their pace.
               Do your best as a parent, and don’t blame it on not having time or energy. Teachers understand that each child is unique and their environment isn’t just like the kid beside them. Everyone learns at different paces and different styles. But it’s no excuse not to work with your child at home.

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               1. I definitely have to agree. I was a single mother to a toddler and an active duty service member. I worked 40 – 50 hours a week and I was still able to teach her basic life skills. I have worked plenty of “jobs” and worked different hours at jobs but as a parent my kids come first. That means that them learning come first. I think parents get lazy these days. Even if you want to lay down or rest or whatever you feel like doing involve your kids. My daughter and I would watch Dora together when I was exhausted and we would discuss things on the show. TV may not be the answer as a baby sitter but put on a TV show that entertains the kids but talk about it. Talk about EVERYTHING. My daughter learned so much by just being with me. We played cards, she would come in my room as I got ready in the morning and we would sing our ABC’s. If you put forth an effort as a parent your kids will pick these things up. Hire a tutor or a nanny that is a college student. If you look at the prices it may end up saving you money as well which means you can quit one of the three jobs you’re working and spend more time with your kids.

                  In my area I pay 1/3 the cost of daycare for a college (early childhood education major) girl to nanny my 3 kids. Plus when she goes to get a job she has experience with young kids…professionally.

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                  1. That’s what I did. I talked to my kids non stop in the car, grocery store, we’d sing the ABCs on the way to the stitters, talk about the colors on the food cans, talking about what was in the pizza we were eating when we went out for a treat. I remember the first letter my oldest daughter recognised. We pulled up to a stop sign and she pointed out the P. I didn’t have a lot of time with my kids but I was determined they were going to learn something.

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         6. Mary, now a days there is too much pressure on these little kindergartners. I think as long as they have been in a preschool setting and they understand: how to sit, how to sit in a circle, how to line up, how to socially play then that is a big start. The education part will come with time and patience. We are making kindergartners read on specific levels now and write proper short sentences. We are putting too much emphasis on little 5 year olds. These kids need to be working on fine motor skils and socialization skills. If so much pressure is on reading and writing in Kindergarten, where is our free play of socialization. People used to mock the coloring and playing and saying that is all that is done in kindergarten, but really that is a lot for development. We are going to have a society of people that do not know how to communicate, socialize, and “play” together appropriately if we keep on this path!!

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            1. I teacher Kindergarten. A lot of the things on that list are things I am trying to teach while teaching the curriculum because many of my students are not coming in knowing that. It makes it stressful for the student who is trying to learn everything listed above so they can also learn everything we have to learn by the end of the year. If most of these things are taught before walking into Kindergarten, your child will have less stress and feel much more successful!

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            2. Jennifer Rasmussen
               I apologize that entire comment was not directed towards just you, just the first part :)

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            3. This is a bit late, but when I was in kindergarten, I was reading and writing short stories. I do not feel that was pushing me or the other children too hard. We still had art and play time and learned to socialize with each other. Of course, maybe I was just lucky and was born in a time (80s) when parents actually interacted with their kids and helped them develop as they needed.

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            4. I agree with Erika H. I am a preschool teacher/Director, and have been for over 24 years. I have experienced the “many” changes in our preschool curriculum. Preschoolers need to learn the basics first, socializing, self help, motor skills, etc., first. Learning letters, numbers through play is incorporated in our curriculum, but some children are ready for printing and recognizing sight words. I think we are trying to push our children at an early age to do things they are not ready to do. Preschoolers need to be approached as individuals who are not all ready at the same time, and Kindergarten needs to set the time aside to work with children who were not developmentally ready to grasp all their letter and number recognition in preschool. I think we are already living in a society where people have difficulty communicating and socializing. It’s really sad.

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         7. Your child will be fine even if they don’t know these things. My daughter is almost finishing kindergarten. She didn’t know any of her alphabet (except her name, and even that, barely) and couldn’t count to 10…or probably even 5 when she started kindergarten!! And yet, she is doing great! I think it’s sad how much kindergarten is changing…pushing kids to grow up way too fast. Don’t let people make you feel bad.

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            1. I agree Kelly. My daughter couldn’t recognize any of her letters or numbers when she started kindergarten this year, could barely write her name, and now she is right on track. I worked with her and taught her what I could, but kindergarten used to be for teaching all of these things! I think parents need to quit the competition with each other. We get enough criticism from the rest of the world. Just because I couldn’t teach my daughter to recognize her ABCs or couldn’t AFFORD any preschool for her before she started kindergarten (headstart was ful, pre k programs at local elementary programs are few and far between, and before that my husband was stationed in Germany, so we lived there for 3 years) doesn’t mean I love her any less or that I am a bad mother.

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            2. I’m sorry I have to disagree, my son is speech delayed but yet between the age of 2 1/2 and 3 he was able to count 20 and knew his whole alphabet and the proper sound to go with each letter. He’s now 4 and about to attend kindergarten, speech is still not all there and goes to a special preschool who focuses on the speech but still he’s able to count to 60 and is able to spells up to 25 words (which they don’t teach in the school, just the list above). This not because I pushed him but it’s because I sat down with him talked to him, read books, did puzzles all to improve his speech and he turned around and took interest in learning not because I pushed him. He is more advanced then his friend who’s the same age without a speech delay. The earlier they learn the love of books and about 3/4 of this list the better in life they do.

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            3. in mo they have to know that stuff or they dont go to kinder. kinder isnt mandatory in mo. everything on this list seems to be fine and most kids under five should know this but the lists i have seen in mo, i think there are a few things that shouldnt be there for kinder.

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         8. What’s with all the negative comments in response to what Mary said? She didn’t say she wasn’t teaching her child, she said she didn’t know all of the things they were supposed to know by that time; which is obviously valid since this post is about a long list informing people of such things (if we all knew, which people seem to be implying to feel better about their parenting, then why the need for the list?). It could be that she was teaching and spending time with her child but not on all of the things on this list. My daughter, for example, does not know every last thing on this list, but there are a ton of other things I have taught her. So it’s not a matter of not paying attention to your kid, not caring, not trying, etc; it’s a matter of not having this guideline.

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            1. I understand where she was coming from, because I didn’t know all the things I needed to teach my daughter before kindergarten. I even asked a friend who was a kindergarten teacher (ended up being my daughter’s teacher, too), and she told me not to worry about it, that my daughter would be fine. She was.
               The only thing my 5 year old didn’t know 100% before kindergarten was the names of the letters. I kid you not. I was trying to teach her to read using a method where letter names were taught last and we never got to that point. She knew most of them anyway, but a few she struggled with at first.
               I think a lot of parents have thrown off their duty to be their child’s first and most important teacher (throughout their childhood and early adulthood) to the schools. This is a huge disservice to children. Part of being a parent is teaching. Actually, it’s the biggest part. Discipline is a form of teaching. Even just things like feeding a baby solid food is a form of teaching. You are always teaching your child whether you realize it or not, so in that case, when you are with them, might as well teach them things that will help them in school and the rest of life, too. If someone has time to read a blog, they have time to spend with their kids. That isn’t a judgement, it’s a fact.
               I agree that as a nation we are far too concerned with results, but none of the things on this list classify as “results”. In fact, they are very basic building blocks for things that will get kids through the rest of their lives.

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               1. Not everyone has the time for many reasons. Life throws you a lot of curves that have upsetting circumstances. The schools are expecting a lot from our five year olds and are expecting the parents to have done what used to be their job. Oh how I long for the good old days. When children were allowed to be children and not taught to be good Germans until 1st grade.

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         9. Mary, I was a parent long before I became a teacher. Don’t worry about a list of things your child should know. What you SHOULD be doing with your child is talking to them and with them everyday, playing with them, singing with them, reading to them. If you do these things most all of the other things will fall into place. Maybe the fault lies in the high schools. Instead of learning useless things, they should be teaching students life skills, such as cooking, cleaning, taking care of children, balancing a checkbook and healthy exercises. These are skills you will need for life, not some of the other classes they force you to take.

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         10. I completely agree with you. My daughter started K4 this week and I am finding out that I have not prepared her the best that I could have so now we will be working harder to catch up but thankfully my child is easy to teach and quick to learn.

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         11. Unfortunately, kindergarten has become very academic. It’s great for the kids that are ready for it, but it’s so developmentally inappropriate for those that are not. The list above is a pretty accurate one. As a kindergarten teacher there is so much disparity between the ability levels of the children who enter my classroom each year.
             It’s a misconception that every child should come to kindergarten with some school experience, although it helps with routines and such if kids have school experience what’s most import is that the child has some life experience! They’ve been taken places, they’ve been read to, they’ve had social interaction with other children, they’ve been allowed to explore with things like crayons, paint, pencils and scissors! I have seen plenty of kids walk through my door who have never been to preschool or day care and do just fine, but there are others who still can’t count to ten, recognize and name their letters or even write their name.
             So even though we are very capable of teaching them all these things and will willingly do so, a child who does not have these skills will be behind. It’s a sad reality of what kindergarten has become.

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         12. Agreed. My 5 yr old is basicly failing kindergarten because she cannot read by the 2nd month. All the other kids were in day care full time and count read and count at age 3. Very unfair that K doesnt teach the basics anymore

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             1. We do teach basics. But standards push for K students to read simples books one picture and one simple sentence per page by the end of the year. With that said if they come in doing this they are pushed to go further. The biggest push though will be going from k to first grade they expect kids to read ALL summer so they do not loose the skills. By the end of first they should read short chapter books!

                People that think school teacher should be the only ones teacher their child are the problem behind unsuccessful students in elementary grades. We can only do so much without families helping their kids. The BIGGEST help is reading EVERY night for 15-20 minutes while pointing to EACH word!

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         13. Coming from a preschool teacher I fully understand your position on kindergarten readiness. I will not be sending my children to preschool. It is not that I don’t believe in it, it is just that we (as a nation) are pushing our children too much too soon. Kindergarten used to basically be what preschool is now. I also agree that children should be learning these things on the list when in kindergarten. Unfortunately that is not the case in this current day and age. I’m sorry you experienced that negativity in the classroom setting. Just know that you child will be just fine and all kids even out by 6th grade any way!

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         14. My child will start kindegarten this fall..she will start at 4 and turn 5 shortly after school starts.
             I work full time as does my husband. During the week she attends daycare by the time I get her home, make dinner have baths etc..shes passed out. How am I expected to sit and do any kind of kindegarten prepardness with her when she’s lathargic from running around all day? They do some pre school curriculum at the daycare but I know she cant do all that is on the list. She had her kindergarten testing and according to that she is ready to start..she just wasnt the best balancer on one foot…really….who is and is that going to make you a good doctor some day? They will learn all they need to learn whether everything on this list is checked off or not…..we as parents will not beat ourselves up if the list is incomplete..it’s what we do going forward to help them succeed that will matter.

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         15. I feel like this is your job as the parent… when did the teachers become responsible for raising our children? This is why I am homeschooling/unschooling my child… I feel like we have become so detatched from our children… I love teachers and have the utmost respect for them… this lady is helping everyone by giving a great list.. my daughter is 2 and knows most of this from our “craft” time we do everyday or every other day… coloring will teach colors and helping with household chores helps with the rest… Also I am a ft working mother so everyone has time to do this… :) I understand it may be embarasing for you but this is your childs life not yours… it seems like your on the right site to learn what your child needs to prepare for and if your child is already in kindergarten I suppose you cam to this site all too late….

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      2. I agree, I am a teacher as well. My 5-year-old has been in day care since he was 6-weeks-old and now is in preschool. He knows all of that and we are now working on sight words and reading at home.

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         1. Good for you that your child has been taken care of by someone else since the age of 6 weeks. I am sure that what he learned there was much more beneficial than anything he could have learned at home being hugged and kissed by his mother and taking nature walks and having playdates and baking cookies. You are so right that learning all 71 of those things prior to kindergarten is of the utmost importance in the grand scheme of life and will certainly put them ahead of the game.

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            1. This is a very helpful list, both for my young daughter and the kids I provide daycare for. I do not pretend to be a pre-k teacher, but I do my best to encourage educational activities while the children are in my care.
               After reading many of the posts below, I think it is MOST important to remember that as women and mothers we need to do our best not to judge other moms but instead encourage and support.

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            2. Wow, that was incredibly rude. Some people don’t have the option of being home with their kids during the day, but still can hug and kiss them, take them on walks, have playdates, etc. Parents need to support each other, not tear each other down. : (

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            3. @Dana- That was obnoxious. My child spends his days in a wonderful daycare, so that I can work. I pay for everything he needs, and some of what he wants. I make nutritious meals, provide health insurance, and own our home. I also take him on nature walks, cook with him, and cuddle and kiss him. Will he accomplish all on this list before Kindergarten? I don’t know. But I appreciate that someone made it available to me. Now get over yourself.

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            4. Please tell me how a single mom of 2 kids without child support can stay home… With that said. THANK YOU for this list!

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               1. There are many things you can do to work from home. I am a single mom of 3, i have never recieved support or government help. I just started working from home 8months ago from home. Before then i made sure to spend the time I with my kids before and after work always doing things to help their minds develop and keep them having fun. I dont think it is the amount of tie you spend with your kids that counts but the way you take advantage of that time. Now i am pleased to say that i have 2 daughters both in the school for gifted girls, My youngest just turned 4 last week she will start early kindergarten this month and my 8yr old will start Advanced placement 5th grade. My son is 6 and will begin 2nd grade in our local private school .

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            5. A fact of importance……..It has been scientifically proven that children are more capable psychologically and developmentally of learning complex things then adults are. By the age of 12 your child’s brain stops growing and will begin to slow down. So it is more beneficial to instill the building blocks early and then continue to build and reinforce what they know.

               For those of you who feel children aren’t capable, you should probably do a little more research on the subject. They are in fact more capable of learning a new task than adults are!! You also need to learn to be supportive of all mother’s (parents) because some of them are not fortunate enough to stay at home with their children…..unless of course you want them living off of welfare, which a lot of people complain about too!

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               1. Children’s brains only grow to the age of 12!?

                  I’ve always been taught that brains grow up untill the late 20s. After that it gets harder to learn, not impossible.
                  Because if what you said would be true high school is useless right?

                  Where I come from the Kindergarten is for kids aged 4-5 yrs where they get to learn all of the above if they do not yet know it. Also 1st grade teachers here advice not to learn kids how to write (reading is ok, but not to write) because of the writing method used, which messes up their curriculum if they have to relearn it to kids, getting rid of the wrong way is harder than doing things the right way.

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            6. What’s with the bullying?

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            7. Dana that was hardly fair, some parents have to work and don’t get to stay home and play / teach their kids all day long. There are lots of things we can teach our kids with little effort. I didn’t realize that kids needed to know this stuff with my first child and she went to kindergarten way behind the other kids and it took her some time to catch up, my boys are a lot different, they are 4 & 2 and they have a better understanding of these 71 things. I don’t think we are putting too much pressure on pre-k and kindergarteners most kids crave knowledge, the questions are often overwhelming. The important thing is to parent to your best ability and not compare what you do to what someone else does.

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            8. Good for you Dana….you could afford to stay home with your child….I did all of those nurturing things after work and on weekends. My son had an excellent babysitter who helped as well…you see I was busy teaching Kindergarten at the time! He’s now a terrific 25 year old who never suffered at all. And…..God forbid….an only child!!!!

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            9. I agree Dana. Anyone can regurgitate basic knowledge. It takes life experience, creativity, and most importantly, the ability to think and figure out problems on their own to give a child the brightest possible future. So to be the best teacher/parent, become like a child yourself and ask them who/what/why/when/how everyday to help you overcome problems. Make your child a philosopher.

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            10. Dana, I love reading comments that I wish I had the courage to post myself. :-)

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            11. Dana–LOVE IT! cant agree w/ you more. Of course her kid is advanced with that kind of raising

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            12. Hey Dana,
                I think that all those things you mentioned are really wonderful and your children are very lucky to have had a mother who is able to do those things. Moms, come in all shapes and sizes just like kids and we all want to do the best for our children. No one is wrong. If you are in the situation where you can stay home and take car of your kids, that is excellent. If you have to work and pay someone else to take care of your little ones, that is also OK, as long as you trust completely the person who is looking after them.
                Don’t get offended by peoples choices. Sometimes it’s not a choice, it’s a necessity.

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      3. I totally agree with you. I work with a woman who has a child 2 months older than my son and he has been doing things her child doesn’t do yet or just started. She once told me that daycare is for those things and not her. I think that as a parent it is your job to teach your toddler everything you possibly can. They learn a lot in their first years. My son ( who is only 2) knows his colors, numbers ( to 10), quite a few shapes and all the letters in the alphabet. I am trying to teach lower case now. Right now he only knows Upper case. And he speaks, very clearly, full sentences. And he loves books. He isn’t in day care and I didn’t even do Your baby can read. I did it all myself, with the help of my parents(who are my day care.) I think if you don’t want to teach your child anything, you are just lazy.

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         1. I agree. I may not be the super mom for my son but how hard is it when you get them dressed to let them know what colors they are wearing. Or talk to them when you are doing something. His 2 1/4 and can interact with people, like when someone sneezes or knocks on a door he can say whos there? i personally dont believe in daycare with how people today are i just dont trust it. So its me all day everyday, dads deployed so besides my mom who works 12 hours i try my best cause his behavior is a reflection of me. Plus i was a full time student and got A and B. I think its mostly effort. And he draws faces, not good looking ones but slightly atomically correct circle face, hair, ears, neck, body, and a hand with an apple. I thought everything was a scribble until he explained it to me and i was so proud. All i can say for the list, i was 4 in preschool and remember addition and subtraction. Plus he wants to learn on his own. He went outside and learned to use my niece mini scooter. trys her bike and baby bikes. Kids are sponges, you just got to know what you put in front of them. Like when he watches tv i at least make sure it teaches something, like Dora or Diego, he loves trying to say the spanish words. And thanks Jamie you make me feel like i am not to far off, cause i do get tired and feel like i dont do enough for him.

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      4. As a middle school teacher, it makes me sad to see 6th graders coming into middle school not knowing how to write a paragraph. And it especially makes me sad when I hear Kindergarten teachers complaining that kids don’t previously know the information that they should be learning in Kindergarten.

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      5. Hi as a mom i a hard time trying to teach my daughter she very sure that she knows everything. but shes getting her letter mixed up and shes about to start school this year do you have a trick to get her to learn them with out seeming like i am telling her shes wrong?

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      6. What makes ME sad is that little children who should be playing and having fun are being taught as if they were in school already. What kind of society has this become? Children should learned how to read IN school/Kindergarten, yet I constantly see people teaching their kids reading before K. Flashcards with toddlers? 5 MONTHS olds in Preschool?? Doing HOMEWORK? Am I the only one who is appalled by this? Talking, reading, drawing and playing with them should be more than enough at that age. Of course you do “teach” things are they come up but there is so much time for kids to do formal learning, they only get to be little once. My son is in the first grade and I NEVER went out of my way to teach him. We went to the library every week, did art projects, read, went to the park. The vast majority of the things on this list can be learned just by interacting with your child. And reciting the alphabet? How is that a skill? You could teach any child to recite it and not know what the heck it means.

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         1. The United States is very far behind many other industrialized countries in reading scores. The country that scores the highest is Finland. Their secrets? They do not teach reading until a child is 6.5 years old. They have scheduled recess every day so that the children can run and play. They also have a shorter school day than we do. One more thing – teachers are respected as professionals, while in the US everyone feels that they know exactly what a teacher should be doing, and how they should be doing it. Stop pushing your children to read before they are ready. As for writing names, children need to go through 80 stages of scribbling before they can form letters. Their hands are not fully ossified until they are in the first grade or so. These are children to be enjoyed and loved – not the entrants in the “I Am A Better Mother Than You Are” contest!

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            1. Amen, Meg Ross. I want to be your friend.

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            2. coming from the US my self I completely agree. :) very well said.

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      7. My son was more than prepared. I worked with him and told him how well he did. His first teacher’s conference, I was so caught off guard. The teacher told me that my son told her that he did things well. She told me she had a conversation with him about the BIG I. Her brother called himself the BIG I and thought so much of himself. I nearly left the conference in tears. My son is now 31 and I still feel the sting. I wish I had been more bold and believe me, I have been holding this in for so many years and it still hurt. I wish I had stood up and told her to KISS MY ASS.. Believe me, I ma not usually disrespectful but that was so painful. She went to 2nd grade and my daughter was assigned to her class. I filled out a paper and said my daughter was to moved from her class. I had to give a reason. I wrote, “We had her once and we will NOT be having her again!” All his other teachers were very good! He is now a video game designer!

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         1. I honestly don’t even understand this comment. The teacher said your son was arrogant?

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      8. my nephew is going to have a hard time his first year of school he was premature and is almost 4 and is not speaking single words he still makes baby sounds

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      9. Mrs.P, thank you for your comment! You are right that preschool is not necessary. My children’s’ elementary school looks at me as if I am evil because my kids didn’t go to preschool. But they are shocked when my kids arrive and they are a head of the kids who did go to preschool. It really doesn’t even take much to teach a child at home.

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      10. Hi I am a homeschooling mother of a five year old boy. He turned five in Sept. so he still falls in the pre-k category. I homeschooled our five grown daughters and never had any trouble teaching them to recognize the letters of the alphabet or their sounds. For some reason we are getting no where with this but his understanding in all the other areas are great. I’ve heard boys and girls learn differently but I need any advice you may can give me that would help. Thanks in advance..

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      11. I am sure it is very helpful for you, but not all children are developmentally ready for what is included on this list.

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          1. agree!

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      12. The problem lies with the fact that parents are not doing any of the work prior to sending their students to Kindergarten. Yes it is possible for them to continue learning this skill in Kindergarten however it is not a requirement of Kindergarten Teachers to be teaching them this skill that is to be taught to them before coming to Kindergarten. The fact is that Kindergarten is no longer a pre-school setting it is Kindergarten and as a Kindergarten teacher we are required to be teaching so much more academic standards and not so much with skills that can be taught prior to coming to kindergarten, but teaching them skills that require thinking such as problem solving and solutions. Yes, tying your shoes is problem solving in a way but those skills should have been taught during pre-school, pre-k, and home settings. It’s very frustrating as a Kindergarten teacher as well as a mother of 6 children myself that it is believed by parents that we are to teach their children below basic skills when in reality they are to be taught yet not quite mastered by the time they get into kindergarten. As a parent I am required and it is my job to ensure that my children will be successful in school whether it be kindergarten or up. It is our jobs as parents to be teaching our children basic and below basic learning skills, such as tying shoes, using the restrooms, washing hands, etc… I have had to deal with students urinating and having bowel movements in my classroom due to the fact that students are so low leveled learners when they come in to me that they don’t know enough to communicate and let someone know that they need to use the bathroom. This is due to the lack of structure and the requirements of kindergarten to maintain structure for longer periods of their days. I could talk about all the things I have experienced as a Kindergarten teacher that have to do with what parents should be doing for their children before sending them to Kindergarten but don’t have nearly enough time nor energy. Parents just need to be parents and stop relying on the fact that they believe it is the teachers job to raise their children. We are educators not parents of your children and that is our job. Parents have jobs too and should take responsibility for some of the reasons why their student’s aren’t successful in school. I go way out of my to ensure that ALL my students are taught appropriate skills at the Kindergarten levels but when they come to me with no prior knowledge don’t expect the Kindergarten teacher to perform miracles and then say she/he isn’t doing their job.

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      13. If the children come to Kindergarten fully educated at this level, what would they be taught? I didn’t go crazy ‘home schooling’ either of my children prior to Kindergarten. I figured that was the teachers job. They were both honor roll students and both graduated. One went on to college. I felt having them socialized and more emotionally prepared for Kindergarten was more important.

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      14. Í think you are right my son is ready to go to kinder garden and I been working with him for it and as much as I will like to be ready he still is having a little hard time .. he is eager to learn but and I worry women times but I know the potential is there he wants school and I think working whit them at home help them be ready to all the new things they can learn and do for themself and give then confidence

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      15. There are number of articles and books in online to teach the children but most of books won’t get the full benefits for our child. When I had discussion with my professor he referred one of the book to my son and I read fully and I followed the technique now my son able to read and write within 2 years and 10 months old , Now I am very happy to share this guide to other parents
          Refer the guide from here here >> ( go2l.ink/guide )
          All the best.

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   2. @Oona, it really isn’t. I’m a pre-k teacher and I know we certainly hope that the children go out of pre-k knowing and being able to do all the things on that list and more.

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      1. but what of those parents who cant afford Pre-K? Yes sit at home and teach them yourself I get that…but when we work and go to school full time majority of our “free time” is on homework…Suggestions PLEASE.

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         1. Claire,

            There are often Pre-K programs set up for families who have financial difficulty, such as Head Start. It’s definitely worth looking into. As a kindergarten teacher, I fully support what many of the other teachers have posted. Even simply reading to your child and then having him or her tell you what happened in the story, having them color, counting, anything helps. It is often all too apparent which children come into class at the beginning of kindergarten and have not had enough time doing activities with adults in their lives. Many times, if a child comes in not knowing how to count or not knowing any letters, it’s a clear red flag that they’re already at risk of retention (being held back), even though they haven’t started kindergarten. Standards for kindergarten have increased dramatically and in many places, the children should be writing at least two complete sentences with a corresponding picture by the end of the year, not to mention many of the other skills they have to master. Try to have a maximum of thirty minutes in front of the tv or playing video games each day. There are short educational movies, such as the Letter Factory, which will help your child learn the letters and letter sounds. The rest of the time they should be playing outside, coloring, practicing cutting, writing letters, attempting to write their name, building with blocks, building shapes out of play-do, doing puzzles, etc. While some of these activities may not seem academic, they help build their curiosity, critical thinking, and develop their fine-motor skills (small muscle coordination, especially in their fingers). A lot of these activities they can do fairly independently, so while you’re doing things around the house, your child can be practicing these skills. Social skills are also critical in kindergarten, so set up play dates or other times when your child can interact with others. This is just a starter set of ideas, but just remember that time invested in your child now will positively impact him or her for the rest of his/her life. Your child is depending on you to provide them with the necessary skills in order to be successful in school. They can’t do it themselves!

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            1. Rachel,

               These are fantastic suggestions. I am logging them for when my baby is older. Right now he is 5 months old and we do things like tell him he is holding a green doggy, point to objects and say their names, and count through the song “The Ants Go Marching.” What we cannot seem to master is getting him to be still for even a short book. I have memorized a few of his books and recite them to him but it is not the same. He does (go figure) like to watch Jeopardy and my husband reads the clues out loud as well as the answers. Hubby reads the answers because we mute the tv so my baby can feed in relative quiet. But hubby reading from the tv is not the same thing (is it?). What could you suggest we do to interest him? I am of the school that it is never too young to start…

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            2. Megan,

               My son is 5, so I could just not be remembering correctly, but at 5 months I don’t know that you should be concerned. I would often read to my son at night when I was rocking him. At 5 months I think it’s more about the time you spend with them and make them feel loved. I remember reading to him at night was one of my favorite things to do. It was my quiet alone time with him. Night time is probably just better since he/she is probably relaxed and will be still for a longer period and most likely will fall asleep to your voice. Enjoy this time, they get big so fast!!

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            3. Megan,

               I’m glad you found some ideas that you will be able to use with your son! I agree that it’s never too early to get kids started on learning. At 5 months, one of the best things you can do for your son is to just to talk to him about whatever is going on around him! He will learn so much just by listening to you. Sitting for books can be difficult for babies, but he’s right around the age where he should be getting interested in listening to short books. There are many board or cloth books available for little ones that have things that they can touch and feel (fuzzy sheep or bumpy snake skin, etc.). Other books have flaps that they can lift, which will likely keep him more entertained. Try something simple, like Goodnight Moon and look for simple books with bright colors and shapes. Reading before you put him to bed is an excellent idea. It will help get him into the pattern of knowing he will have a short story read to him and then it’s time to sleep. Reading is also a very calming activity. He’s still little, so don’t expect too much of him, but you’re definitely on the right track. I know his future kindergarten teacher will thank you! :)

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         2. Make games out of learning basics. Get flash cards and write simple flash cards on them.. You can make up your own game, or what I did, was put masking tape on the backs, and put them word out in a big square on an empty wall area. I told Jacob what the words were, (there were only like 10 or 15 at first) and then asked him to go pick me out certain words from the wall.. Even if you’re crunched for time, when you DO play or see your kiddos, make it educational and fun.

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         3. My husband and I both work full-time. He is a student and we have a 5 month old baby. We also cannot afford most Pre-K programs but make too much to qualify for Head Start. As an alternative, we have our son in a “pre-k” program through our local park district. It is very inexpensive! On the downside, I do not feel that all of his needs are met through this program. He is learning the very important basics of interaction with his fellow students and with his teacher. They aren’t really teaching him much he didn’t already know, but I figure it is good reinforcement for him and he needs the time out of the house to just be a kid. All in all, it is definitely worth the minimal charge. We just try to continue what he is doing at school into our daily activities at home. One thing that works for us is putting him at the table with tracing sheet (printed a bunch off of the internet for free) and having him do his “homework” while daddy is also doing homework. We also take full advantage of what little free time we have–going to the park, library, children’s museum, botanical gardens, etc. Hope this helps…hang it in there!! It will be worth it in the end!!!!

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            1. Rhiannon, what you do with the worksheets is awesome. A friend of mine was complaining to me that her son’s teacher sends home way too many worksheets and they just go right in the garbage. She has no idea she should be looking over his work and going over it with him. It’s very sad for the child, and she wonders why he has a hard time in school. It’s because at home he is sitting in front of video games and the TV. So so sad.

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         4. Claire,
            First of all you are being an example of learning to your child! Way to go! Going to school yourself is such an example to children of why school is important. Pre K is expensive. Its worth it. If you can’t afford it look into subsidized programs. They exist and are very well run in most cases. I love letting my daughter play on the computer some http://www.starfall.com is the best! They now have more.starfall.com for about 35 dollars a year. It is a worthwhile investment. Your child gets some basic skills like letters, numbers etc plus the added bonus of learning computer skills. Add colors and numbers into your routine. i.e. how many apple slices do you want? 3 okay count to 3 with me. Do you want to wear the blue shirt or the red shirt? A thing a lot of parents don’t realize is that if you read aloud to them and have literature in the home they are already so far ahead! Most of all (this is something I wish I had realized as a working mom) don’t spend your time you do have with them feeling guilty. You have to work and go to school to support your family. I spent a lot of my time feeling bad for what I WASN’T doing and didn’t realize what I WAS doing.

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            1. Oh my goodness…we LOVE Starfall. My son was a crier. He cried all the time…except when something was moving and singing on a screen. We have been doing starfall since my son was a little less than two…and by 24 months, he was both identifying uppercase and lowercase, but he also had learned what each of the letters ‘said’ AND he can identify what letter words start with…He is now 3 (in two days) and he is sounding out words and recognizes alot of sight words…Starfall sets an awesome foundation!! He is using it to count and learn math now…its a great tool… (I sit with him while he does it but I encourage him to learn it, instead of giving him the answers…) Well worth the money for us…

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         5. Claire,
            read with your child each night or at least 5 nights per week. Turn off the radio in the car and talk about the things you see outside while you drive. Turn off the TV and spend 10 mins playing with them. Fix them a cabinet they can safely play in while you work in the kitchen so you can talk to them, sing to them. Bath time is a great time to sing silly songs and talk with your child. You would be suprised what that will do for them. Say things like now we are going to fill up the bath tub, now lets check the water, etc.
            Just remember people used to get their kids ready for life and school with no TV etc. My grandmother’s parents worked a share croppers farm picking cotton and she went to school then to college. You can do it! Believe in you and your kiddo!!!

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            1. Gloria!! You are so right about turning off all the visual bombardment that these hypnotising web site’s that cater to preschoolers have!! In the classroom, the teacher will not be dancing, singing, flashing lights or juggling! Teach your child to listen to your voice, to sit and put a puzzle together with you, count a group of plastic animalsm sort coins.. the list is endless…but it is interaction with a human being and not a computer!!!

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         6. it is very possible, I raised 5 children and went to college full time for 7 years to finish my teaching degree at the age of 35. yes we are busy people that don’t give us an excuse to not raise and teach our own children.

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   3. I was really surprised to see the long list of things. As someone else said, what about not being able to afford daycare?? My son is pretty smart for not being in a daycare. We also got him a pre K book to work on here at home but there is alot that he has not learned yet. Ughh. Also like someone else said, they should be learning some of this stuff in school. There really is no point to send them to pre K then if they have to know all that stuff before going?? Right??

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      1. Did you read the list. most of the things on the list are basic social skills.

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      2. Pre-K is wonderful! It gets them ready and in the “school rountine”. I helps to get them adjusted to what school is really about!

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         1. I was referring to Tisha’s comment about “There really is no point to send them to pre K then if they have to know all that stuff before going”

            And I think sending them to Pre-K is wonderful!! As a K teacher I can really tell a difference in the kids that go to Pre-K (or a structured daycare center) and the kids that have not. They seem to understand the school routine better

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   4. I’m really appalled at the amount of people posting who just don’t get the point of the article: spend time with your young children and engage them! Both of my parents worked full time when I was young but they made sure my care takers/family/nanny/pre-school/what have you, were teaching me these things when my parents weren’t watching me. I’m 23 and I don’t have a child, I’m not expecting, but I will say that when I do have a child I’ll be damned if they can’t write their own name or identify shapes by the age of five. 71 things in five years isn’t a lot, people. Quit making excuses about daycare. You can teach your children these things on your own and quite frankly I believe that as a parent, you should. It isn’t a daycare’s responsibility.
      If you think about it, 5 years is 1,825 days. Divide that by 71 things to teach them and that gives you about a month to go over just ONE concept with your child. That’s not even taking into account that children learn multiple skills by doing just one activity.

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      1. Exactly! My son is 2 1/2 and can do many of these things. Like someone else said, even just reading to them at night will help them a lot. I did this when I was working and in school. It’s not that hard, I promise.

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         1. Agree! This list seems very easy. My son is not even 3 1/2 and most everything on the list…he is starting to work on the fine moter stills things (writing his name on his own, etc). It is amazing how much little ones learn!

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      2. Casey is right. You don’t need day care or even preschool to teach your children these things, all you have to do is spend the time that you have interacting with them and teaching them about life as they live it. I worked full time and went to school full time with two small children and both of my girls knew most of the things on this list at 3 years old, and the rest at 4. We would spend the time driving in the car together singing ABC’s, counting, recognizing colors and shapes and playing games like I spy. My kids also watch educational programs like Word World and Super Why that I feel gave them a head start with sight words and spelling, so I don’t think TV is bad in moderation, but if you use even TV time wisely, and read at least a book a day to your child, you will be on the right track. Children are capable of so much more than you think, and Kindergarden will be more demanding than you expect. I am 31 years old, and I volunteer in my daughter’s kindergarden class every week. Those kids are learning things that I know I didn’t learn until 2nd or 3rd grade. So don’t let yourself be surprised when you walk into that Kindergarden class room for the first time. Educate your self now, so you can be a part of your child’s education. Parent involvement makes the difference!

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      3. Thank You! Parent involvement is HUGE and I am seeing that a lot of parents dont care enough to make that kind of time. But by God those kids can work an Iphone/Itouch better then they can hold a pencil or crayon.

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      4. Thank you

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   5. With Common Core coming I advise your child know more than that..sad but true. By the end of kindergarten (starting in 2014) they need to be able to count to 100..Kindergarten is the new first grade.

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      1. I thought that was already the standard. I guess if i put my son in Public school He would be in good shape. LOL!

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      2. Absolutely true thank you for knowing and understanding Common Core requirements. Wished all parents would educate themselves on common core.

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   6. My two year old, who is almost 3, can do most of those things and has never spent a day in daycare or preschool. My 4 year old, is way beyond most of the requirements and had at least mastered the rest. If you spend time with your children reading to them and teaching them then none of those things should be an issue.

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   7. I think this is a long list…but a lot of these things my kid already knows or has known for a long while and has exceeded. He will be five the end of this month.

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   8. As a kindergarten teacher, this list is just the beginning. It makes me sad to see children coming into kindergarten unprepared and struggle to catch up. Some students come in unable to hold a pencil or form letters, while others know all of their letters and many letter sounds.
      Parents need to be more aware of the forever changing expectations for our students in all grade levels. A lot of this information can easily be found through searching on the internet. The majority of the states have adopted the same standards, known as the Common Core Standards. This is a link to the website: http://www.corestandards.org/
      You can see which states have adopted and which states have not. In the near future, it will most likely be all states as we try to align standards so that all students are equally prepared.
      As a teacher, I try to help my parents understand that school is nothing like it was when we were in school. Please look and see what children are expected to know by the end kindergarten as well as other grade levels. At times, it is still unbelievable to me but if they are prepared and are willing to work hard they can exceed these expectations.

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      1. Common Core is a nightmare and should be tossed out of the system

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   9. I agree! Let me guess, students who don’t fit this mold will have teachers who tell their parents there must be something mentally/medically wrong with them and they must be put on medication. Kids learn at different rates and the way Kindergarten is set up these days is sickening! Sure, many students may have out grown nap time, but there are also many who probably have not. This lack of sleep and time to turn off their brain can cause over stimulation and lead to the child having symptoms like ADD/ADHD. It is time we stop acting like children are not independent people who have their own personalities, needs and development, when they most definitely are!

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   10. I’m so glad my little sis is ready!!!! I’ve been teaching her since she was like 3 about to be 4 !! Hope she remembers all of it!!

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   11. Putting on and tying their shoes. Buttoning, zipping, and snapping their clothes is also very important. As a teacher, I think children attending pre-school for atleast one year is a must! They need to start developing their social skills before Kindergarten. Play dates a couple of hours a week or a weekly visit to a play area is NOT sufficient enough.

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   12. My 3 year old can do all of these. I think this is not too much to ask of a kindergartner. If this is too much for a 5 year old, then maybe we need to look at the parenting skills and make improvements there.

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   13. I disagree with some of what was said. We DO NOT expect that children will know all of their letters before arrival to Kindergarten. What are we saying if we talk about “pre-requisites” to the beginning of school. Many immigrant students do not even have command of the English language. By posting this in such a way that parents believe their children need to have these skills before entering we put parents and then consequentially, the children under stress. Perhaps we should look at what environments Kindergarten classrooms should provide to support growth in these areas. Are the Kindergarten students ready for school or rather are the Kindergarten classrooms ready for the students? Schools need to create places that include all students regardless of their home lives or their”pre-readiness” skills – a place where we promote -“emergent literacy opportunities” – viewing each child as whole and capable beings rather than people with below level achievement skills upon arrival.

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       1. Janice, as a fourth grade teacher, I appreciate your comments regarding Kinders. We cannot guarantee that each student has the necessary skills for success, but our job is to create learning environments in the classroom and to support the parents in their role as their child’s first “teacher.”

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   14. I do too!!! my boy is five I do read and write and count with him. He knows right from wrong and knows how to listen and sing his ABC’s right. and that should be good enough

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   15. My son just started Kindergarten, that being said I’m a little confused as to what purpose Kindergarten is for? If my child knows how to do everything on this list (our Kindergarten wants him to read 15 minutes only each day!) what WILL he learn??? I guess teachers don not teach anymore and are just qualified to give tests. That being said if I’m to be completely responsible for my child’s education why bother sending him to school?

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       1. As a former teacher and now a parent, I humbly urge you to reconsider your attitude towards teachers. Teachers go through extensive training (many have their Master’s degrees in addition to the required Bachelor’s degree) and have to keep up with the professional development required by each state to keep up their licensure. Although there may be a few bad apples here and there, most teachers are very hard working professionals who care DEEPLY for the children they teach and work their rear ends off. Like it or not, expectations and standards are changing…and that certainly isn’t the teacher’s fault. Kindergarten has become much more like what first grade used to be. The truth is: kids who come in without the “basics” (letters, sounds, numbers, etc) will have a hard time catching up with the fast pace of kindergarten.

          And yes, I believe that we, as parents, must take more responsibility for our child’s education and work hand-in-hand with the school to help our children succeed. It’s not just the schools job, it is ultimately ours.

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   16. When you list it all out it does sound like a lot. But when you really think about them they are just the developmental milestones they should be crossing anyway. Some kids will havet hem all down and others will only have some but close to having the rest.

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   17. I really think it depends on the child. Every child learn at their own speed. Do not feel like you are a bad parent if you are doing all that you can to help your child. They all have things that draw their attention. Weather that is reading, the moon, playing dress up, dancing, or playing with Lego. They are learning and that is what is important. Yes it is great if they have all of these things when they get to Kindergarten but some kids simply will not. They have no interest in learning them or have a difficult time learning them. My son went to a very expensive college day care and is very smart, did a lot of these things at a very young age but still had problems learning some areas. As a teacher you should not be judging these parents. You do not know what they have tried to do for their child! I do not feel it is appropriate. Just because a child does not have it going into kindergarten does not mean they will not get it. It all clicks at different speeds for children.

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   18. As a current kindergarten teacher that list is correct. Kindergarten students are now learning to add and subtract before Christmas break. They are also learning approximately 70 – 90 sight words and expected to write complete simple sentences correctly without help. By May they need to generate 8 word sentences and 5 sentence paragraphs on topic. Kindergarten is not what it used to be.

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   19. Not really!!
       My just turned 3 year old (April 18) can do all of this, knows sight words and can write her name!

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   20. My daughter learned all these things in Pre-K at four years old. They are suppose to be able to read 105 sight words in Kindergarten. She has learned 50 of them in Pre-K. I’m suppose to work on the rest during the summer break. I thought this was a lot for my child to learn but she is keeping up and doing well. I’m not sure how well Kindergarten will be. I think she will be bored. Kindergarten is going to be a repeat of what they already learned in Pre-K.

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   21. I see some people saying that this is a lot. It’s not a lot. These are basic skills that should be learned through play and interaction with your children. Every moment has the potential to be a learning experience, and to not take that time, you are missing out on the most wonderful moments of your child’s childhood. It’s not just them who loses by you not reading to them, counting with them, talking about shapes and colors, or even just singing a song. You lose too. I’m a full time teacher, and I know that when I tell my child that I am “too busy grading” to spend time with him, I get the blunt end of the sword. I have to force myself to stop, rethink, and make the time… even if it makes my next day that much harder. We bring them into the world… we take on the responsibility of their first teacher… as well as doctor, chef, cheuffer, (the list goes on). Again… it’s not a lot… just spend time with your children and it will all fall into place.

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   22. It is not a lot for a kindergartener to know. It is really just basic. If you are sharing the world with your child, talking with them about the world around them and reading to them daily this is really an easy list for them to master. Kids are sponges we got to present them with good stuff to soak in.

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   23. This seems like a lot, but it’s really not. In Kindergarten, teachers would like to move forward into “Sight words” and “Phonics” territory, and in order to get there, they expect parents to have worked with their children at home even a little bit. The faster they can get these basic steps down, the faster your child will pick things up. And trust me, my Daughter is BORED in school now because she and half of the class are waiting on the other half of the class to learn the alphabet. The alphabet! Are you kidding me?

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   24. This is what’s expected for todays kindergarteners. Parents are a child’s first teachers. You have them 24/7 for 5 years before they enter kindergarten, have them prepared.

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   25. Me to my little sister is 3 years old and I really want to help her so when she goes to school she understand what the teacher is teaching about and I am jus 11 years old

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   26. if you put into consideration that they have approximately 8 months to learn it whilst in pre-k it isn’t. if you’re doing the teaching on your own it can be exhausting. Also remember that they don’t have to know it all but yes a lot of it. (:

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   27. I’m not sure I agree with the heading: “things to know” refers to declarative knowledge but most things on the list are procedural knowledge. To my mind, I’d prefer “your child needs to be able to do”.

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2. I think that’s a lot for a kindergartner! That sounds to me like the end of kindergarten….

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   1. I didn’t make it up! I took it straight out of the Pre-K assessment back when I was student teaching (in 2005).

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      1. A pre-assessment does not mean that all students will have those skills upon arrival. The screening process is to inform teachers on where students are and to move them forward throughout the year. Again I have to stress the importance of not stressing parents and students in not being “ready” for Kindergarten. We know now that children’s social and cultural contexts are huge factors in growth and development. Students who come to school with little or no English will not fair well on these types of screening. Does that mean they should NOT come to school? We must begin to look at creating spaces for children that honor their abilities and encourage individual growth along the continuum of learning.

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   2. Speaking as a first grade teacher in California, I can tell you that Kinder students are now expected to be reading 25-30 sight words, short vowel words, writing sentences, adding with and without objects, counting and writing numbers to 30 (though most work on counting to 100) among other standards. The only things I wish students had more time for was cutting, gluing, and playing. Our students lack the fine motor skills and gross motor skills needed because they don’t have the time to really develop them.

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      1. Whaaaat! 25-30 Sight words? Is that a STATE requirement, or is that a “my school made up this requirement because they want to be NUMBER one! ” that is RIDICULOUS! Children are 5, 5!! That is completely developmentally appropriate.

         And yet they can’t put on shoes (fine motor) or play outside (social, emotional, Gross Motor)

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         1. I know of a 4 year old that can read the entire English alphabet, SIGN the English alphabet and read the entire Hiragana alphabet (one of the two alphabets in Japanese consisting of over 35 characters). He reads like the Average American first grader is expected to read. I don’t think having high expectations for the intelligence of your child is ridiculous, and you would be shocked at what can be “developmentally appropriate” depending on your family and the culture in which you live.

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         2. I have twin boys in kindergarten here in Georgia. They are expected to know 40 sight words, have weekly spelling tests, can tell time, and are expected to be able to write a five sentence paragraph. This is a pretty common National requirement.

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         3. Yup, that is what Chicago public schools expects you to know coming in to kindergarten, sight words out the wazoo. And that is why we removed our kids from Chicago Public Schools and put them in a private school where the ideal requirements were more along the lines of those in the original post. Kindergarteners in most public schools are now expected to do what is developmentally appropriate for mid year first graders, get a young kindergartener in there and it’s a recipe for disaster.

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         4. As a kindergarten teacher, this original list is totally appropriate for students coming into kindergarten. Of course, not all students will have mastered all of these skills, but they should have a good start on them. Knowing these skills does prepare them well for what they will learn in kindergarten. By the END of kindergarten, our students are expected to identify all upper and lower case letters, tell all the letter sounds (including long and short vowels), count to 100, write all numbers up to 30, read at least 60 sight words, identify first sounds in words, segment short words into individual sounds, identify and create 5 pattern types, and read simple sentences (using sight words). They also need to be able to “sound out” consonant-vowel-consonant words and write 5 sentences that are all related to the same topic (using a picture). This is why students need to come in knowing the stuff on the list. If they don’t, they’ll struggle. Also, as stated above in many posts, the list is not that difficult. Simply spending time with your child and reading one story to them a day is SUPER helpful. These skills will help your child in the future and give them a good knowledge base to build upon. If your child starts school already behind, then they will never enjoy school because it will be a constant struggle for them. Never underestimate what your child can do and is capable of; they will surprise you!

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         5. Jacqueline- it’s true- most reading basal programs have sight words as part of their curriculum. We use Scott Foresman Reading Street at our school and there are 40 sight words for Kindergarten. My first year, I was like- Are you kidding??!! But it really is possible and the kids feel pretty awesome about themselves when they learn those words.

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            1. Not only that but it steam rolls and they get really excited about reading and realizing that they can read those sight words they want to learn more.

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         6. I’m a Kindergarten teach and a parent. I teach in a private school and our school uses the A Beka curriculum. My students are reading long and short vowel words, know between 60 and 75 sight words, know several special sounds (i.e. “ch”, “sh”, etc.), can count to 100, add up to 10, know all shapes and colors, have learned how many oceans and continents are in the world, and have worked on fine motor skills (i.e. cutting). They also learn to write in cursive. As a teacher, I am very proud of the progress that my students make each year. It’s amazing what a child can learn when you are willing to work with them and their parents are involved. Most of the parents are working parents and still MAKE time to work with their children.

            My son is 4 and is doing many of the things listed above. He loves to learn and asks questions about everything. Just by answering his questions I am able to teach him. His vocabulary is amazing (using words like inappropriate and necessary) and his reading is coming along nicely. We started reading to him when he was still in the womb and have never stopped. Even if we are very busy, which happens often with our schedules, we read at least 2 books before we put him to bed. He does not have a video game and we do not have cable. During the week, he is restricted to 2 hours of videos (for the whole week) and the videos he watches must be educational. I find that his imagination benefits from these standards although it might be easier to put him in front of a TV sometimes. I wish people would realize that, when you have children, you have to be ready to sacrifice what you want and your personal time for their benefit. We aren’t perfect, by any means, we just want what is best for him and are willing to MAKE the time to help him.

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         7. When my son was in public school kinder, (2004) the kids had to be able to read 30 words a minute by the end of the school year. That was in Texas . 25-30 sight words is very attainable for any child in kinder.

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         8. This is a state requirement for many states! Kindergarten isn’t what it used to be. It’s more like 1st grade

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      2. I’m a Kindergarten teacher in GA and we’re teaching our students a list of 100 sight words. The GA standard says that when leaving Kindergarten the student is expected to read at a rate of 30 words per minute,. Here is a full list of GA standards for Kindergarten (on reading and language arts). https://www.georgiastandards.org/standards/Georgia%20Performance%20Standards/Kindergarten-GPS.pdf As the other teachers have said, this list is what we expect students to come in with. As others said, most of the things on that list can come from simply spending high-quality time with your child.

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   3. It sounds like a lot, but in reality kids are already learning a lot of these things day by day. With just short amounts of working on things daily, a kid can be caught up to all of these easily.

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   4. When you think about it kindergarten used to be only half day and most of that was play time. Now our kindergartners are expected to complete worksheets etc. I think this article is spot on.

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   5. how can you possibly think that this list is what is expected after kindergarten are you serious. These are all basic things that children learn through play and reading my children learned their colors through reading the book brown bear brown bear what do you see. They learn counting by books like 10 red apples or by singing songs. Hand a child a piece of paper and some paper and they will cut it into tiny pieces and spend forever doing and will soon learn how to hold scissors. Give children some paper, glue and maybe some tape and they will turn it into a masterpiece and over time will realize how much glue to use when gluing something. Sound out words when reading and read ABC books and they will learn the sounds. All of this can be learned by PLAYING with your child and they will love it. Give them a bucket of water and a pile of toys and soon they will now all about things that float and what sink. Get your children away from the tv and they will learn.

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      1. Brandi-

         This is the list of what is expected of incoming Kindergarten students, not a kiddo heading to first grade.

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   6. This list is actually perfect. I am a kindergarten teacher in Tennessee and we follow the new Common Core standards. It is almost IMPOSSIBLE to teach the basics plus the required standards. My students must know 75 sight words, write at least three consecutive sentences, and read on a Fountas and Pinnell level C book before they can move on to First Grade!

      Thanks for the list I will be passing it out at pre registration this year!!

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      1. I agree with you, Dana! I teach kindergarten in Washington and we expect all of these things from our kiddos coming into K. Without the prior knowledge, children can have a difficult transition into K. This is a good list to hand out to families at Round-Up. My team and I created one that is helpful for parents, but I feel this list is that much more in-depth.

         Thank you to the author for this post!

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      2. Same here, Laurie. I’m a K teacher in Indiana and we are also following the Common Core Standards. I will be giving a list to parents that is very similar to this at our K screening meeting.

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   7. As a kindergarten teacher, I can tell you that this list is very accurate for what most students come into kindergarten knowing. Our students are expected to learn 40 sight words plus their color and number words. They are also introduced to about 30 more extension words that most of them master with little difficulty. They must count to 100, identify their numbers to 31, measure using paper clips, add and subtract using objects or pictures, tell time to the hour, name coins and their values, complete a simple graph, retell a story, make personal connections to a story, identify the beginning and ending letters of words, and much more. Kindergarten is no joke! This is not the fun, playtime kindergarten that we all experienced as kids!

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   8. These are the same skills I had learned at the end of Pre-School in 1968. These skills are not too much!

      It all comes down to parents taking responsibiblty for their children. These are the minimal necessities. Any child who comes to Kindergarten without these skills is at a huge disadvantage. They have to be reading and writing at the end of Kindergarten. This is the reality! I have been an educator for 25 years working with Pre-K through 5th grade.
      Parneting is our 1st responsibility. Schools are for not a substitution for parenting.

      PS…. Don’t send your child to school without being able to write their own name.

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      1. My kid is starting preschool in the fall and she doesn’t know how to write her name. I’m feeling pretty okay with that. She will learn how to do it WHEN SHE IS READY.

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   9. Your child will enter Kindergarten functioning BELOW grade level from day one if your child does not know these skills. Then the entire year is spent trying to “catch up” with the others, which rarely happens.When children in Alabama enter the First grade, they are expected to be reading and reading fairly well, not just “sounding out” the words. Some children enter public school and don’t even know their full name…they just know a nickname! They cannot take care of bathrooming needs, cannot recognize and name even one color, and are unable to hold a pencil. We have even had non-verbal children come to school who do not speak! Many parents think if their child can “sing” the ABC song then they know their letters! I am a retired Kindergarten teacher of 33 yrs.

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3. Thinking it’s right on! Things are mover faster at school than ever. I think sight words should be on the list for Pre-K. Most kids are reading level 1 books before they start Kinder.

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   1. The list listed is right on and are all prek standards that we expect our students to be able to do when they leave prek. I teach Pre-k in a school system and our school doesn’t want us to teach sight words in Prek. However, instead of sight words, students need to know sounds and be able to decode words as well as nonsense words. Being successful with decoding leads to phonetic success and to actually being able to read through sounding out instead of being a sight word reader.

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      1. I agree that sight words are not necessary for Pre-K students. It is much more beneficial for children to have phonemic awareness so that they have the ability to decode words. Great list!

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         1. It is true that they need phonemic awareness, but I think we have drastically changed the term of sight word from words that cannot be sound out phonemically (which is why they just need to be memorized) to common words – words we see a lot. While it is important for kids to have those memorized, I feel like that just comes with natural reading practice. Sight words that cannot be sound out phonemically should be worked on more. Words like some.
            And honestly, I think we rely too much on listed sight words. While many of those words are important, we should also remember that sight words should be common words they see a lot… like the names of the other students.

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         2. Agreed!

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   2. While many children are capable of knowing many site words before Kindergarten, I don’t think it should be on a list of *need to know*. Many countries (with very high literacy rates) leave formal literacy teaching until children are 6 or 7 and focus more on skills such as learning initial letter sounds, rhyming, and fun with language. I think it would give the wrong focus to expect children to come into Kindergarten knowing site words already.

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      1. BRAVO!
         As a home schooling mom of 4, there is far too much emphasis on academics at early age. People forget that early reading is NOT a predictor of success.

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      2. Absolutely! If I remember right, Finland is #1 for reading. They begin formal reading instruction at age 7. Though it seems late to us, the children are absolutely solid and ready to read by the time that happens. I really like their approach.

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         1. The thing is, Finnish is a language that is easier to learn to read than English. Why? Because it’s not entirely made of loanwords and has a pretty consistent phonemic structure. English has five major languages/language groups from which the majority of words are borrowed; however, there are many, many, many other words that are also borrowed from languages other than those five languages. Knowing how to read and pronounce words from Greek etymological origins is not going to help knowing how to read and pronounce words from Romance origins, Germanic origins or Sanskrit origins, all of which happen to show up very commonly in English.

            Finland also spends a lot of time and money recruiting teachers who are at the top educational levels and pays them well to be great educators. Comparatively, the United States is pretty good at not giving teachers decent wages, encouraging the top academic performers to become teachers, and providing an environment in which teachers are rewarded for doing a good job instead of being threatened with unemployment based on high-stakes testing. This is not an apples to apples situation.

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      3. My child is freaking brilliant. He is two and recognizes the alphabet, can sound them all out, and can do them in sign language. He can count. He is learning the words “add” and “subtract.” I have no idea how he learned all these things to the level of proficiency he has. I guess his daycare helps him with somethings and we play games with other things. That being said, I would much rather spend my time letting him play and be a kid. He thinks learning is fun, so we play it as a game. If my daughter thinks learning is icky, then we won’t push it.

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         1. I guess the whole point though is that a child is learning all the time, they are intrinsically motivated to learn. It is us adults that make the mistake of making learning a chore by pushing inappropriate activities on them & sucking the fun out of discovery.

            At a young age they learn best through play. Because of this we need to think about the activities we present to them & how we present it. There is more to learn than just the academics- far more complex things that require more practice and thought. Such as human interaction & emotional intelligence. For some reason people get hung up on reading & writing and feel like it is the most important thing they can “teach” their child. We don’t even need to sit children at a table to teach them about letters & numbers, they are surrounded by them: “Can you go and get me two apples please? One for each hand?” “Oh look at that sign, it has the same letter as your name” There are informal and relevant opportunities to help children make sense of the world around them every day, with context and as things capture their interest. Capitalising on teachable moments, rather than interrupting their play to “teach” them something.

            They don’t need flash cards, or worksheets or ‘Teach your baby to read’ ever, let alone at a preschool age.

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            1. I guess what I would like people to say is: “Don’t push your child through developmental stages. Allow them to be a kid while they are a kid. Sprinkle numbers and letters into your playtime, and don’t go overboard with it because children naturally want to learn. Emphasize pleases, thank yous, and how are yous. Don’t bite your friends.” It seems like a lot of American mothers lose focus of the big picture. They want to say “my child can count, my child knows their letters” as if this is some great badge of motherhood. My child did those things wonderfully. But he also struggled with biting his friends and still has problems with fine motor control. Each child is so different, and so wonderfully different at that.

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   3. Agree! These are skills that are on my 3 year old’s report card at daycare. I teach Kindergarten in a public school in PA and these kids have to be reading (an easy reader…we use Rigby series) and writing ( at least 3 sentences independently) by the end of the year. Some kinders can already do this . Kindergarten is the new first grade. That being said, all kids develop at different rates. I remember kids who I taught in Kindergarten who were struggling academically, but are now in the gifted program in 5th grade. And on the contrary, my oldest son, who was reading at age 3 and knew numbers past 100, is now in reading support for comprehension and in math support for problem solving in 2nd grade. Grades K-3 are such developmental years. You can’t predict what your child will do or be like. Just enjoy every moment because it all goes by too fast. Know that there will will be strengths and weaknesses and embrace them. Do your best to be an active and involved parent.

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4. i agree!! my daughter is in kindergarten and knew all this and then some before she started school this year!! :) To me counting to 10 is preschool…I dont know thats my opinion. My kindergartener reads books at a 1st grade level, has known her address, phone #, full name and how to write them for well over a year. SHe even started adding back in the summer. :)

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   1. My daughter is very much like yours, only thing I am running into is that she has an October birthday and will just be turning 5 this coming October and misses the cutoff for Kindergarten. I am now concerned on how to keep her challenged and yet hope that she can be interested in attending kindergarten and not being pushed aside for already being advance than most of the children that will probably be in her class.

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      1. If you stay home with her, why not buy a kindergarten home school curriculum to do with her? If you have a decent school system, they will recognize her advanced skills when she gets there and place her in the class accordingly.

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      2. I was in this situation with my September born daughter this past fall. We enrolled her in a Pre-K program to encourage social development, but we also do different things with her at home! There are many online resources for FREE, but also programs you can buy that will guide you through it! She is doing very well and is reading and writing and we still have 6 months until Kindergarten! She loves going to school with her friends, but still wants more when she gets home, so it is working great for us! I have done some research on schools in our area and we are lucky enough to have fantastic magnent schools that use the Project CHild approach which, I feel, helps students in situations such as our own! So look into options in your area, you have lots of time!:-) As the lady before me said, they will test her regardless and (at least in our area) MUST place her where she tests at! Best of luck!

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   2. Instead of making statements about/to people without knowing all the facts, lets be supportive. My son just turned 4 and is in his first year of preschool. We recently had a parent-teacher conference and his teacher asked if we do a lot of teaching at home as he is really picking things up quickly and ahead of most of his classmates. We don’t do anything extra at home. We do read a lot and he has several toys that promote learning skills, but we don’t do anything extra. She actually thought we were doing flashcards and stuff since he was an infant with numbers, letters, and shapes because of how well he knows those things. But we didn’t do anything. I think kids should have lots of time to play. I think all we do with him is we read a lot and we talk to him and point out stuff when we’re playing or driving around in the car, which to me is normal parenting. It’s just that our son picks up on things very quickly. My DH is like that too. I’m amazed at the knowledge he has (although having him remember a conversation we had the previous day is another thing). I notice a lot of things, I well tell my child once, he remembers. He asks me how to spell certain words and I spell it once. Then a week later, I ask him and I’m shocked when he spells it back to me. Not hard words, but simple 3/4/5 letter words. And shapes, he probably knows about a dozen shapes, including octagon and hexagon. I told him once and he remembered. So don’t assume that when someone says their child is doing a lot of things at an early age, it’s because they pushed education and never allowed their child to be a kid. Every child learns at different speeds. And just because a child excels in one area, doesn’t mean they are lacking in another.

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   3. Well, that’s a HUGE assumption on your part! I am concerned that my daughter will be bored in school, initially. She’s not in Pre-K until this AUG, but will be 5 in mid-SEP and she already knows most (90%) of this list for Kindergartners!

      She is also very creative in pretend play, will tell you stories endlessly, makes up songs on a whim, and loves her dance class, as well. She has never had a problem interacting with other children at the park, library, etc.

      Please, don’t shoot some parents’ concerns down. None of us know for sure what will happen, but it’s nice to have a place to vent and feel understood.

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      1. I teach 2nd grade and it’s amazing at how quickly I can identify the young kids. Most schools really differentiate to meet the needs of all learners, so I wouldn’t overly worry about your child being bored. At the school I teach out, if students come in to kindergarten reading, they have a reading group (at their level) from the beginning. My son is bright and has a June birthday. We will be waiting until he’s 6 for him to start Kindergarten because I believe the skills taught in Kindergarten are more appropriate for the older student. That’s why so many states are changing the Kindergarten cut off date. They know it is getting more difficult and that students need to be a few months older to handle it. If you have concerns, talk with your local school and see what you find out. My guess is you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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   4. As a high school teacher and mother of two, I think having an October birthday and missing the cut off could be a blessing in disguise. Believe it or not high school teachers can often tell the difference between the older and younger students in each class. The older students are often the better students. This also gives them time to be developmentally ready for classes such as algebra and geometry. Some research also points out that older students tend to get more in scholarship money.

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      1. Redshirting. They just did a 60 minutes on this.

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   5. I fully agree! My daughter is super smart and its not always because of what I have taught her. She is just that way. I am sometimes dumbfounded with the things she comes up with. I feel that my job right now as a parent more than drill and kill is to make sure she has opportunities to socialize. The thing about the super smart kids is that a lot of time they don’t have the social skills that they need to truly be successful in life. I was debating changing my daughter to a more “academic” preschool but decided against it because I wanted her to develop her social skills more fully.

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5. It does sound like alot but it is mostly true. My daughters are 10 years apart. What my oldest did in 1st grade is what my youngest is doing in Kindergarten. Do I agree?? No. I think they are pushing kids too hard. In Kindergarten we learn to read – not write first. Ten years ago it was the opposite. Times have changed. As I mom I was caught off guard considering my first parenting experience. This is a good wake-up call to all those who have no clue what is expected of 5-6 year olds for Kindergarten. Pre-school is becoming a must!

   My youngest was not able to do all the above – but is doing well in Kindergarten. So for all those parents that might read this and panic (like I would) BREATHE – it will be ok. :) Kids develop differently because they are individuals.

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   1. Thank you for a voice of reason, expecting every child to learn the same way or the same speed is silly. I love the list though, for a mom that had a rude awakening when we switched school districts this past year. I appreciate the list. Gives me some extra idea’s for our summer time activities.

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6. I have taught kindergarten for 3 years, and I think this is a very good list to start. If your child is not able to do a couple of these, that’s not a big deal; however, if this seems extreme or overwhelming for your child, then they are probably not ready for kindergarten. Most of these skills should be covered in a good preschool program.

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   1. I agree fully with this list. These are all things that a preschooler/kindergartner should know. Yes, there will be a few things that a child may still need practice with or need help working on, but in general they should have a firm grasp on most of these.
      And for those complaining about not being able to afford pre-k, I totally understand that. We’re a military family who spends most of our time on one income because jobs are scarce near bases. (At least those that pay well and are worth putting two kids in daycare for!) HOWEVER…. it is not just the schools/teachers jobs to teach our children, as parents it is our responsibility first!! My son is 5 and will be starting Kindergarten in the fall (His birthday is Dec. 26th so he misses the cutoff date by a few months, which stinks!) and he already knows everything on this list, he is starting to read more than just sight words, he can spell his name, his brothers name, Mom, Dad, Loke (our dogs name), To, From, Dog, Cat, Army and quite a few other words without even having to ask how to spell them. And many other words he can sound out with minimal help! He has also started learning math, addition and subtraction.
      Yes, times have changed and kids are expected to know more and take in more knowledge than ever before, but that’s not the schools fault, it’s societies! And honestly, it’s not always a bad thing!! I think people need to stop placing blame on everyone else, and start owning up to the fact that they just don’t want to take responsibility for their child’s education! While I realize that this is not always the case, it commonly is!!

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      1. Brandi… sorry, not sure why it posted under your message, I meant to post this as a new thread! Sorry again!

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7. If my child knew how to do all this before going to Kindergarten, he/she wouldn’t need to go anymore (in Belgium we start Kindergarten at 2,5-3 years), he could go straight to primary in a class for the gifted. Even my almost six year old cannot do all the things on this list and he is a bright kid, well adapted to his Kindergarten class (the teacher says).

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8. That is just insane. I don’t think it should matter what a child does or does not do when it comes to some of the things…for instance…makes a pancake, snake, or ball from playdough. YEAH….not going to happen with my 3yr old as it is. He does not like to play with anything that makes his hands dirty. Sensory issue I think here.

   My son will be doing Pre-Kinder with our Elementary next year.

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   1. Some of these things, like the playdo activities, are not there for the sake of checking them off the list. Doing those things with playdo represents find motor skills and conceptualization skills.

      Obviously, if you have sensory issues, that is different. An OT or PT can help greatly with those and progress can be made quickly in some cases.

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   2. My son had the same issue. He wouldn’t fingerpaint because it would get on his hands. He still got A’s throughout school, was an Eagle Scout and now is 42 yrs old. He still doesn’t like to get his hands dirty. He’s not obsessive about clean hands but you would never catch him changing the oil in his car.

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9. I also think it’s a good start. I will say that what was “common curriculum” for the start of 1st grade 20 years ago (when I started teaching) is now considered pre-k curriculum. It may not be “right” but it’s reality. I would add to that simple cause and effect (sun makes ice melt) because that is vital to listerning and reading comprehension. I’d also add, that an entering K should be able to write numerals to 10.

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10. I feel much better about my son being ready for KG in August. I was so sad to see that school starts 2 days before he turns 5. My baby’s gonna be 4 when he starts school!! But after reading the list, he seems like he’s going to be ready…. with the exception of his massive energy. thanks for the list.

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11. I think it may seem like a lot because it’s all split up into a list. But if you take an honest assessment of your child, they probably know a lot of this stuff already. Just normal everyday play and reading will teach them most of this stuff.

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12. Not all schools offer Pre-K (my local school in my award-winning school district) does not. And even where they do, they charge $$. Preschool is not an insignificant cost especially if you have 2 children close in age who would be in preschool at the same time. If they have to know all this what on earth ARE they teaching in kindergarten? I have the feeling I will be doing a lot of battles at my kids’ schools…

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    1. As a teacher I feel saddened when parents ask questions like this. Parents are parents for a reason. Kids absorb so much before starting school and this list is just a guideline. Of kids are not able and ready to be a contributing member of their class then their learning as well as the learning of others will be limited. If kids come to kindergarten with at least half of the skills on this list they will be fine. Kindergarten has changed a great deal in the past decade so do not worry that the students are learning far beyond this list. My advice for parents who are already feeling defensive, spend time reading and talking to your child and give them opportunities to learn. Drop your guard and be positive. It will help you and your child!

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    2. They will learn a lot in K. K teachers kill themselves (esp if it is half day) preparing these kiddos to read, write, investigate, learn math concepts etc. I’m a parent and teacher. As a society, we are soft. What’s wrong with challenging our kiddos to do and learn more. Because it might be too hard? They might fail the first time? Give kids a push and they will surprise you. The problem these days is that we want our kids to do and learn more, but we don’t have high expectations. Is it really too much to ask to have your 4 or 5 year cut out shapes, know their colors, count?

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13. I agree with the list. I’m also working on becoming a teacher (albeit high school), and this is what we learned in childhood development class, as well. It’s not necessarily about being able to make a pancake, snake, etc, or being able to ride a bike, it’s about having the skills that are needed to do so. That’s why they are seperated up into gross and fine motor skills, etc. It’s supposed to be a practical, relatable list for their developmental mile stones – since it isn’t as obvious as feeding themselves and talking.

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14. That seems fair. My 3 year old can do much of the more academic stuff (letters, numbers, etc). The maturity / fine motor skills aren’t there yet, of course.

    And at 43, I’m still working on learning to “use an appropriate amount of glue for tasks.”

    ;-)

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15. As a preschool and kindergarten teacher( I teach preschool in the morning and kindergarten in the afternoon) I can say that this list is right on. It may seem overwhelming, but the majority of these skills are learned through simple conversation with your child and playtime. I think it is important for parents to remember that just because something is labeled “geometry” does not mean your child is expected to grasp higher level skills. Kindergarten and preschool are meant to expose your children to a wide spectrum of subjects, activities and skills so that in the future, when they are ready to work on higher level math or reading, they have a well rounded foundation of knowledge to rely on. In a world where our country’s education system is quickly falling behind that of other countries, I do not think it is a mistake to have high, but reasonable, expectations at this early age. Preschool children are very capable of learning to count(in multiple languages), read simple sight words, and interact with others in a positive way. It can be done!

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    1. Well Said! (Kind of sad that our great nation is lagging behind in education!!) Thank you to teachers like yourself, who do so much for so little! Just another profession that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves!

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16. It might seem overwhelming in list form, but a lot of these “expectations” are part of normal development for children…even my 1 and 1/2 year old can do *a few* of these things. I’ve worked with several different Kindergarten classrooms in both urban public and Christian private schools, and I would agree that this is a great list to gauge your child’s Kindergarten readiness. SO many activities in Kindergarten (even at the beginning of the school year) require a basic knowledge or ability to do these tasks, and I’ve seen how frustrating it can be for the kids who weren’t developmentally ready to start Kindergarten. The good news is that all of these “expectations” can be practiced at home in a fun and exciting way! Pinning it on Pinterest for future use with my little ones =)

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17. I think the list is pretty accurate. My daughter is in preK now and we just had her mid year parent teacher conference and all of these skills were on her assessment list. I do think there are many parents who don’t have the resources to send their kids to preschool and those children will certainly catch up when they get to Kindergarten (luckily we live in FL where ALL 4 year olds are entitled to free preK).

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18. My son is 3/4 through his first year of preschool (he’s 4) and he already does most of the things on this list. He needs a little fine-motor fine-tuning, but otherwise he’s on task – and he’s still got one more year of pre-k to go before he hits kindergarten. I’m amazed at how early they start kids on things like reading, writing, math etc these days – pretty sure I was almost 5 before my “school” stopped being all playing and coloring and we actually learned letters and numbers. Whew.

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19. As a Kindergartener teacher, I know that this seems like a lot. However, this is what my students are expected to know. Kindergarten is not like it used to be. They are learning so much more and they need to know a lot of these things to help them be ready so they will then be ready to move onto First Grade.

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20. This is ridiculous. What happened to childhood? We wonder why our children are sexually active at 9, maybe it’s because we push them to be small adults from birth and never allow them to be children.

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    1. the list above certainly isn’t pushing a kid to be a small adult. I agree-kids should have a childhood. but these things aren’t hard to teach or learn and can be fun to do with a child. I dont understand your issue with this?

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       1. I agree that this list isn’t pushing them to be small adults, I’m simply saying it’s the beginning of that push. I also wonder how much of this “educating” is helping. People used to learn this IN Kinder, this obsession is just one more way of saying that without the perfect schooling your life is doomed.

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          1. This list is the first of it’s kind that I’ve ever looked at. I’ve stayed home with my girls since the oldest was 9 months old. She’s 4 1/2 now and without even realizing it, she’s learned almost all of these things without any pushing at all. We play all day long and her natural curiosity has brought her to learn shapes, counting, math, handwriting, etc…

             Any parent who takes time to play and read with their young kids will find that almost everything on this list will happen naturally without any coercion or pushing.

             And why should we whine that this used to be what kids learned in Kindergarten? The most recent research says kids are capable of more at a younger age (developmental delays not withstanding). If they can acquire that knowledge while still having fun and playing, then what is the harm.

             Finally, as a mom who is very particular about the messages my daughters view and the people they spend time with, I think you made an illogical jump to the conclusion that knowing shapes and how to use scissors by 5 leads to early promiscuity. Sometimes, it is easier to make your point with facts instead of hyperbole. Exaggeration just makes people right you off as someone who doesn’t really understand the issue.

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             1. Very well said, Jennifer. My blood started to boil when I read the original comment. Took me a minute to calm down so that I can respond.

                Reanna, do you have children in the 4-6 age range? I feel like if you did, you would not think that this is such an unreasonable jump. As (many) people have pointed out, most of this stuff comes from playing. Usually the kids who do not know this stuff are parked in front of the television all day. (Notice I said usually, not looking to start debates with people who have had different experiences.) I find it very offensive that you are even comparing the two, even if you are saying it is just the ‘beginning’. Most of the problems in adolescents today stem from lack of proper parenting, not being pushed to your full potential at a young age in school. There is nothing on this list that prevents a child from being a child while they learn it.

                You really should think before you speak.

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          2. I see what you mean, Reanna! Thanks for clarifying. I agree it is troubling how quickly kids “grow up” and are thrown into society. I think that we, as a society, are too eager and willing to push our kids into schools and into other peoples’ care.

             The more and more I read, I’m considering home schooling. I think it will allow for us to move at an appropriate pace and give a more balanced lifestyle. While I don’t want to keep my child in a bubble-I do think that there are some benefits from shielding from some unnecessary things.

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       2. I don’t see that expecting your 5 year old to jump and play well with others is pushing them to be little adults. I think it’s pretty sad that this is a list for 5 year olds. If my daughter couldn’t play with playdough (aside from sensory issues) or identify basic shapes by the time she was 5, I’d be concerned. And I didn’t spend a million dollars to teach her, nor is she walking around like a tramp now. She’s just a 5 year old kid that knows how to skip and loves books because she’s been read to and encouraged to explore books. I’m pretty proud of that.

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21. This is nothing really. I teach Pre-k in Florida and they actually have to know by the end of Pre-k how to add and subtract, read sight words, know ordinal numbers, how to put words together and take them apart on top of all of the above. Pre-k is the new Kindergarden, Kindergarten is what first grade used to be and it just continues. Children are having to learn a great deal of things at a much younger age now!

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    1. It’s sad though that this changes by the time you get to middle school. As a former 8th grade teacher, I was appalled at the number of students who were below grade level in reading and math.

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22. I this is a clear example of pushing children earlier than ever and chopping away at what little they have left of unencumbered childhood. That’s not to say that some children will naturally know all those things and more by kindergarten. Here is an article I liked on High Pressure Pre-schools. http://www.education.com/magazine/article/high_pressure_preschools/?page=2

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    1. I agree that there can be a lot of pressure on our kids these days. However, I have found that my son is EAGER to learn if I present it in the right way. Kids definitely need time to be kids…but often times they also enjoy structure and learning new things. If you can make a game of it or include hands-on “learning” for a few minutes each day, I think this is beneficial to the child. I’m not saying I agree with this list 100% (I didn’t make it up…it is straight from a Pre-K assessment), but I do think parents are wise to encourage learning these concepts when a natural situation presents itself. In fact, this is the whole reason I started this blog…to enable parents to teach their children important WHILE playing!

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       1. I definitely agree that it is important to teach while playing. I taught English at a private academy for 2 years in an Asian country. At my school I taught 2.5/3.5 years who at the end of their first year were expect to be able to read and write in their second language. Teaching through play was not encouraged, and the more worksheets they brought home the better. I had one parent ask if I could give they daughter more instruction during playtime and break time. They didn’t want her time wasted. It was easy no on many levels but it saddened me that they were pushing their young daughter so much. Fortunately, most the parents of my students were willing to do things differently.

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23. I would agree that this list is very accurate to what kids need to know for kindergarten. I am a pre-k teacher, and these are the skills that are tested on our assessments. Times have changed, and kids are doing more in kindergarten than they were 20 or even 10 years ago. Like others said, much of this is picked up through various activities throughout the year.

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24. I agree with much of this list and many of the comments on how kindergarten is certainly not what it used to be. However, as an early childhood eductor, it drives me crazy to see lists like this because most parents tend to focus on the academic tasks and dismiss the importance of many others. I have been teaching preschool children for 15 years and have yet to have a parent come back and tell me I didn’t teach them enough academics, but have had plenty of parents tell me I was right when I expressed concern with their child’s ability to succeed in the personal/social development tasks.

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25. I think this is pretty spot on. I think that parents often make excuses for their children and do not push their children hard enough. Our children can be brilliant if we allow them to be. Now is the time to get as much information into them as we can, while they are sponges and absorbe it all willingly. If we make learning fun there is no reason that children should not be able to achieve these skills as well as others before kindergarten. Enough excuses and letting sesame street parent our children. One on one interaction is what our children long for and if you take a step back at look the society you will find the children who have succeeded most are the ones who’s parents have been involved in their learning from the very beginnig.

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    1. Some parents opt to share time with their children in different ways. If a child can’t do everything on this list it hardly means that a parent hasn’t spent time with their child. This is a small slice of reality. Children learn many, many things and learn best when they are INTERESTED. Sometimes that means waiting a bit in some areas and letting them soar in their exploration in others. Some of those areas don’t make lists like this. Some are far beyond this list. If my child is more interested in identifying trees and birds and learning about chemical reactions… I’m not particularly concerned with if they grasp their scissors correctly. That will come. But the real learning takes place where the passion and interest exist.

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       1. I know it makes you sound good to say that you let your daughter pursue her interests… but some tasks, like using scissors correlate into other areas, such as handwriting. Once the muscle memory is built incorrectly, it can take years of trying to break the task. At the very least, you can slip in this instruction by letting her cut out pictures of birds from magazines. It’s killing two birds with one stone!

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          1. Thanks for the advice Jennifer — I know it comes from a good place. My daughter can most definitely use scissors well enough. I used that as a point of illustration to address the mistaken notion that if a child can’t do everything on this list it means that the parents must not spend time with them. That’s a broad and insulting thing to say to any mother.

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       2. I’m with you there- my three year old loves to model chemical structures using my old kit from OChem (I am a chemist so I’m sure I’ve encouraged her in that direction) but she doesn’t really care about doing art projects at all at this point. I believe that you need to encourage their passions because when I am passionate about something I learn it best.

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26. This list is spot on!! My son is in pre k (middle of the year)and he can do all of these things. I would add rhyming though, that would be about it. But I think that is a great list for parents to double check. Thanks!!

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    1. @Jaci – Rhyming words was a downfall for my 4 1/2 yr old. His Kindergarten (KDI-2) testing showed he “did not know how to rhyme”.
       I questioned this immediately – and the tester said he could rhyme but not all his rhyming words were real words, but made up ones – and she could only count ‘real’ words, so marked that he did not know how to rhyme.
       Since I was not present in the room for the testing, I do not know what rhyming words were questioned. I turned to him & asked “what rhymes with car; he immediately said star”, so I decided I know my child best. This ‘assessment’ was based on a short visit with a total stranger.

       I was extremely saddened when we were told he was not qualified for the private parochial school we were registering him for. oh, well. He loves words, sounds, and books. He’s fun, loving and talkative. He will be fine but now I know to remind him if a ‘word’ is a real/known word or if it is a made-up word!!

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27. I have to agree there – we live far below the poverty line (with my husband going back to school when my daughter was 7 months old) and my kids are right on task – my now 3.5 year old can do the majority of these things. I think the original poster referring to income may have been eluding to time commitment? … At any rate, I don’t exactly resent the original comment but I do prove it wrong.

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28. I teach k-5 art and I have a 3 year old daughter. Most of my Kindergarteners can write their name when they first come to school. (Now I didnt say all the letters are going the correct way or all in a straight line!) I agree with the standards on this list, to be prepared for Kindergarten and be able to hit the ground running your child should have the points on this list at least 90% mastered. Kids are learning to add and subtract early in the year in Kindergarten. If a child cannot identify or consciously count they are already behind. I would add to the list being able to identify 5-10 sight words (cat, dog, house, etc.) Understanding simple science concepts would be a plus too. (seasons, plants, weather, and simple environment knowledge)
    Let your preschooler help you cook, ask them to count the eggs you need or measure out ingredients. Plant a peat pot plant ( you can find them everywhere right now for a buck) and let them care for it and talk about flowers growing from seeds, count the seeds you plant and talk about how many actually came up) Learning should be fun! Go visit a pond and talk about what animals live there and what animals don’t. String cheerios or fruit loops on yarn and hang it outside for to feed the birds. For a great website that practices reading and math skills try http://www.starfall.com, my daughter loves it!

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    1. Heather, I agree with you. Many of these things can be learned in everday activities (play time) spent with your child. Hoping, music and dance can all come from play time or outside activities. Cutting, glue and writing is for craft time. Little bits go a long ways with kids. It’s amazing how much they learn in a short amount of time. My son is going to be 2 in a couple weeks and he already identifies yellow and blue Hot Wheels cars (using his not-so-clear words sometimes). We count things all the time so I often catch him pointing to each car and saying something different after we count. He can’t say the numbers yet, but I’m assuming he’s grasping the concept. Some parents don’t understand that these things don’t have to be learned in a classroom or at a desk. And it’s really sad when people think that kindergarten is for learning the flat line basics.

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    2. I own a bakery and my 4-year-old twins help out three times a week (or more, if they want to). We decided not to send them to pre-k, so they’ll start kindergarten next fall, just before their fifth birthday. They count eggs for batter, read dough temperatures, do basic add/subtract for simple ingredient mixes, and can read basic weights and measures. In the next few weeks I’ll be introducing addition with decimals for them. My son is learning how to make change at the cash register, and my daughter’s job is to sort the spices and herbs into their respective racks, then alphabetize each rack. They both help shape dough, roll loaves of bread, pipe frosting on cakes, and my staff helps them read the formulas for each item, sounding out the words they don’t know, and showing them how to do things they don’t understand. My son has recently decided he wants to learn how to use the espresso machine so he can serve customers at the front counter. We also have an herb garden out back that they’re responsible for tending (with a little help occasionally).

       Neither my husband nor I feel this is too much for them. They’re flourishing beautifully, and are articulate, eager, and creative children. My son is concerned about how the bakery will manage without them when he and his sister are in school for half a day. :)

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29. Thank you for posting this! I was just looking for this kind of information last night. I have a few years before my oldest gets ready for kindergarten but I like being prepared. I’m happy to think my 2 year old is on the right track, even if I know I think he knows more than he really does. I read through a few of these and when I got to “identifies 10 colors, I was very happy he was able to prove his dad wrong and identify 11 colors, not the 5 Daddy predicted.

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30. I went to a private school and this kind of curriculum and expectations were placed on 3 year olds and also the ability to tell time. It can definitely be done before kindergarten.

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31. I think it is really easy to get caught up in the game of keeping score when it comes to what your kids can and cannot do at whatever age. I have a seven year old that is brilliant who is reading the Chronicles of Narnia and writing paragraphs and learning his multiplication tables…and a 5 year old that just recently learned to sing the alphabet. FIrst things first, each child learns at his or her own pace and compare one child to another is foolish. Secondly, while I appreciate the list as a guideline, it does not categorically apply to all children and should have a disclaimer of sorts that goes with it…I have spent HOURS and DAYS and WEEKS and YEARS reviewing the same information taught in every method available to reach my children and some things come easy and some things come hard. Some children will NEVER be able to adequately learn what comes on this list in a traditional classroom because very few allowances are made for children who learn differently. I get so frustrated with teachers that would infer that my son’s delays are the result of my inadequacy as a parent. Be careful how you judge, there can be more at work than meets the eye.

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    1. I agree with you, never should children be compared and never should we as parents be judged without people knowing the facts surrounding the family. I feel that the schools need to be ready for each child and not the child being ready for the particular school.

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       1. Spoken by someone that I am willing to bet has never worked in a public (or private, for that matter) school setting in their life. It is so easy for people to say that the teacher or school should be able to handle all kids at all levels. I wish that people like you could walk a mile in a teacher’s shoes. When you have a class of 30+ children at 30 different levels, it is impossible to teach anyone. The children suffer when there are no guidelines for what should be expected at each grade. Yes kids learn at their own pace. But, should an entire class suffer because of it? I think it is more just for that child to be put in a grade level that is more conducive with the level of learning that they are at, rather than say a kindergarten teacher should have to deal with some students at a first grade level and others at a pre-k level. There is nothing wrong with a set of standards to help regulate the classroom setting as much as possible.

          And yes, times have changed. But it is not the schools putting too much pressure on the kids. It is society as a whole learning that kids are more capable than what they thought 50 (or even 10) years ago. In my experience, children who are on target tend to be happier and more well-rounded than their peers who might be… lacking. Is this the case in all situations? Of course not. It never is. But in general, yes kids are happy and thriving.

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          1. I have always thought that “grade levels” should be based on skill and not age or average requirements due to age. It would be much easier to teach individuals that are in the same general skill range.

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             1. Yes, it would be nice if grade levels were based on skill and not age, but parents would be really upset if their 8 year old was in a class with 5 year olds, wouldn’t they????

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       2. I agree that the traditional school setting can not teach all children individually. They must put them into a medial “box” where the advanced children get board, and the children who need help in certain areas get left behind. Each parent is their own child’s advocate to find the type of education that will teach them. If they are not one of those kids that fit into that box then traditional education is not for you. Those teachers don’t have the resources to teach 30 children what they each individually need. It is unrealistic for parents to think (or demand) they can. Fortunately, there are other educational models out there, it just takes some time and research to find the right fit for your child’s needs. It also may take some money for private, a longer drive than normal, or some luck to win a spot in a lottery. Homeschooling is always an option, but that takes sacrifice and dedication to do well. Alternative education is out there, and growing. Schools that embrace the needs of the child, and encourages them to wonder. The list to me, is a guide to understand what I can do as a teacher to help support each child to practice the skills they need to master in each area. It is a good list for that. As a Montessori teacher, the 4 year olds in my classroom will be Kindergarteners in my class next year. When they leave my class next year, they move on to first grade. Some of them have not mastered all of the skills listed here, but I have the materials in my classroom to help support them, with practice, so that they can improve in weak areas. If they excel in some of the areas on the list, we have work that will extend their abilities and knowledge in that area and allow them to move forward, even if they are still working on other skills they are weak in. I have 30 children in my classroom ages 3-6. I also have 2 assistant teachers working with me, however, we facilitate independent learning. The children are in our classroom for 3 years which enables them to practice work they learn, over and over, extended it with creativity, and master it before they move on to the next thing. The model of traditional education our government embraces is not able to offer that.

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    2. Well said Katie. =)

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       1. I love that you said it’s not the schools putting too much pressure on the kids! I am a teacher, and there are times that we sit together and think “Are they kidding? How much more can we cram down their throats?” Look around you in the media! Teachers are constantly being attacked for not doing a good enough job of having our students meet the standards or having high enough scores on state tests. We have no control over what those standards are, and the government keeps raising them on us! We teach these things because it is mandated upon us! Would I like to give my kindergarteners more time to be 5 year olds and interact socially, YOU BET! Do I like telling parents that they need to spend more time helping them catch up at home because their 5 year old only knows 20 sight word? NO! Unfortunately, parents and teachers are in the same boat! We have to deal with what is handed to us. I am a mom too, and I do have concerns about my child being ready for kindergarten, even though I have an insight into exactly what he will need to know! We can’t force our kids to retain it! The best you can do is spend time with them, make the things you do together count, always introduce new vocabulary, and encourage them!

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          1. WELL SAID!! Thank you so much! It’s not the teachers’ faults… 99% of the teachers are AWESOME and don’t get paid enough. The states and the nation are at fault for cramming the ever increasing standards down the throats of the school boards, who are told to “keep up” or not get any funding.

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       2. Mrs. A…

          It is teachers with this mind set that finally pushed this parent over the edge and withdrew my children from public schools. You are supposed to work with the parents…for the CHILD!!! Since pulling my children (who were labeled behind) they are testing (with your public education required tests) above their grade level. I have a son who excels in Math but was told he cannot work ahead because it is NOT fair to the rest of the students. I have had a child who was struggling with reading and was made to leave his class for 1 hour a day to focus on reading. Most teachers (NOT ALL) are oblivious to the fact that each child, no matter how much you force it, learns at there own pace. Given time, love and support…NOT PRESSURE they will learn just fine. It is sad to have a teacher with so many excuses for why she can’t do her job. Thank God, this NURSE never says, “Sorry, I have to many patients to be a good nurse to you.” If you can’t handle the heat…leave and find a desk job where you are not responsible for future generations!!

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          1. Jennifer,

             I honestly think you must have misunderstood what Mrs. A was saying. The vast majority of teachers understand that all children learn at different levels. The problem is, the requirements set by the state politicans that require teachers to continually cram more and more curriculum into students, no matter what the students are individually capable of. My state, Texas, keeps increasing the difficulty of the standardized tests to the point where quite a great percentage of children fail despite the fact that the teachers are working their tails off trying every possible approach to help the kids. The teachers are held accountable if all students don’t pass the test, but what politicians and apparently some others, don’t appreciate is that every child is different, and not all will excel at this type of test. Since you are in the medical field, it would be like asking a doctor to get the same, excelling results from his patients even though they are all different individuals (some have basically good health, while others may have abused their health throughout the years). Most teachers agree that all children should be given the tools and guidance that they need to succeed to the best of their potential, but as Mrs. A said, some of the standards are causing teachers to feel like they are “cramming” information down kid’s throats, instead of allowing them to learn at a more reasonable pace.

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32. I completely agree with this list. My daughter is half way through Kindergarten and they are already learning to write the alphabet in cursive. They have to know the Big letter and small letter in manuscript as well as the big letter and little letter in cursive. They have done money, and time (face of a clock) she is already reading stage 1 and stage 2 books.

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33. I would add life skills to the list. Can your child use the restroom by themselves? Can they wash their hands properly (not just wet them)? Can they cut their food and use utensils, if buying the hot lunch? Can they open containers or baggies and put a straw in their juicebox, if packing a lunch? Can they make healthy food choices (white vs. chocolate milk) in the lunch line?

    I agree with the list. Kids are expected to know more in kindergarten. I think this shift in what needs to be learned is for several reasons. A lot of kids have spent several years in daycare before kindergarten. When I tought daycare (some private, some state run) we worked on these things because 8 hours is a lot of time to fill with a room of kids. We gave them a lot of free play time, but needed some structured activities to keep the class running smoothly. Also, more parents are delaying kindergarten for their kids, which means there are a lot of 6 year olds starting kindergarten. I know two moms that have already decided to hold their kids back a year because they have a birthdate close to the cutoff. They made this decision when their kids were 2 and did not even wait to see if their kids were ready or not. Some kids do need an extra year. However, it seems like the trend is to give your kid an “advantage” by making them the oldest. I am not sure it is an advantage to the child or to the rest of the class.

    My oldest (almost five) will be one of the younger ones in kindergarten next year. He is more than ready in all areas. I did not drill him on academics. He learned a lot through play and is EAGER and EXCITED to learn. To me, his attitude towards learning is more important than the fact that he can read, do simple addition/subtraction, etc. He recently had his pre-k screening and the fact that he was “compliant” and “cooperative” made me more proud than the fact that he did well on the academic portion.

    Times are changing. We need to be prepared and help our kids be prepared. Thank you for the list of things to work towards. And, an even bigger thanks for providing us with so many ideas and resources to make learning fun and exciting. Thank you.

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    1. Tania, I agree with everything you said except the put a straw in a juice box. Have you every seen a capri sun?? I’m 28 and I can’t even it do it sometimes!! haha

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34. This is inaccurate children don’t NEED to know these things to begin kindergarten. Is it helpful? Probably. Necessary? No. My sister, now in college, never was able to pedal and steers a tricycle, jump, hold a pencil correctly, cut with a scissors, at the beginning of kindergarten or to this day as she’s has cerebral palsy. Some children will never have the physical development, some children have trouble with speech/hearing, some children are color blind – that does not mean they aren’t ready for school. This is a good list of suggestions but not prerequisites. I’d hate for someone to keep their child from attending school or think their child is inadequate because they can’t check off everything on the list. Children are all very different in their development, their strengths and weaknesses. Not every child will fit the mold. Be your child’s first teacher. The items on this list are a good place to start but if your child isn’t able to do all of these, please don’t stress out terribly. While some kids can do everything on this list before starting kindergarten it’s still in the range of “normal” if a child can’t.

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    1. Lish, thanks so much for your thoughts. I tried to preface (in the paragraphs above the list) that these are simply guides and that every child is different. Perhaps I didn’t do a good enough job of that, though. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

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    2. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your post. Reading some of these comments has made me sick to my stomach. My daughter is considered “special needs”. She has a severe speech delay. She has gone to a special preschool since she was three. She is five now and she goes to a “regular” kindergarten class at a public school. We have gone above and beyond in our efforts to play, read, interact, etc. but for her it just takes a little bit longer. To read some of these comments accusing parents of not doing these these things because their kids are not at the “appropriate” level is just plain wrong. I hope you consider yourself lucky to have children than learn easily. Mine doesn’t but I am so grateful for every thing she learns, no matter how big or little, because I know the effort that was given from all parties to do so. One thing my daughter knows and knows well is compassion and consideration and because of that, I know she will be okay. We are in no hurry and she will continue at the pace that is appropriate for her and she will accomplish great things.

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35. There is almost nothing on this list that can’t be taught with common rhymes, songs, fingerplays, games and activities that have been aimed at this age group for 50 years or more. I am really amazed at the number of people who feel this is inappropriate for a 5 year old; most of my kindergartners are doing this and much more on the first day, even in a VERY low income, non-English-speaking, no-one-goes-to-preschool area. I will admit that I usually take a close look at the parents whose kids are reading way beyond grade-level, because it often hints towards high-pressure homes, but some kids really are just ready then. My daughter, 16 months with special needs, has taught me that things come when they are ready, not when any other mom, doctor or chart says so.

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36. I am a pre-kindergarten teacher and taught kindergarten for 5 years. This list is a great resource and seems to be on target. Children need not only know their abc’s but being able to identify objects that start with the letter…ex: Bb for ball….is also important! When children begin kindergarten they are expected to review certain concepts and begin blending letters to make words and start reading. I teach at risk students/early intervention type of pre-k class in a public school. Check your area because their are usually free pre-school programs that are offered based on need. It doesnt take alot of expensive resources to make a positive impact on your child. Reading aloud and playing pretend helps stimulate imagination and interest in language….socioeconomics does not stop that.

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37. As a Kindergarten teacher I agree with this list for the most part. However, I would suggest more phonemic awareness skills instead of letter recognition (for example able to orally blend c-a-t=cat; identify and produce rhyming words; clap syllables, etc.). I also love getting the ones (generally the ones who have been through preschool and PreK in my school) who know the letter sounds instead of or in addition to the names of the letters (/s/ instead of “ess”) because the phonemic awareness and knowledge of letter-sounds helps them read so much faster than knowing the ABC song (see-ay-tee sounds nothing like cat).

    I do recognize some of these things that we do go over at the beginning of Kindergarten just to make sure everyone has the basics, but I have found the majority of children coming into Kindergarten DO know these things, sometimes with the exception of some of the personal and social skills (which are VERY important!). My 2.5yo knows quite a few of these! (colors, shapes, rote counting to 20 and counting with meaning to 10, recognizes many letters/sounds and sings the ABCs) and she has learned it all through play and reading books together.

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38. I think the most important on that list are the behavioral aspects. If a child can recognize their numbers and letters but can’t sit still and follow directions it will affect the entire class a lot more than if the situation were reversed. A child this age has a lot of energy and enthusiasm, but they are also fully capable of containing it when disciplined and directed appropriately.

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    1. Agreed! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! :)

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39. Thanks! I’ve tried to look online for a list like this to no avail. Obviously, we may not all agree with it but it is what they need to know in school these days! I plan to homeschool my girls and this gives me a good idea of what to make sure we are developing in our day to day activities.

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40. Fairly good list but should be able to count one-to-one up to 15.
    I am not seeing knowing letter sounds or writing and identifying her own name and names of friends. Cutting skills are very important.
    I teach preschool and over the last 5 years it has changed to what I had in 1st grade.
    Most children who love books and can get along in a group will be able to adjust.

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41. I’m in love with this website! You have such great information for your followers:) Great Work!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words, Tammy! You made my day! :)

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42. I teach 4 year old kindergarten and this list is pretty accurate. My class is only 2 days a week and their curiosity and imagination are incredible at this age. I tell my parents at the beginning of the year that half of what I will teach them is the ABC’s, 123’s and the other half are the social skills that they will need to be successful in the classroom. How to Share, waiting your turn, when it is time to listen and when it is time to talk, working independently, how to raise your hand, etc. I try to teach them good habits so that when they get to “Big School” they do not have to think about how to sit but rather can focus on what is being taught, thus opeing up their minds to learn so much more. I think that you need to add to the list :
    being able to go to the bathroom independently, being able to follow multiple step directions, and being able to open their own lunch items. Learning the behaviors is just as important as the academics.

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43. 1 to 1 correspondence, when counting items, or does that come later?
    I think this is very accurate and ideal for conquering what kindergarten has to offer.

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44. I do think that is alot for students (my son will have just turned 5) is to learn before they even start. I’m just curious what the kindergarten teachers have to teach after the parent has pretty much done a kindergarten teachers job ! I say forget kindergarten and go start grade one and forgo the kindergarten class altogether.I’m 42 and remember kindergarten very well those basic is what I learned and ohh you forgot to say they should have learned to tie their own shoes too !!

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45. I too was looking for a list like this just the other night. We live in Asia and my daughter is in kindergarten in an International school. She is one of the youngest in her class. I thought she would be ahead with all the things she seemed to know and her eagerness to learn, but I realized she was actually right where she needed to be or even behind some of the children. She could do all on the list with the exception of some of the scissor stuff. Many of her classmates were already reading and writing well, and she was just on the verge. I went in with my expectations of what we learned in kindergarten, which is just like others have said is not the current things being taught. However, I also agree with those who have said knowing 90% on the list and a desire to learn has been the key for my daughter. She is now reading Stage 2 books and is hungry to read and learn more. She is struggling still with cutting straight, drawing straight shapes and adding details to her drawings so that they tell a story without explanation. We will just continue to work on that at home, just like we worked on the reading earlier in the year when she came home and said she wanted to read like the others. The biggest thing for me is to realize that things are at a higher level than they were when I was a child and information like this is what I need so my younger daughter will have a good kindergarten experience like my older daughter, and I will have the correct expectations.

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46. I would like to respond to Nancy who says ” To be honest the majority of people who think this is too much are the parents of the children who have issues in the classroom”
    I would say that is not the case. My children are well behaved, but I believe in delayed formal education. Luckily, I homeschool, so I git to decide when I would teach them these things. That does not mean that my children did not know anything at 4 or 5, I just think that this is a lot for a typical 5 yr old to know, especially boys.

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    1. Oona I disagree, that these things might be an issue for boys. I guess it depends on the boy or the system. My son went into Kindergarten from a Montessori Pre-K not only knowing this list but much, much more. He is a normal active child and has issues sitting still, however he went into Kindergarten reading at a 4th grade level, doing simple math ect. His pre-school was bilingual so he can do most of his basics in Spanish as well. I think it is a lot about not projecting our issues on our children and letting them go at their own pace. If my son asks a math or science question that I don’t know (trust me there is a lot I don’t know about these subjects.) we Google it or find a resource at the library. He sees that I read so he reads as well. Don’t sell you kids short just because they can’t sit still, you might be amazed at what they can handle.

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47. I think this list is good, but would add another section called “self-help.” In my experience children have been taught the academics, but not the basic living skills. Ex: putting on your coat, feeding yourself, putting on your socks and shoes, bathroom skills… Sometimes parents just need to let go and let their children do it. Yes, it does take more time, and it may mean getting up a little earlier. But, it does make the child much more mature.

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48. I disagree with the full extent of this list….it is too much. Its just a way for daycare / preschool teachers to have a purpose and parents to feel justified they dump their kids off to daycare & shove them out the door to preschool. Come on people…THIS WAS NOT REQUIRED WHEN WE WERE 5! And now once the kids move up to older grades their is less and less expectation.
    I agree with Oona’s comment above.

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    1. most gets are not dumped at daycare their parents have to work to make a living and to supply basic needs for their children. I am very lucky that I get to stay home with my children. I also do daily activities with my children which is basically playing with my children and they are learning as they play. My 4 year old can do all of this through the playing that we do by me engaging with my child while he is playing. my 3 year old is already starting do lots of this and its all through play. I take my child to preschool because it helps him learn to socialize with other children and he loves it on the weekend he ask why he cant go to school and my younger child cries because he does not get to go. And now this was not required when you were 5 but the times are changing and it still is not required but it helps your child to succeed when he gets to school. All of the things on that list can be learned through play and fun games with your child and it also allows you to play with your child and spend time with them. You are your child’s first teacher.

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49. And went exactly do they get to be children?

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    1. AMEN!

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       1. They get to be children the entire time…that’s the awesome part! When they’re little they don’t even know they’re learning! You sing their alphabet and numbers to them, play sorting games, build towers with their blocks, color and craft…etc…and POOF all of a sudden…they’ve learned!

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          1. ^ I totally agree with Janet! Everything on that list (except *maybe* the name writing) nearly happens naturally during play. And even then, children are usually curious about writing, especially if you show them how to write their name, or have it printed somewhere where they can see it, they will begin to experiment on their own (note – it didn’t say they should be writing straight, frontwards, perfect letters – its just that they should know the letters in their name as a general basis – corrections are easier to teach than beginning entirely!) When you see the first letter of their name in the real world (say the W on the Wendy’s sign for William, or a C on the Cheerios box for Carla), point it out. They can pick up so much more than you give them credit for if you just talk to them when they’re growing up!

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    2. Brandy, do you play Chutes and Ladders with your kid? Every make a milk shake with them and sit under the stars and count the stars? Run along the hot sand at the beach and jump into the ocean before you could realize how cold the water is and chicken out? Sing songs with your child? Patty-cake? Spend an afternoon coloring a book? Do all of those things sound like being a kid? All of those things also teach several of the skills on here. I think part of the problem (not saying this is your perspective, just reflecting on a lot of the comments I’ve read here) is that parents believe teaching these things to their children means sitting them upright in a desk and shoving flashcards in their face. Which, you’re right, robs them of the fun of childhood. But the best way your child can learn every single one of these skills, is through PLAY. Which is what childhood is all about.

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50. Add…their address.
    Of course, every kid is going to excel in some areas and lack in others, but in general I think it’s a good list.

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51. I walked into a Kindergarten class yesterday and she was teaching about pronouns, as required by the curriculum. Kindergarten is just not what it used to be. :(

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52. As a mother with a child with a speech disorder and struggles with his fine motor, this list is certaintly too much for my son. I am doing all I can to help him be prepared for preschool (preschool, working with him at home, and speech therapy) but some of these tasks are going to be very hard for him to succeed at before kindergarten. That is great that your daughter is so advanced however, I just ask if you can try to keep an open mind to the fact that all children are not the same and learn at very different paces.

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    1. @Melissa- I can imagine it is tough having a son with a speech disorder. I am an Occupational Therapist in the school setting. This is a guide for parents and should be looked at as a GUIDE. You have bigger fish to fry right now and you should never be made to feel bad because your son isn’t hitting all these skills YET. Have you looked into OT for him? I know it would add one more thing onto your plate and there might not be time, but that is one option. Just keep plugging away at what you ARE doing! If you still feel that he is behind with fine motor/academics when he starts kindergarten, as a parent, you have a right for the school district to test him for speech, OT, academics so he can get the support he needs. Also, many districts have an Early Childhood program where you can get him tested and enroll him there. Hope this helps and I am truly sorry that these comments have hurt you. I am a mom of an almost 4 year old and a 13 month old who are SO different! My daughter was so quick on picking up skills and my son is taking his time more :)

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53. I think this is about right. It’s easy to get hung up on academics, but it’s not as hard as it sounds. At the grocery store, ask kid “Can you give me the (insert color) box with the circle crackers on it? Are these apples red or green? Can you put 2 boxes of noodles in the cart? Let’s count how many things are in the cart altogether.” A pair of scissors and a recycled junk mail flyer (heaven knows we ALL have junk mail) or a coupon insert makes great fodder for cutting practice. It’s not about money, it’s opportunity.

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54. My first reaction to this list was “oh no, another standardized set of expectations to force children to fit into” but as I read the list, and the dialogue, I realize it is not the list I oppose,,, people are correct – this is not an abnormal list… what struck me was the message that these are things children “need” to know… yes, we all want our children prepared to be successful for their entry into the school system but the system also needs to recognize and celebrate where every child is when they enter. The message children “need” to know this puts a flash card/drilling pressure on parents and teachers… risking setting the child up to build a disdain for learning in the most formative learning years. I don’t agree that ‘that is just the way it is’ these days… WE each have the role and responsibility to engage in dialogue beyond blogs to influence the way it is. Thank you for this thought provoking dialogue and the opportunity to share my two cents. Parent of a KG’ner and an ECE college instructor.

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55. Wow! That’s quite a list. I am a kindergarten teacher in BC, Canada. While our government is making some very harmful choices about education right now (teachers are currently on a tree day walk out/strike), current thoughts about learning in kindergarten are research based and sound. We just made the move to full day K, and have been directed to add play – indoor and outdoor to the kindergarten day. Our 5 year olds are expected to have classrooms that facilitate discovery, exploration and play. When my kids come to school, I much prefer them to have the skills listed under Personal and Social Development, Listening and Speaking and have had thousands of books read t them than any academic skills. I believe that 4 and 5 year olds need to have time to develop the skills of co-operation, curiosity, and discovery far more than they need to have academic skills.

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    1. Right on! I am waiting for Alberta to make a similar move, but fear they would move to full day WITHOUT the play focus, which would be a disaster and disservice to our children. You’ve got awesome circumstances there and I can’t wait to see the longitudinal research that comes out of BC’s progress.

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    2. I also teach kindergarten, but in Arizona. Our Kinder program is full day with little emphasis on play and social development. It saddens me to see the enormous amount of academic pressure we are putting on kids so young and going against what we know to be developmentally appropriate by not letting them play and socialize. Unfortunately I work/live in a ‘right to work state’ and even though a walk out or strike of some sort is desperately needed to make changes in education, our hands are tied. We either deal with the circumstances or walk out to show we believe in what is right and lose our jobs.

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    3. I teach Kindergarten in Ontario and we are in the process of changing over to a very play-based all day Kindergarten. I am SO EXCITED to be starting next year and am already on the bandwagon this year, with many, many new play-based centres and more time to play and discover on their own, even with my half-time class. Hopefully our full day plans go ahead, even with our government also making some recent poor choices regarding education.

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56. I was a kindergarten teacher for six years, now I’m a stay at home mom. I taught three years in a private school in Boston, and three in a public school in Lincoln, NE. Very different places. This list is precisely what I would expect a kindergarten student coming to my private school class…that’s just how those kids were. Many were even reading. However, after teaching in the public school I was happy when a kid came potty trained (I had one show up in pull-ups), recognizing their name, and having some idea of how to sit on the carpet and listen to a story. The above list is a dream, not always the reality….so many parents are just not clued in to the idea of their child learning things before going to school. Too much TV, and video games and not enough actual playing and and reading and talking.

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    1. And not to condone tv watching, but even watching NickJr or PBS would teach them something. While potty training my daughter, we would watch NickJr and their “commercials” are teaching them about patterns, shapes, colors, letters, etc… Curious George teaches about recycling. My daughter pointed out a “cycling triangle” (her words) on the bottom of her water cup the other day. I did not teach her that….

       Again, not to condone tv watching…since the potty training is complete, so is the tv watching (with the exception of random treats).

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57. Every, single one of us is different. No two of the readers of or responders to this blog list are exactly the same. Our children are also incredibly and wonderfully unique. And thankfully so, because not only would life be boring if every child were super compliant and super smart, but that also means all of you would be exactly alike. And just which one would you wish everyone, including you, were exactly like?

    My pre-k son is reading level 2-3 readers, but refused to be potty trained until he was almost four. He can add and subtract to who knows how high (as long as one of the two integers is ten or less), but he cannot for the life of him cut along a straight line, no matter how much he curls his tongue. He can tell you all about our solar system and tell you the states and their capitals (learning which HE initiated), but he is hard-pressed to sit still for more than ten minutes unless he is fully engaged. He plays sports and goes to church and plays outside almost everyday in our cul-de-sac full of kids. He is full of life and curiosity and I’m glad he is. I am a stay-at-home mom who decided to leave my job as an editor to be a stay-at-home mom. And I am now back in school for an MAT to teach high school (and later, college) English. (Forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes, I’m exhausted from playing outside all evening with my son.)

    So, thank you for the list. I appreciate it. But ladies, you all need to get your bloomers un-bunched and enjoy the children you have, both in your home and in your class, because each and every child is a blessing and a miracle.

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58. I am a pre school teacher and i agree with this list. If you enroll your chihld in a great childcare setting from a young age (under 2 atleast) i can promise you along with many other early childhood teacher you will have no worries about your child i an of these areas!

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59. I think you need to read the list again. I think that many of the requirements are possible. Following a two step direction is listed on “What you can expect your two year old to do page in the what to expect book” . Its pick up the book and give it to mommy. When Mommy talks do they answer? Can you child stay with an adult while you work, go out or do they melt down? Do they know their name and respond to it? Do they know the alphabet song or colors? Watch Sesame Street or Blue’s clues or any of those shows they present this information to preschoolers. It is not that expect you to send your child reading, and doing multi-level math. They are asking you to prepare your child for a learning environment. Also if they cannot do everything, it is not a no way no go option. It allows you and the teacher to see what they need to work on. They will review letters, numbers and everything in school. but they do it at a much faster pace. Also they want to make sure that if a child does have a learning issue it is discovered early on, not years later. You do not have to send your child to preschool to learn these items. You need to be the parent. That is the true failure of the American school system; parents who do no want to acknowledge their role in their children’s education. As the parent, you need to make learning the priority, and I am not talking about advanced learning but basic learning.
    Though I will say, I never learned to skip. I attended many years of school and not being able to skip did not cause me any problem!!!!

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60. This is a wonderful list and I totally agree with it. The problem??? The only requirement to come to Kindergarten is that the child is 5. I have students who come in knowing all of this and more and I have students who come into my classroom who do not even know their first names.

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61. Some moms are so touchy, yikes! Thanks for posting, it is nice to see some guidelines! :-)

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62. These items incorporate so much of what we practice at preschool in our play and circle time. A modified game of Crazy Eights was introduced to my 3 yr. old class this afternoon–number and shape recognition were used in this game. When I told the kids we were going to play a game, one of the students was sad that it wasn’t Go Fish. Learning can be a lot of fun. I love it when students learn, and don’t even realize it. One of the most valuable things parents can instill in their child is the sense of wonder and joy in discovering something new–not just about things, but about people and places too.

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63. As a National Board Certified Kindergarten Teacher with 10 years of teaching behind me (and a mom of two preschoolers), I think this list is absolutely right on for 5-year-olds beginning kindergarten. In fact, I would also add several self-help skills, like toileting, hand washing, socks, shoes, dressing, zipping, packing their own backpack, opening lunch containers and generally being able to physically care for themselves indpendently. Really all of these skills can and should be learned organically. I also believe that behavioral readiness is far more important than academic rediness.

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    1. Haha – and I shood probably proff reed my riting before I hit “post comment”, huh!

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64. I have two daughters,3 & 4, and after reading this list I felt a little overwhelmed but as I sat and thought about it I decieded to printed this list and highlight the things I know my children have yet to master. It seems like alot but really its a matter of having simple conversations and taking the time to sit and color or go out and play. Our kids learn from the littlest things and sometimes we dont even realize that they are learning from everyday things. At dinner time talk to them about what color their peas are and make it a game to see how many they can count. Instead of turning an afternoon movie on get some craft supplies and have arts and crafts time, it amazes me at how creative my girls already are. This isnt about money or about the schools wanting too much from our kids, its about us wanting our kids to have a head start in life and a bright future that they knowingly look forward to. I will agree that the schools are teaching more younger but thats because the world around us is demanding that. I dance around to music with my kids, we sing the abc’s, we have arts and crafts time and I talk to them about ever task they undertake during the day and yet I still feel like I could do more so for the love of my children I will.

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65. As a preschool teacher of 20 years, I think this list is very accurate for an older 4 year old. Alot of these measures look like our Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) assessment tool set by the state of California.

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66. Hi there,

    Found this post via pinterest and think this is generally a good list. However, as a pediatric occupational therapist, the fine motor expectations are high and emphasizing them too much too early can actually jeopardize typical development! Children’s hands are simply not ready for a lot of work with a writing utensil of any kind before age 5 1/2 – a little drawing and colouring with broken crayons on a slant board or easel, and learning letters through other fun play (magnets, stickers, etc.) are generally sufficient to prepare children for K and Gr 1. In my province (I live in Alberta, Canada), children are expected to print their names at THE END of KINDERGARTEN – not prior to. This is the curriculum, long established with child development (which generally doesn’t change, or at least, advance) as the basis rather than cultural trends. In my experience, any “head start” that some children have (either because of natural aptitude/interests or parental encouragement) usually levels out in the first few months of kindergarten or grade 1. So I always encourage parents to just PLAY with your kids! Get outside and play, be with them, engage with them, read books, play Lego, get outdoors and for MOST children, the rest will fall into place quickly when they get into a more formal school setting. They have their whole lives to be in school, and only 4 or 5 short years to do their heart’s desire – PLAY!! And yes, I work hard to take my own advice! Thanks for a great post.

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67. Coming from a current Pre-k4 and former Pre-K3 teacher that works with strictly those families that you are referring to… It is possible for parents in those situations to teach atleast half of this stuff. My students knew quite a bit of this because despite extreme poverty, there was someone watching the during the day that interacted with them in one way or another.

    And that family you were mentioning, the father cared about his family which is why his work was. So important to him. His family depends on him to get his work done so they can survive. They also probably didn’t take the tickets because families like what you described (hard working but still very poverty stricken) generally don’t accept gifts like that out of pride. The child that speaks fluently but couldn’t comprehend hadn’t been exposed to baseball but that doesn’t mean anything. I hadn’t been exposed to baseball stadiums until 3rd grade simply because I wasn’t interested. He also could have been uninterested due to a lack of fimilariality with you. Since you brought up his fluency I am guessing he was an ESL student and ESL students go through an opening up phase with people they are not comfortable with which could explain why he didn’t seem to comprehend what you were talking about.

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    1. Okay ladies, I’m all for RESPECTFULLY disagreeing with someone. But please stop the name-calling (on both sides of this disagreement) or I will be deleting these comments.

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       1. Truly apolgoize, my language gets more colorful the more irritated I get. I should have crafted my comparison to the rigidity I hear in these posts without a colorful description :)

          I stand by my position that it is a bit on the crazy side not to expect schools to handle excellence. There is no other way we can BE excellent, compete.

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    2. The fact is, schools often do not have the resources available to bring low level students up to grade level, keep on level students there, and to help high level students stay engaged. It is a systemic problem, caused by how most states and districts fund and mandate education. Mainstreaming students with ESE needs means the typical classroom teacher is spread too thin. That usually means, based on how teachers are evaluated (a political issue), that they have to focus o the lower level students. Advanced students can sometimes be used to teach and help the lower level students, but that is not always practical, depending on the grade and subject level.

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68. I agree with most everything on this list. However I do not think we should be pushing our kids to read and write so early. But I guess that is why I am a Home schooler. So that I can take things at my child’s pace and adjust things accordingly.

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69. This is just insane! What is going on with our world that we feel the need to push our 5 yr olds this much!? I know when I went to kinder in the late 80s we were there to play, color, take a nap and that’s about it. Learning to read and write and everything came with 1st grade. So glad I homeschooling my kids.

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70. First, I must say I LOVE this list. I can’t wait to share it with parents at our Kindergarten Round-Up. I especially like the section on Personal and Social Development. If a child can follow rules and instructions, interact appropriately with others, and “self help”, I can help with any academic gaps.

    I have taught Kindergarten for 30 years. Kindergarten today is not the Kindergarten most of you went to. The expectations for ALL students has been raised. In order to become more competitive with other nations, the curriculum has been revamped and many states have adopted the “Common Core”. In order to have High School graduates better prepared for college, many things have been “pushed” down. If you are interested in seeing what standards are being taught at each grade level you can go to: http://www.corestandards.org/.

    Now for you who are worried that if your child can already do eveything on this checklist, and wonder what will they do in Kindergarten!? I can assure you that they will keep learning :) If you look at these Common Core Standards, you will see that Kindergarten curriculum is probably what you remember learning in 2nd or 3rd grade. Should you be worried that your child is learning too much too fast? No!! Children today are capable of so much! They are playing with computers, Iphones, etc., sometimes understanding the technology better than their parents. Does that mean they need to grow up faster emotionally? I don’t think we are trying to make little adults. If they are ready to learn – let them! Being able to read and write doesn’t mean they need to start acting older than they are! I think children are better prepared now to learn academically than ever before. We just need to guide them – and that does’t necessarily mean Preschool.

    After saying all that, I feel the most important thing a Parent can do for their Child is to be with them, love them, talk to them, Read to them, and let them be little. By doing these things, your child will be ready for Kindergarten.

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71. I’ve taken the time to read this Kindergarten readiness list as well as all of the comments following. I think the list is a great list for starters but also feel many of the suggestions in the comments section should be added to it, particularly in the areas of self help and age appropriate social skills/behavior.

    I’m the mother of 3 adults (all college graduates and professionals) and also a grandmother. I must say I am shocked by the number of parents responding who think this list is ‘too much’ for 5 year olds to be required to know upon entering Kindergarten. In my estimation, this list is the bare minimum children that age should know and be doing by 5 years old. You would think from some of the comments that the list required kids to understand quantum theory and be reading Shakespeare for goodness sake!

    Unfortunately, my grandchildren will be those in the classrooms getting less instructive attention while the poor underpaid teachers try to juggle helping the woefully unprepared students catch up as well as having to deal with parents ready to ‘do battle’ with the school rather than becoming an educational team member. Same story, different generation. Very sad indeed.

    I found your blog on Pinterest and am very impressed! Keep your chin up, you’re doing a wonderful thing by providing all of this important and necessary information.

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72. The list is accurate. It may seem overwhelming, but it’s true. And bottom – most of you kids do all of this stuff anyway, some people just haven’t checked. You’d be amazed at what they already know! But here’s the really important concept to understand….even if you disagree, even if you’re child doesn’t know – there are others that do. A lot of others and you’re child will play catch-up with his/her peers well into high school. I’m a high school teacher and I have kids that can’t read at 16 years old – and they couldn’t do any of these things in “K” and some of them still can’t because no one ever taught them. It is unrealistic to believe that a teacher with 20+ students can take the individual time your child deserves to be nurtured the way you nurture them at home – they are the teacher, not the parent.

    My son “spits” (saw someone use this tacky phrase above) out data to me like a computer and it amazes me! But, he also draws and make clay statues and sings and dances and digs holes in the backyard for dinosaur bones. He could do all of these things by the time he was 3 or 4 and it did not diminish his childhood or imagination one tiny bit, in fact, READING helped it grow. He reads books well into MG level and I have to check them for content. This is his choice – we encourage reading, we do not force it.

    Kids that are prepared for “K” are usually more prepared for Middle School and HS. The competition is fierce, and as a parent I’d rather my child always be a step ahead with my guidance than falling further and further behind.

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73. This is a great list for some kids… But as a Sign Language Interpreter who works in a Special Ed classroom for children with “Physical Impairments” there’s a lot on this list that doesn’t apply to them due to their physical challenges. I wish someone would consider them when creating lists like this.

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    1. Please, reread the second paragraph of the article – before the list even starts.

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74. This seems like it’s too much, but honesty half of the list is probably things they do already….it just seems like a more daunting list because someone took the time to write it out. I think some of the items could/should be taught in kindergarten, but they aren’t expecting all children to walk in knowing everything. I think if you go through the list and observe -not drill- your child doing the things you would be surprised at what they know. It’s also handy so you can give your child’s teacher a heads up if they are struggling with something like colors or numbers between 10 and 15.

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75. Great list, however, on a humorous note: Even I don’t use an appropriate amount of glue when doing projects and I’m a mom of 3. :)

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76. Wow! I’d say the educational system sure has changed in the last 30 years. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t there a time when this would have been representative of a child leaving Kindergarten. My two boys (2.5 and 4.5yrs) are at home with me and I agree it’s absolutely wonderful to play with your children and in turn to see them learn and grow. I also think it’s sad that what likely used to be a First Grade curriculum has moved down to Kindergarten. At the risk of making a generalization, what happened to experiential learning in Kindergarten and focusing on building a culture where children love to learn? This “list” sounds overly-ambitious or maybe it’s simply more typical as most children attend pre-school now. Thanks for posting, this list definitely provides some ‘food for thought’.

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77. Sounds like my preschooler is ready for Kindergarten =)

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78. Great list. I hope it just goes without saying…They should to be able to use the bathroom independantly(wiping,handwashing), and get themselves dressed for outside with little assistance. I have been working with preschool kids for 19 yrs and most of this list is learned natually through play, crafts, circle time(stories fingerplay, songs) and conversation. Every experience has a learning opportunity. That being said every child is unique and they learn in their own way in their own time. I have three boys of my own. One knew all the alphabet by 3 one knew it by 4 and one had no interest until he started school. Encourage independance but not to the point of frustraton. Follow their lead. They are little for such a short time. Have fun and don’t stress.

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79. Every child is different every child is unique but as educators we work on this as a benchmark of goals to obtain by the time your child enters school. After teaching Kindergarten for 10 years and raising 3 kids it’s a pretty accurate list of the goals we’d love for children to come to school with. I think it’s those teachable moments from the very first time your child sits up or crawls, says their first word, turns the pages in a board book, pretends with toys or even starts to realize that print exists by trying to write a word… all little moments that as parents we take special note of and encourage through play. We try to share these teachable moments at The Educators’ Spin On It so that a list like this seems developmentally appropriate. Frustrated with my own daughter in Kindergarten now without center time I do wish our Lawmakers would realize how crucial PLAY is to early childhood developement. Playing is learning!

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80. I think that most of the things on this list are things that children learn naturally when parents are engaged and allow them to be part of every day things i.e. household chores, grocery shopping, meal making. Let your child “work” beside you and most of this will come naturally. You do not have to sit at a table and drill this stuff into them. Our family is well below poverty level, My husband was in an accident at work earlier this year and I choose to stay home with my boys because I believe no one else will teach and take care of my children the same as I can. I just have to be a little more thrifty or creative about how we teach them, but they are learning to work with what they have, a skill that will get them way farther in life than an expensive preschool would. I do hope that we are able to send our two year old to preschool when the time comes, mostly for the social skills he will acquire there, but if we can’t we will use the resources we have (Sunday school, story time at the public library, play time with neighbors, cousins etc.). I don’t know if my youngest will be able to do every one of these things by the time he goes to kindergarten , I don’t even think that the list infers that, I think it is simply a guide as to what things we need to start instilling in our children ahead of time. My oldest son is 13 and has developmental delays and autism, so I do not know what is expected of a ” typical” child at pre k level, so I appreciate the guide, thanks for posting it.

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81. My husband works for a non-profit, so preschool is totally out of the question. However we feel it is not the school system’s job to equip our child to succeed – it is our job as his parents. This list is affirming for a first-time mom because my three and a half year old son can do most everything on the list (I do need to work on some fine and gross motor skills though!). I am so thankful for Jenae’s blog because I feel equipped to enrich my child’s life while fostering an education on which a lifetime of learning will be built.

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82. Well said, Rachel. It doesn’t take money to read to your child, library books are free. I work full time and so does my husband, we have two kids and “no time”. But in that “no time” we still find time to ask our son (3) what color his plate is at dinner, how many fingers he has, ask if he sees a circle in the room, etc. I am not a teacher myself but have a great respect for what they do. But I don’t think learning starts OR stops in the classroom. Teachers are teachers, they aren’t supposed to also be parents.

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83. First this list doesn’t take into account the child who is delayed. Not delayed because the parents didn’t teach him/her but delayed because of whatever reason. My son is 2.5 and cannot do most of these things, he is also delayed and has sensory integration disorder. If this list is so important, it should be handed out at the pediatricians office. I say that because if most are shocked reading this list and they have Internet, imagine people that can’t afford Internet and don’t have access to what a child should know. We plan on homeschooling but for us it’s a personal decision, we feel it’s right for us and knew this before we had kids. Teachers try their best, parents try their best ( both for the most part) if a child doesn’t know this and it’s not because the child is delayed , I don’t think it’s bad parenting, I just don’t think most parents know that a child needs to know this stuff. This is why I’m for free universal preschool at 4. It shouldn’t be a luxury, is should be a right. I could read at 3, most of my peers couldn’t read until first grade. That was in the 80s , times have changed.

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84. As a preschool teacher, this list looks very appropriate. Most of the skills listed match our report card.

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85. Your last sentence is correct: It *does* give some great goals to help your children! Just as Jenae said at the beginning of the article: this may not necessarily relevant if your child has special needs or is delayed in an area.

    And, while I can’t speak for all teachers, I do know that when I had my first special needs child in kindergarten (she had Mobius syndrome with the biggest hurdles of a severe speech delay and a nub for one hand with a smaller hand on the other side) I knew I had to modify the general set of skills from the rest of the class to meet her needs. And when I didn’t know what to do, I asked mom and dad and we found new techniques. They also encouraged her in the areas of her strengths. And in turn, that confidence she found in those areas helped to carry her in the struggling areas.

    As for my opinion of the list – I think it’s great! Is every child going to know them all? Maybe not. But, at bare minimum the 100 or so posters here know, and now may try to work with their child on something because it’s stuck in their mind. I do think that most of the list is attainable. And if your child can do these things, that’s one more stepping stone you’ve given them to a successful future.

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86. I read through it and with the exception of the numbers/number recognition my daughter (who will be 4 in July) is doing all of these things. We are big, big, big readers and most of her books are a K/1st grade reading level, if not higher. We also do a relaxed, fun “Letter of the Week” thing…..maybe 3 days a week. Each child is different and I don’t take these lists to heart (lists like this can sometimes encourage us to push too much or not expect enough of our kids), but it seems very reasonable that most children would be doing these things by the start of Kindergarten. Honestly, if you look at these things, they are things that should be taught by parents in the normal course of a day. Colors while sorting laundry. Counting while picking up toys. So on and so forth.

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87. I appreciate this list. Thank you for posting. It is a good well-rounded guide. When my first two children were little we were way below “poverty-level” and I did not have any money to spare. However, as a parent I took it as my responsibility to teach my children. I used a Magna-Doodle (gift) to write numbers on and small objects to count with. We did math every day- just a few minutes at a time. I would tell her “story problems” about cookies and she would amaze everyone with the correct answers! My point is: by simply taking responsibility and involving your children in your life (instead of pushing them aside) they will learn so much. For reading I used a $20 book (I requested this as a gift from my in-laws) and taught my 3-4 yr. old how to read in only 15 minutes a day. Now 10 years later I am using that same book with my 5 & 3 yr. olds. Also- I bought about every “school-book” that Dollar Tree had- sparing just a couple dollars at a time. How insulting is it to say that a parent cannot teach their own child preschool because the live on a low income? Go outside and write numbers in the dirt if you have to. I also used a $0.74 can of shaving cream from Wal-Mart to cover a cookie sheet and “finger-paint” letters, shapes, and numbers. The possibilities for learning are endless- and I would guarantee that children raised this way have lots more fun than those left to themselves!

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    1. There’s so much that can be done to help kids learn these skills, and it only takes a little bit of time interacting with the kids. If you can’t take 15-20 minutes out of your day to talk with your child and interact with them, why are you having children? They’re not toys, and they’re not going to learn how to be functioning adults without active interaction from the people around them.

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88. Id say this is right on, and normal for any kindergartner (that doesnt have learning disabilities)! Maybe because its list form it seems alot, but everything on this list I think is basic for a child, even if putting some of it in a differant perspective, obviously not all kids like to learn the same way but that is the parents job to determine that n work in those kind of ways w/ your children at home! I know im not complete poverty and I do have education and morals but im the typical “statistic” mother for this generation. I am only 24 and I raise my son by myself, I work, and im also in school finishing my degree so I am by no means close to upper level and I could not afford preschool as well, however my 4 yr old son still knows everything on this list and will be starting kindergarten this yr as an older 4yr necause he meets the cut off date. Putting ur kids under pressure will not help, they like to learn in fun ways that interest their “child” brains. I know between work classes and homework that I dont have the time to sit down w/ him every min of everyday n force it on him, nor would I even if I had the time, however I think it all boils down to what do you do in that time spent! We have fun, we play computr games n we even play wii games together.. But yet in some way he is still learning and doesnt even know it, they dont know the differance between an educational “boring” game even video game or a completely unknowlege filled game unless you tell them, their kids the boringest of stuff to us is amazing to them and just allowing them to explore that for their own minds n opinions is teaching them stuff right there, yet we fail to realize circumstances like that occassionaly. Or how aboit when your clipping their finger nails n toenails.. Thats a great way to teach addition n subtraction to even a younger toddler and they dont even realize their doing it.. I think alot of parents in this generation fail to look outside the box at the big pictures b/c most r too rapped up in their “own” ways. Its not about us anymore its about them, let go a little and let them explore! Thank you for posting, I was nervous about him going to kindergaten as a late 4yr old even though iv been told by many hes ready but this list has actually calmed my nerves about the situation instead of the overwhelment thank you again :)

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89. Oh Zoila, there are not enough words in the English language to express how much I love your response!!
    Teachers these days are blamed for far too much. Eventually the parent needs to wake up and take some responsibility.

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90. In regard to some of the comments…
    Don’t stress yourself out, or your kids! Having 2 kids go through elementary school at this point, I believe in the beginning (meaning preschool, Kindergarten, 1st gr.), parents try to “outdo” everyone else in the class by making sure their child knows “how to count to 100, read on a 2nd grade level,” etc. etc. etc.)! Let these kids be kids, and stress the importance of academics and education, but not overdo it by making sure your child knows his multiplication tables by 1st grade! Relax and they will be much better off… children learn and have fun by “doing.” Build things together, do fun kitchen science experiments, discover new things together, but remember to let them enjoy this time in their lives because they are definitely expected to grow up much quicker these days than when we were kids.!

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91. <>

    That was the most important thing in this whole article, in my opinion. While I don’t agree with “lists” at this age, I think this one is fairly accurate, when parents are positively involved. We homeschool, but my 5 year old, by public school standards, would have been in Pre-K this year (late birthday) had we chosen to send him. He has never been in a formal school setting and almost all of these “check marks” were reached well in advance of the beginning of this school year, and in many areas he far exceeds the expectations. Everything my son knows is from informal activities. We don’t do worksheets, flashcards, memorization (except emergency/contact information–because that IS important), or formal lessons of any kind. He wants to do “school” because most of his friends and several cousins started Pre-K and K this year, but our “school” time consists of reading good books, playing games, doing puzzles, cooking together, making art, building with blocks and Legos, listening to good music, playing outside as much as possible, and occasionally doing a fun science experiment. I believe in play-based learning, but obviously every parent’s philosophy is different, and every child’s learning style is unique. That’s why it is the parent’s responsibility to tune into their child and help them learn and grow in a way that is natural to the CHILD, not how books or teachers or lists say is right. Of course, that is just my opinion!

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    1. By “that” being the most important thing, I meant the section that pointed out children learn best with hands-on activities, not by memorization. Apparently it didn’t copy!

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92. It does sound like a lot to learn, however, as a parent of now grown children let me assure all that following a list such as this can and will give your child an advantage, not just among the other students, but into their adult lives.

    When my (3 boys 2 girls aged 22 months each apart!) children were toddlers I “played school” for an hour or so each day with them as a means to just create some order and “quite” time. What evolved was my children learning the things on this list.

    Often times I think we underestimate just what our children are capable of learning through play. If we can lead our children to an advantage, why would we choose not to?

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93. My daughter is in K this year and the list is accurate. Most of the stuff on the list were things that the teachers would like for the kids to know for the most part and basically brush up on their skills. It was a must for them to know it all by the 100th day of school.

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94. I was feeling pretty good about my 19 month old sons development…now after reading this I fear I’ve already let him fall behind! =( Things have changed so much since I was in Kindergarten!

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95. I teach Preschool in Pennsylvania and these items are identical to the evaluations that we complete on our students every quarter. I have worked at a few centers and school districts and realize that resources are not always available which can make teaching difficult however, children of this age are learning these things through daily activities they do at home. It does not require scissors and construction paper or blocks for a child to learn these tasks. All it takes is a willing person to spend time with a child and help them find fun ways to learn. Who needs a pencil and paper, we all have fingers and there is tons of dirt outside of our homes…. WRITE YOUR NAME IN IT! Who needs blocks, stack cheese or ice cubes! There are many ways to teach children that are “no purchase necessary” and do not require alot of education and most times children are curious enough to do these things without guidance from an adult. I think its great that you put this out there! These items are easily accessable to teachers but it is very difficult for parents to find accurate information. GREAT POST!

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96. Your poor children and their poor teachers! I guarentee that if you continue through life with that attitude your children will hate school just as much as you did…and it won’t be the school’s fault of your children’s fault!

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97. I really appreciate this list! I sent it to my husband as we’re trying to decide whether to send our oldest daughter to kindergarten this year or do one more year of preschool. Her birthday is the cut-off date so she’ll either be the oldest or the youngest. She has all of the cognitive skills (numerals, counting, literacy – in fact, she is starting to read common sight words within print) but I question her social and emotional maturity. According to her preK teachers now, she has great social skills at school and gets along great with her classmates. But at home, I see that it is still a challenge for her to transition to new activities and if she is finding a task too challenging, she’ll just give up rather than persisting or seeking help from me. I don’t want to push her too quickly but I also don’t want her to be bored if we wait another year. Anyone have any helpful advice?

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    1. Hi Amanda,
       I would say get advice from her preK teachers – they know what she is like in a school situation when you are not there. I have a daughter who started kindergarten at age 4 but turned 5 within a month – her preschool teachers told us she was ready, her kindergarten teacher did an assessment and said she was ready. My main concern was her being one of the youngest in the class (and looking forward to high school graduation – and her being younger when she leaves for college). But, like you, I also didn’t want her to be bored if we waited another year. If your only reason for waiting is her behavior at home, remember, she’s a child and there will always be some type of issue, if you wait until the perfect time, she may never get there! If she is doing well at preK, I would say that is the best indicator of how she will do in Kindergarten. And I think it’s important to keep your child challenged. 60 Minutes this past Sunday did an interesting piece on what they called “Kindergarten Red-Shirting” (waiting until your child is 6 to send them to kindergarten) and they mentioned some of the negative consequences of this – one that stuck with me was high schoolers who are older than the rest of the class have a higher drop out rate. Good luck with your decision. My daughter is now 15, a sophomore in high school, and doing great.

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    2. The trend in our area is to wait. I’ve never met anyone that regretted waiting, but I know quite a few that regret pushing ahead. Trust your instincts… if you are uncomfortable listen to yourself. Also you might talk to your school, more and more kids are waiting so likely she won’t be the oldest.

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       1. Our school system requires students to be 5 by Dec. 1 to enter kindergarten. I have two boys, one with a September birthday, and one with a July birthday. My older son went to Pre-k, and he needed it! My younger one will be entering pre-k next fall (our school system screens pre-school students before they enter kindergarten). With both of them, we went with my gut feeling on when they started pre-k/k and we were pleased to know their teachers and I were on the same page. As parents, we know our kiddos best. I’m told that I would never regret waiting, and so far my dh and I are happy with our decision.

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98. I haven’t read any of the comments, but there seem to be PLENTY.

    I have reviewed the list and am printing it out to see if it meshes with where I am with my daughter who starts K in Aug/Sept. I think that a lot of it does, but I am also sure that there are certain things she might be lacking in and will hopefully receive education and guidance from her teachers in those areas when she starts school. In the meantime it is my plan to continue working with her on various things and teach her to learn and absorb all of the world that surrounds her in the best possible ways.

    As a social worker who has worked with children of all ages, I know that sometimes kids are not up to this level when they start school, and it can totally be okay, but at the same time, it’s important that the parents or guardians are involved in helping them learn at home, as well. At least that is my take on all of it. Thanks to you, Jenae, for sharing this info with all of us. I think it’s up to us, as parents, at this point, to take it as we so wish and review it with whatever mindset is most important to us.

    And as a sidenote, found a link to this on Pinterest and am glad to have found your site. Looking forward to reading more from you!

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99. I definitely appreciate this list, so thank you. I have no problem teaching my son things and I absolutely love watching the joy in his face as he learns new things and expands on things he already knows. That said, I think expecting children to come into school knowing all of these things is too much. It is the teachers job to teach some of these things. Kindergarten used to be about getting used to the idea of school. Play time. Nap time, and the basics. Socializing. Now they are expected to start out at home, coming in and being forced into first grade work. Now I’m sure kids this age can do this work. Even kids who are way way way behind can do it with the guidance and support and love a teacher can provide. But when on earth did we take away the idea of a kid being a KID?! My child is almost 4 and I want him to be a kid. Be creative. Be a CHILD for as long as he can before demanding so much of him. Life is hard. Let it be simple while it still can be for them. Do I want him to be smart? YES. Do I want him to be advanced? YES. Do I want him to excel in school and in a career, and in life. YES YES YES. But I also believe there is a time for play and a time to start expecting more and more. Kindergarten should be a time for play. I am highly considering homeschooling him. That way I can ensure our days are still full of play while learning. Again though- thank you for posting this and showing everyone what is expected now a days.

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100. My daughter is at the end of her pre school year, she is doing all of these things plus a little more. When I saw this list i actually called her in and we did almost everything on it that we could. I think this list is on point especially for the amount that children are learning now. We enjoyed doing lots of the things on the list! =)

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101. I agree, to a degree, with the comments about each child developing at their own rate. HOWEVER, this is an excellent list, and if I child is able to do the majority of these things, they should have a good school experience; if they are not able to do the majority of these things, they will likely struggle. The things on this list are not new; my children are adults now, and they needed to know these things. With larger class sizes, fewer volunteers, etc., teachers have more to do with fewer resources. Because of this, some students will, unfortunately, get left behind if they are not prepared for the experience.
     On a different note, the kindergarten teacher at our school has this rule: all children have until Christmas break to learn to tie their shoes; if they do not have it down by then, they need to wear slip-ons or velcro. She just doesn’t have the time to tie 40-60 shoes before and after every recess.

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102. Oh sweet mamas relax! I know all your children are smart. And where they are now at 5 isn’t necessarily an indication of where they will be at 15. For those you wanting to rush to K, while they may be ready now… remember these are the kids they will be with in school for another 12 or so years. In our area there is no rush to run to K and even though my kids are technically eligible with a late summer birthday I am waiting. They are more than smart and more than ready, but more and more families are waiting and starting later. That means the kids in their class will be a whole year older. These are the kids my kids will be competiting against academically, in sports and for college entrance. A year can make a big difference, no matter how smart you are. I just don’t see the rush. There is so much more we can do and learn at home … they will never be bored. And it means I get to have them home one more year before they head off to college. Let them be little and enjoy every minute.

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103. My daughter is in pre-school for 3 year olds (pre-school for 4 year olds are considered the real pre-school), and she can do all these things and more. This list is a great resource! Yay!

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104. It sounds like a lot, but my daughter will be two in a month and can already do a lot of this! We work with her everyday with numerous activities. For example, when we walk up the steps we count each one, up to 13, and when we color we say the color of each crayon she uses. Kids are extreemly smart and learn fast at this age!

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105. I wish you had a easier way to print this list out. I think the list is dead on!

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106. This is a great list. All of it can get learned through just play and reading with your child. You are your child’s first teacher. Your child will learn almost all of this through you just playing with them and reading to them and do fun activities with them. By allowing them to ask questions. my three year old can already do a lot of this and its just by him asking questions and me asking questions like what shape is that block and he is building a tower. He wants to know what color things are, what shape things are. Kids want to learn if you make it fun. You are your child’s first teacher. Its the parents job to get kids to love learning.

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107. Wow! That’s a lot of comments! :) Jenae, thanks so much for sharing. Now I know what to specifically work on with my son.

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108. I LOVE THIS!! I teach kindergarten and I think this list is great! I would love to give this to my parents at the beginning of the school year. Every year we get more and more students who are not ready for kindergarten. Those students are the ones who tend to struggle and when I request for their child to repeat, they about die! It’s not the end of the world if your child needs to repeat kindergarten. Wouldn’t you rather your child wait a year to start or do kindergarten two times?? Why send your child to first grade and set them up for failure if they are not ready?? Sorry….as you can see this is a touchy subject for me! I have never met a parent who regretted holding their child back, BUT I have met parents who regretted not holding them back. Just because a child is five years old does not always mean they are ready for kindergarten. Kindergarten is much harder than it was years ago. Thank you for sharing this! Again, I love it!!

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109. I think it is accurate. I don’t think parents should sweat it if there are things there that their child is having trouble with BUT many of those things are learned faster at home from a parent than they are in a classroom setting where a lot of the kids are ready to move on (counting for example).

     I think parents need to know that most kids ARE going to know these things and if your child doesn’t know any of them, they are starting from behind and that is not good for their self-confidence and stress level.

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110. Another good resource for getting a list of guidelines for each grade is the WorldBook Typical Course of Study. http://worldbook.com/typical-course-of-study

     I think (as I know you do) that every child develops at their own rate, but I still feel good having a rough guide – especially as a homeshooler!

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111. I think it’s pretty accurate for the majority of children. I used to teach 2nd grade, so it seems right on to me. My concern is that my son just turned 3 and already knows all these items on the list and then some. I am terrified he will be bored, considering he doesn’t even start Kindergarten until 2014!!!!

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112. As a pre-K teacher my self this looks pretty spot on as to what I teach my little ones. On a side note you might want to consider changing the background to your blog, or just the background behind the lettering. These stripes are giving me a headache and I could barely read the list.

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113. My boyfriend has a son that just turned 4. In the past, he has lived mostly with his mother, however, he is with us much more now. In my opinion, she was not doing too much with him to promote the things on this list. This is causing us to have difficulty in even getting him interesting in writing, spelling, counting, etc. There is also a lack of discipline, causing him to get upset sometimes when having to share toys. We are even still working on potty training, but him going back and forth has made that difficult also. Does anyone have any ideas on what may get him interested in learning and potty training more?

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114. I teach kindergarten and I would really like parents to teach their children how to tie their shoes before they get to kindergarten. I don’t have time to tie all their shoes AND teach everything else. Kinders don’t/won’t listen when their shoes are untied and shoes untie ALL day!

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     1. Vicki, I was just looking at sneakers for my 5 year old on Striderite’s website and was dismayed that a large majority of the shoes were velcro! No wonder kids can’t tie their shoes! My daughter has been wearing laced shoes since she could solidly walk (maybe 18 months) and could tie her shoes at age 2. I have a nephew who is 10 and still can’t tie shoes – and still wears velcro sneakers. Grr.

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     2. We made a rule that if a kid could tie their shoes in kindergarten, every Friday afternoon they could take their shoes off after lunch till the end of the day. At the beginning of the year only 3 kids knew how to tie and by Christmas break ALL of them could tie their shoes.
        For kids who wore flip flops, velcro, crocks, etc; they had to demonstrate on a friends shoe to prove that they could do it.

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115. For all those parents interested in what is being “taught in Kindergarten,” check out the following web site.
     http://www.corestandards.org and click on “The Standards” to see what nationwide Kindergarten standards are. As a kindergarten teacher, the list above will just give students an extra jump. I have had many students come in with all those skills or very few, but a good teacher strives to get all students to and above and beyond what is expected. Most teachers are looking for a partnership, not a blame game.
     BTW- 47 or 48/50 states have chosen this standards.

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     1. Oops 45/50…. Sorry 48 is what someone is my district told me.. just checked the map…

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116. This list is wonderful! My daughter just turned 4 in January and her preschool teacher told me to check into early kindergarten. I’m hesitant to start her early. What are your feelings on starting children early? I’m thinking of waiting until she’s 5, if she’s still advanced they can move her then?

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117. Sigh. We wonder why kids hate school so young and are so overwhelmed. Yes, these are all important skills, but I think it is ridiculous for a preschooler to know all of it. My daughter is four and I can check off the majority of this list. Seeing this makes me think homeschooling is a better idea every day.

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118. I like the list, but it’s so important that we remember these should not be taught in a, “Sit down while I teach you a math lesson” setting. ALL of the items on this list can be taught over the early years during play. When you clean up the blocks, ask your child to pick up the red ones while you pick up the blue ones. (Sorting and colors). Sing songs, talk in the car, read books, etc. This is not about having having your child “spit data back at you” like a previous poster said. Children naturally want to learn these types of things, it’s sad that we steal these opportunites from them by plopping them in front of mind-numbing television, video games, and computer screens.

     Great reminders for parents. Thanks.

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119. My son just turned 3 and he knows this list and then some! He can count to 100 and knows 30 sight words! I am also worried that by the time he starts K he will be bored. I think as a society we need to raise our standards regarding education!

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120. I am a Special Education Teacher for K-3 and I totally agree with the list that was posted. These are all important to the success of a Kindergarten child. Especially since they are expected to read UPON entering first grade and work with 2 digit numbers and above 100 before the first half of first grade.

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121. I stopped reading the replies after about #10 because there are TOO many and oddly outspoken from one side? Obviously this is a touchy issue, given the masses of replies i did not read. I’m a high school teacher. A few comments: To those who believe that social class (income) does not impact how prepared kids are for kindergarten…do your research. Shame. And also check out recent brain research to see if kids are really wired to be doing all these expectations before kindergarten. Lastly, play based learning is going to build executive functions better than drills and flashcards which could potentially turn kids off school for life. Kids develop at individual paces; why standardize at SUCH a young age?! This list depresses and scares me. So glad my child won’t be subjected to this!!!

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     1. Thank you for your great response to this list. As a kindergarten teacher, I agree with you!

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     2. I want to know what research was done to create such an elaborate list of things expected of playschool children? I am very curious to know how and why this list was created? What 3-year old knows all of their alphabet letters sounds? Most research I have read contradicts what has been listed. Please share! Thanks.

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        1. Jamie, I am not sure what research was done. This was taken from a public school At-risk Pre-K program, so I KNOW that is IS research-based…I just don’t know what exactly the research is. As I said, I didn’t make this list up.

           I would add, however, that there has been extensive brain research that suggests the brain is more receptive between the ages of 2-6 than ANY OTHER TIME in life. Because of this, I think it’s important we set the foundation for a love of learning while kids are willing and excited to soak it up. That being said, we also need to make we do it in a play-based way and let our kids be kids. :)

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           1. From a parent’s perspective it is hard to make it play based when ALL you hear about school and readiness is related to standardized testing, hell in my city they have Kindergarten test prep courses so that your 3 or 4 year old can take the Kindergarten test for selective enrollment schools (which depending where in the city you live can make the difference between good school and horrible school…or where your neighborhood school is so crowded even if you live next to it you have to test in.)

              I don’t disagree with you at all, and we have very specifically made those choices for play based learning, but we have had a lot of pushback on it.

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     3. I have a degree in early childhood and have done preschool for 10 years and now have 3 young children myself one who will be headed to kindergarten next year and I have never used flash cards or used drills and my child knows everything on this list through play and the activities that we do and we would also be classified as below the poverty line. For example my son learned his letters by reading books like chicka chicka boom boom and every time a letter went up the tree he would find the letter magnet and place it on the tree. We also go fishing for letters out of the tub and when he catches a fish he would tell me the sound it makes and my 3 year old would tell me the color or if he don’t know it i tell him and soon he would now it by himself. They learned their numbers by counting the coins they would find laying around or by playing games like I would say a number and they would jump up and down 10 times and we would count them. or they would stand on their tippy toes for 5 sec and we would count them. Soon they pick up and we start working on a new skill and its all done through play. My kids Love when we play a new game or activity or science project. Everything on this list could get learned through play and not sitting at a desk with paper and pencil. my son learned to write his letters by writting them in shaving cream. I would say my kids are loving their child hood and learning without even knowing it.

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122. I definately agree, it follows closely the Creative Curriculum that is used by a large majority of preschools. These are where most students would be naturally and can be met in a natural way. Best way to help your student is to talk with them and play games with them.

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123. great list! thanks! although, I must say, I’ve never known that many kindergarteners who use the appropraite amount of glue for tasks! :)

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124. All I can say is that all we are doing is buning our children out. I want and have a smart kid but physical play and interactions are a very important part of a day also. The school system is getting ridiculous. My son is 3, can do most of whats on the list. He comes home from daycare and asks for homework and loves going to school but i am so afraid once grade school starts, they will burn him out.

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125. After reviewing the list, I did not think it was too much for a kindergartner. My daughter is 2 1/2 and she is able to do a large portion of these items in various areas. She attends a Montessori school so between that and the things my husband and I do with her, I feel she will be well equipped to head to kindergarten. It blows my mind to think that parents do not spend time educating their children during daily life, it doesn’t require that much more from a parent.

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126. I am a kindergarten teacher, and this list is pretty much everything we DO IN kindergarten. I would never expect children to come INTO kindergarten knowing these things. I only hope that children are able to print their name and know the letters of their name, anything above that is great. I really think this list gives parents the wrong idea and sets their expectations too high for their little ones. Knowing all of this BEFORE you turn five is a bit much!

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     1. Hi Jenny

        I hope I do not come across the wrong way but I am truly very curious in what state you teach kindergarten. Also, is the district in which you teach considered quite impoverished by government standards (free lunch student numbers, etc)?

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        1. Hi Lori,

           Thank you for your questions… they actually clarified the context of this website and parental comments for me. I am a Canadian teacher. I am currently completing my Master’s degree and have read much research surrounding the kindergarten context in the United States and the implications of the No Child Left Behind Act.

           The expectations for your children coming INTO kindergarten are our expectations (well in my province anyway) for children LEAVING kindergarten. With the national standardized testing that happens in the states, I am not surprised K teachers are asking parents to teach all of these concepts before entering kindergarten. Kindergarten, in my province, is based upon a play-based approach and my school specifically utilizes the Reggio Emilia approach.

           So, now I understand, this list is directed at American families. From a Canadian perspective, it is not necessary for children to know these prior to coming to kindergarten here.

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127. I am a preschool teacher in Utah & this list is basically what we go off of. The kids pick it up fast, especially with repetition. I have a 3 year old who has a totally different personality than my older 3 girls. (She wants to do things on her own time). I was worried that she was going to get behind because she didn’t have a very long attention span. She would scribble all over her tracing papers instead of tracing the letters, etc. I was surprised the other day, when she brought a paper to me with her name name on it that she had wrote all by herself. She HAS been paying attention in her own little way & on her “own time” she decided she was ready. I also can tell when parents are spending (even a little) time helping, reading with their kids. It really does make a difference and helps them to stay focused during class time. We also started going over sight words, and helping them recognize them. My Kindergartener is having spelling test , which my other kids didn’t do that early. Times are just changing more & more.

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128. Melissa,
     My comment had NOTHING to do with special needs children. I am a registered equine therapist for children with special needs. My issue is when a child in my class has needs that are completely ignored by their parents special needs or ‘no’ special needs. If a parent is willing to listen and work with me and their child that is when they(the child) have the most progress. Let me be clear, I have seen some pretty extreme situations, this affects my perspective. What you are talking about has nothing to do with what i said, and it is “ignorant and offensive” that you would assume those things about another person, and go out of your way to accuse them of such things.
     You seem like the kind of parent I would love to have in my class, because you care about your child. That is all a teacher wants, an invested, caring, and involved parent.
     After that the rest seem to fall into place.

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129. When my now 1st grader was in Kindergarten there was several kids that could already read! I was shocked, she does attend a charter school. I definitely agree that kids should at least know what’s on this list.

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130. I’m a pre-k teacher and I love this list. I certainly hope my students will head into kindergarten being able to do most of these things and more. I certainly try to prepare them the best I can. A lot of the things on this list would just occur from play and stimulating social interaction with parents and other children. Kids love to learn and are like little sponges. To be able to do all the things on this list doesn’t mean they are being made to sit at a desk all day and information drilled into them. It is done through art, dramatic play, building with blocks, reading, playing outside, cooking, science experiments, etc.

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131. My daughter who barely turned 2 meets about 80% of the requirements. I feel that it is a great list.

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132. I agree with Heidi- use everything around you. I work for the Parents as Teachers program. Look them up and try to get enrolled in one of their programs! It’s a free program, and in some cases targeted to lower income/poverty level families, that have no idea what to teach their birth-5 kids! We use common household items and cover all domains and teach THE PARENTS how to do so the learning continues at home. As a mom of a toddler, I know how hard it is to keep him focused on anything for more than 8 minutes, but those 8 minutes at a time are golden to me. Learning is an adventure- you have to be ready to take it!

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133. I agree with this list completely. My mother is a 3rd grade teacher and she can’t get some of her students to understand 2+2… For the people who say they don’t have the time, just reading a 3 page story before bed could make a world of difference. You obviously have access to the internet so read something off the computer even. New advances are being made in different subjects across the spectrum, and a little more is required to keep up. Honestly to me this isn’t much different from when I was in school 25+ years ago. Now high school math? That’s another story. lol

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134. My two cents–I think there is too much emphasis on academics before age 5. I agreed with this list until Alphabet Knowledge, and was back on board by the Arts. I think it’s important to remember that kids are busy developing social skills and how to learn, and asking them to assimilate rote memorization lessons can stunt their problem-solving skills. I homeschool and privately tutor, and my experience has taught me that Kindergarten is when you learn these things–that’s it’s point. Kindergarten *is* pre-school. First grade is the first year of academics. Pushing 3- and 4-year-olds to learn these things is cheating them of their imaginative play and cognitive development.

     Motor skills is a different story. Children who walk late are necessarily going to skip later, and children who skip crawling are going to have extra difficulty pedaling (left-right opposition coordination is stunted).

     Lists like this and Kindergarten teachers in standard public school systems have led many a frantic mother to my tutoring service, desperate because their little pre-schooler is behind, or their Kindergartener is going to be held back. Leave the little ones alone. The vast homeschool community should be testament enough that children will learn on their own schedules, and there should never be a set list of what should be known before Kindergarten. The only thing a child really needs before their first year of school is a willingness and the maturity to learn.

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135. I think it is a decent list, but if anything it is the bare minimum. My mom taught me to read before I entered kindergarten and I am so glad she did! It has helped me so much since then. I am a senior in high school now and classes are way easier when you are/have been a fluent reader and while the other kids were learning spelling, reading comprehension, and writing, I had it made and could study things more in depth because I had read so much I could spell almost everything on the weekly lists, had seen a ton of examples of writing styles, and I understood what I read.

     If you have the time to teach your child to read before he/she enter school, I highly encourage you to do it! My mom was a homemaker so she had more time on her hands, but every little bit helps I’m sure.

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136. I think you should add tying shoes and independently using the restroom, those are pretty big requirements in our area.

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137. Thank you for the list. I was trying to decide if my just-turned-four-year-old needed to attend pre-4k but now I feel really good about her development. We still have another 1 1/2 years before she starts school and she is already doing all but one motor skill (she’s just not good with a trike!). She is even beginning to read, write words, count in 5s and 10s, and count money.

     That being said, I believe any parent that spends at least one hour a day on preparing their child for school should be able to have all these things mastered by age 5. If not, maybe there is a learning disability (or teaching disability). So get help early, don’t wait until they are too far behind in school to do something about it.

     There are wonderful workbooks available at Sam’s Club for about 8 bucks (a small price to pay for their educational development!)

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138. I have taken the time to read most of the comments, and the biggest thing that I have learned – both from the article and the responses – is that regardless of what this particular list indicates, parents need to be AWARE of the preK and Kindergarten opportunities in their area. It appears that there are some drastic differences between various curriculums from one region to the next, and the best thing any parent can do is educate themselves as to what is out there in their community, price range, and what the requirements and alternatives are – you can’t make them adjust their entire structure because your child is not a perfect fit. Many private pre-schools take kids further than K level – what then? Will the public schools accomodate an advanced learner (alternate classes or “skipping grades”) or are you forced to look at private schools? If paying for private school is not an option, are there alternatives – charter or magnet schools in the area? Whether they are ahead, behind, or spot on for whatever “requirement” lists are applicable, it is the parents’ responsibility to 1) prepare their child for that first educational step and 2) ensure that their child is being educated to the extent of that child’s ability – not the local school district’s. And yes, that may mean that you as a parent have to take on the role of teacher yourself. You’ve taught your child everything up to this point – why would you stop now?

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139. Children are so naturally curious that it really does not take much work at all for your child to learn these things. I think this is a great list that seems to be on par with my understanding of what my pre-k boy should be able to do going into kindergarten next year. Honestly, my son is in special ed pre-school for cognitive and gross motor delays and even he can do almost everything on the list. If my delayed boy can do almost all of these things then I really don’t see any reason why a typically developing child shouldn’t be able to also. *shrug* And really, this is just a guideline. If your child can’t do every single little thing they aren’t doomed to fail kindergarten. It’s just a good measuring tool to see where your child is at and see what you can do as a parent to help them out in their weak areas.

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140. That 6 feet isn’t all in one hop, right? Lol.

     Most of these seem very reasonable. My son is only 2 but has mastered many of them and is working towards others. It’s a great list to keep in the back of my mind as goals ;)

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141. Looks pretty good to me. My son is in 3yo preschool right now…he is evaluated 2x’s/schoolyear on his progress/developemnt…and the evaluation form he brings home shows most of these categories (if not all).

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142. You list is really detailed and impressive. Mine looks so lame compared to yours :-)

     http://www.schoolapple.com/tags/entries/what-to-teach-2-to-3-year-old

     We have printable resources for some of the activities in your list though .

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143. Personally, I think there isn’t enough on this list. I don’t know why we shouldn’t expect more out of our children. My son is in prek and can read on a 2nd grade level. He knows how to count to 1,000, skip count, heck the kid can tell time. I’m a teacher, but I don’t think that is really the reason my son can do all of the things he can do. I simply made every moment a teachable one. I talked to my son constantly from the moment he was born, began reading with him before he could hold his head up. Our kids are capable of doing FAR more than we think, and it has been my experience that many people just leave the teachable moments up to the teacher. It takes a village.

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144. I didn’t read all the comments posted previously, but here’s my 2 cents….I was a preschool teacher for two years and currently have a childcare I run out of my home…I am also a parent of a six year old. We often underestimate the developmental capabilities of Pre-K children; starting from a young age children are information sponges. They can grasp many concepts and retain information far beyond what we think they do, simply because they can’t always communicate it back. My husband and I started working with our son from a young age on all the basics (and we both work full time) and it really paid off. We never used baby talk with him (spoke with him in our normal tone and got on his level to communicate) played games with him that incorporated all the basics (letters, numbers, etc.). We read to him and took every opportunity to help him learn. In our daily lives there are so many opportunities to teach our children that we just see as part of our day. We try to get through them fast so we can spend time with them when really we can just slow down and talk to your children about it. Counting items and the grocery store or talking about colors, pointing out letters on objects around you, singing songs when driving around. It’s so easy and we all get in such a hurry that we don’t realize what we could be doing to help them learn. Now, our son understands concepts quickly, reads very well for his age, speaks with a wide vocabulary, excels in every area at school, loves to learn and yet still has a great imagination and gets plenty of play time. As a parent or a teacher, its important to find balance and see everything as a learning opportunity. Don’t underestimate your child and don’t be worried about overwhelming them…they enjoy learning!

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145. someone’s jealous………

     maybe if you actually interact with your own kid, you could say the same things that kristina is saying, instead of sitting on the computer and bashing people who are actually being good parents.

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146. If you do not qualify for Head Start, check to see if their is a Parents as Teachers Program in your city!

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147. Thanks so much for the list. This is really helpful as I help to prepare my little girl at home for what’s ahead. I’m going to add my 2 cents here as well. Reading some of the comments here absolutely terrifies me. Is this what it’s going to be like for my little girl in school? A bunch of super competitive moms who have nothing better to do than to put other parents down? For those of you with 2 year old children who can read and write backwards and upside down, bravo! There will come a time when your little one will struggle with a concept and it may have nothing to do with how good of a mommy you are at home. I hope others treat you with more love and respect than you are treating the mommy’s here who are maybe feeling a little overwhelmed by the new criteria. This list was probably put here to help, not hinder, us parents to prepare our children to the best of ability. Our kids deserve better than this from us!

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148. WORD. My husband and I are talking about pulling our Kindergartener and 2nd grader after this year and homeshcooling this coming fall.

     Cripes, kids didn’t go to school until they were 6 or 7 in the not so distant past, and we sent a man to the moon with those brains, using paper, pencils, and a slide rule. I would wager most of their moms didn’t “work” with them or integrate lessons into play. The kids went out and played on their own. And were read to. And that’s about it.

     I get that the world is different now, but I have a real sense of sadness that little kids who should be playing without pressure or “worked in” lessons are losing the spontaneity of childhood…along with its innocence….and it’s showing in some big, and not pretty, ways across our culture. AND, it doesn’t seem to really bear out any distinct advantage beyond the first few years of school – kids mostly even out after 3rd grade or so (that’s why they don’t do “gifted” pull outs until then! They have to wait for the kids who learned the rote stuff early but aren’t gifted to level down, and the kids who didn’t learn the rote stuff early but are gifted to start to take off). Being read to a lot conveys a distinct advantage to any child (and I mean being read to, not being challenge-read to and having it turned into a “lesson” too) – all the other stuff? Meh.

     I’m not suggesting that you never teach your child anything, or never send them to preschool….I just wish there wasn’t such a push SO early. These are 4-year-olds we’re talking about! And I”m not blaming teachers, I’m blaming society for losing perspective, and being so focused on “best” and “advantage” and “early start” and all that – not just in academics, but in everything – the pressure on little kids to be the best, be the star, stand out, etc. is just completely outrageous. Kids are special just because they ARE…just because they exist. It’s just another way that I wish society could backtrack a little and get some clarity on what’s important and what’s not…unfortunately, going back in one area might mean going back in many other areas that I’d prefer to stay in our times with.

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     1. This WORD above was meant to reply to someone else, who was talking about no wonder kids hate school, with being pushed so young with all this stuff. Apparently I didn’t hit the reply correctly.

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149. I just had my daughter’s preschool conferences yesterday and covered most of the things on your list! Very comprehensive and right on. Love your blog. Thank you for all you do!

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150. Oh yes – also….just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean they SHOULD. Sure, you *can* teach a 3-year-old sight words….but to what end? More and more people today are convinced their kids are geniuses. But it’s not going to bear out. Every kid IS special….but not every kid is gifted. Teaching your kid early is not going to make them gifted…that’s something that comes from within the child. And teaching a love of learning has very little to do with flashcards and sight words at 4. You teach a love of learning by learning in front of your kid (when they’re this small)…you teach a good work ethic by having a good work ethic and involving them in your work. We have become so obsessed as a society with tailoring things towards kids that I think we’re losing sight of the things that teach them the lessons they *really* need to learn.

     Ugh – the more I think about this, the more I get bummed out about our society.

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151. I keep seeing things….lol

     re: teachable moments…..I think the whole point is to WAIT for the moment, not to TURN every moment into one. I’m trying to imagine a day where everything was a teaching moment, where every color was named, everything was counted, and it makes my head spin – I can’t imagine how it would make a preschooler feel….most kids want to please their parents, so they’re going to go along, especially when there seems to be a reward of a happy parent cheering them on for learning things.

     I just….I think I’m just gonna have to agree to respectfully disagree and not keep reading comments. Otherwise I’m going to be on here all night. Peace, everybody.

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152. YES. This is NOT about “Libraries are free! You can write your name in the dirt with a stick!” – it’s about *realizing* you should take your kid to a library, or that you might want to write something in the dirt with a stick. If you’ve not come from an environment where learning is an important thing, where being nurtured and interacted with on a meaningful level was the norm, it takes an exceptional person to break out of it. It’s just not as simple as what’s free and what costs money.

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     1. I’m glad at least someone gets what I’m trying to say, that issues with this list likely wouldn’t apply to a single person reading it.

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153. I wish I had found this list before my son started kindergarten. I think it’s a great list of guidelines! After having my son’s first parent teacher conference I realized how different Kindergarten is now than when I was in school. Though I was surprised to see that they are starting addition and subtraction and now even writing sentences, I see absolutely no reason why they can’t do such things. My son LOVES Kindergarten. He wants to go. He loves when it’s his turn to have a job (door holder, light monitor, line leader etc.) I’ve felt no pressure from his teacher or school to push him farther than he is capable. With a good teacher a kid can learn so much. I thoroughly believe that a child’s first teachers should be their parents. I personally don’t have to time after work to go through a bunch of flashcards and worksheets with my son BUT I’ve always tried to find ways to learn in every day life. He learned colors by playing I Spy at meal times (I spy with my little eye something that is green.) It’s easy enough to find things to count or to say A is for a…a…apple. We dance and sing around the house while cleaning or cooking. There’s no reason any average 4/5 yr. old can’t accomplish the things on this list.

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154. I like this list, but I do find it a little exclusionary. My son (now 6.5 years old) is moderately disabled and was not doing a lot of these things before he joined his (mainstream) preschool, so I think it should be made clear that this list doesn’t apply to all children, just the currently abled ones. :o)

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155. might want to add being able to be away from their primary care giver w/o having a melt down. sometime when a parent has the privileged to be at home they forget that they have to drop that child off for 6 hours to a relative stranger. nothing make a first day of school more unpleasant for the child and teacher then a inconsolable child. encourage going on play dates, sport activities with a coach, or a baby sitter.

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156. I was really surprised to see the long list of things. As someone else said, what about not being able to afford daycare?? My son is pretty smart for not being in a daycare. We also got him a pre K book to work on here at home but there is alot that he has not learned yet. Ughh. Also like someone else said, they should be learning some of this stuff in school. There really is no point to send them to pre K then if they have to know all that stuff before going?? Right?? Alot of this stuff my son does know , but then there is alot he doesn’t. Guess I better get cracking.

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     1. I teach in a basically rural school where a lot of the kids do not have access to preschool. I think the list is expecting a lot. Yes, it would be nice if all kids came in knowing these things, but they don’t. I would like to have a child that is ready to learn rather than one that has been force fed education. Let them be kids. I also believe in counting things and talking about numbers and colors and reading to kids. By the end of Kindergarten, most of my kids will be reading, even without an extensive preschool curriculum.

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157. “Hops on one foot- 6 ft.”
     Really?? Can Olympic athletes hop 6 feet on one foot? But my 5 year old should?? :D

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     1. I think this means 6 consecutive feet (like hops several times for a total distance of 6 feet). :)

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     2. Hops multiple times on one foot for a length of 6 feet…..not make one giant hop 6 feet long. There’s a difference.

        I agree. Parents just need to spend time with the kids…..they will soak it up like sponges. But each kid learns at different paces, so don’t expect them to be experts on everything. Just love them and spend time with them and they will succeed!

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158. I teach Preschool and PreK. I have high expectations of my kiddos, but the activities we do focus a lot on inquiry and exploration that extend to every learning area and they really have no idea they are learning. My state (Ohio) has rigorous content standards for PreK. My K teachers in my district want the kids to come into K knowing how to follow directions, sit still when asked, and work cooperatively with others. Social behaviors are very important because the teacher will have to focus more on behaviors then learning. This age loves to learn, and they do soak up everything. Most of the items on that list are things you can do at home with your child. Pointing out letters, colors, numbers in the grocery store, counting cars while riding in the car, counting steps are just basic things a parent can do that teaches so much. As a parent, you can teach your child so much with just everyday activities. (bath time, dinner, breakfast, car rides, etc. ) The biggest thing you can do as a parent is READ!!! Poems, nursery rhymes, Dr. Seuss books for example teach rhyming words. Just having conversations with your child impacts their vocabulary and understanding. Letting your child “read” to you teaches them important reading skills. I was a single parent, full time student with a full time job. You (parents) can teach your child in the minimal amount of time you have each day. Make it fun for both of you.

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159. A majority of these things are items parents can do with their child regardless of “class”. Just part of everyday existence. Who is watching your kiddos during the day? At night? What are you/they doing all day with them? Do you go outside and play? You don’t have to be a trained PreK teacher to teach your child. Blogs are an incredible resource for fun educational ideas you and your child can do together. Yes, parents with more money have better access to PreK resources, but it isn’t anything you can’t do yourself. This age LOVES to learn new things and they are so proud when they complete a task. Poor…middle class… rich… just love your child and expose them to life around them.

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160. I think this list is asking a lot of a 5 year old! It worries me a little that my son is starting K in August this year and if he can not do these things he will be left behind or will still not know what he needs to before he goes to 1st grade! He is in a preschool program now and it is a good one, yet he still seems to be struggling. I keep seeing play at home and teach at home! I am a stay at home mom and I play all day with my two kids! If I even mention something about what letter or what number, my son instantly stops playing! He does not want to do it! We read and he gets side tracked with toys! He does not want to listen to me teach and has actually told me at 4 years old that he learns at school and does not want to at home! He wants to play at home! I am totally ok with that too! I want him to be a kids as long as he can! He will one day have so much routine and structure in his life that he will not have time for play so I want him to get in all that he can now! I think school is for teaching and learning and that is not what is happening if that is everything they need to know for starting K!! What are they learning then?!

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     1. I think you are looking at this list as being too definitive. Yes, if you child comes in doing all of these things, they are going to have an easier transition and succeed easily in kindergarten. However, if they struggle with some of these things, they will not be left behind. First of all, I am a kindergarten teacher and can tell you that even when 90% of my class comes in knowing how to do these things, we still touch on them to make sure they have a SOLID foundation. Also, we spend so much time differentiating our lessons for students. If your child doesn’t know their letters, we are going to work with them in a small group on their letters before we start pushing them to read. It’s a process and while they will still be exposed to the reading strategies we introduce to the class, a lot of their day is reallly based around what they need at that time. I have a child who started out struggling and did not know their letters and sounds. Now that child is one of my highest readers and can write about 5 sentences with perfect capitalization and punctuation.

        Like I said, this list is pretty accurate about what we want them to be able to do, but it is not the end of the world if your child is struggling. It’s more important that you are encouraging them and interacting with them. Also, you are right that school is for learning. However, you seem to think that if the students know these things that they have nothing to learn in kindergarten. IF ONLY! The kindergarten curriculum these days are the things that were taught in 1st grade just 5 years ago. Our standards have continued to increase in difficulty, and that is why we want the students to come in with these skills. If they don’t know their shapes, colors, and some letters… we have to take time to teach those, but we STILL have to cover just as much in the year. I can tell you that at the end of the year my class is expected to be able to read almost 100 sight words, read at a C or D level book (proud to say 95% of my class is there!), write 2-3 sentences with semi-phonetic spelling, spacing, capitalization, and punctuation, add and subtract with pictures, graph, measure, know their money, tell time to the half hour, and more! Kindergarten has changed A LOT, and this can’t be solely blamed on teachers and schools because it is handed down to us from the government. We feel the stress often times too!

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161. This list is a good guideline, but I have to remind myself that each child develops and learns at their own rate. My son who is about to turn 4 can do many of the items on this list but he has some speech delays and gross and fine motor skill delays. Scissors and holding crayons are very difficult for him. His speech has come a long way in the last year so I know he’s making progress, but he’s still probably at the level of a 2.5 year old. I know this list wasn’t necessarily meant for kids with special needs. It’s great for those of you who have children who are meeting or passing these milestones, but please don’t assume that because a child isn’t at or near the same level means their parents aren’t playing, reading, spending time with them, etc. And I’m not saying this referring to my child who has some special needs. I’m referring to all children because EVERY child is different and they don’t all learn the same either. I have a close friend with triplets who are in Kindergarten. One of them is teaching themselves how to read and it’s not the one I would have expected! They’ve all reached certain markers at different times. So if your child isn’t “there” yet, don’t stress. Just keep loving and playing with them and teaching them when you can. Find something your child enjoys doing and try to teach them through that activity. Just my two cents.

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162. I find everything this woman has written extremely offensive and ask it to be taken down. A gardner is automatically poverty stricken because he is a gardner? Am I poverty stricken, not able to have the resources to to educate my child because I am a server in a restaurant?

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     1. Why should it be taken down? It’s a public forum and she has her right to freedom of speech. I’m sure she did not mean to offend anyone. As she stated, it was an example from her life. Anyone in any job setting could be experiencing the same thing w/ their child.

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163. Samantha, well said! I agree that this list is awesome! What a great building tool. My son is 4 1/2 (in preschool) and can do pretty much all of this….not all of it! We **DO** work with our son often. We are not ignorant either(I am a RN and his daddy is a Firefighter). All kids work at different paces. I agree that you have to work with your child at home (everyday and in some way). All learning doesnt have to be a bore and lame. Make a fun game out of it and give lots of praises. But, that doesnt mean you will create a baby einstein and that also doesnt mean that the parents arent doing their job when a kid doesnt know all of this by the time they start school. We have to step back too and let kids be kids. I dont remember knowing all this by the time I started school and I certainly dont remember my mom working with us every single day. We got to play and explore, alot! Hey, I turned out okay and have an excellent career. Give and take, learn and play!

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     1. Well said!! I agree with you. Even though some parents teach and spend time with their kids, some kids still learn and remember things at their own pace. Doesn’t mean they have to know every single one of these things listed on this link.

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164. After reading some of these I was completely amazed. I agree with some the academic pushdown is a little much. The list you placed on the top was an accurate portrait of what a child needs to know to have a successful year in kindergarten. Yes, give or take a few and the kid would be fine, but you could obtain most of this from very minimal interaction with your kids. Take 10 minutes a day even and most of this could be accomplished. I guess i am just amazed at how many parents feel that they seem to have very little responsibility to educate their children. Most brain development is done by the age of 8. If a child comes in to Kindergarten without having these types of experiences then you have already set your child up for failure. Not everyone has the financial resources and I very first hand understand the limitations when you are have limited financial resources. I have friends that can put their children in the best preschools, every art camp, science camp, sports camp, etc. but I am just doing the best I can with what we have and my children get very few of these experiences. However, my children are way ahead of the ball game because I have used my time and energy to make sure of it. When I say time and energy I don’t mean we sit around all day doing worksheets and the like. We read and I sit down to play with them while incorporating some of these activities. You can provide your child with this limited information you just may have to make your child a priority. Just a thought, but if PARENTING your children is a major inconvenience, then don’t have children.

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165. I agree, that is a lot! I don’t agree with this though. Ask any doctor and they will tell you that every kid develops on their own time. I read with my children and go over numbers and shapes. My son is still learning his numbers and his ABC’s. Just because your child doesn’t do some of these things listed doesn’t mean they aren’t ready for kindergarten. The kindergarten teachers know that that grade level is difficult because so many children are still learning. Thats why they are called teachers and they should want to teach the child some of these things and not expect that parents should have taught them already. Some kids go to preschool and aren’t taught some of these things! I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS AT ALL!!!

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166. Google Dr. James Dobson/Dr. Raymond Moore ignore the word homeschool this is about the young child. The years before kindergarten are the formative years. There could be better use of time. Pushing to early will result in burn out many times. I love kids. Your website is very attractive though.

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167. After reading most of the comments I have to say that my 2 year old has mastered 90% of the list. We are working on reading and writing now. He can identify his name and about 50 other words, write his first name and knows his last. Now let me tell you he has only lived with us for 9 months.
     He was in foster care before that and barely spoke when I got him. He is my grandson his mother passed away a year ago. CCS thought he may have been Autistic. He isn’t he just had no one spending time with him. I work full time he is in a great preschool 3 days a week. Mostly for social skills. But so much more has changed with him! I don’t believe he is “gifted” just blessed with a normal curiosity. We read every day, we do art, science, math daily. I just make it fun! Math could be measuring for a recipe we are making, cooking has a lot of science to it. Art is coloring and painting and that may happen in the tub when we finger paint. You would be surprised at what you can do every day that makes a huge difference. I read a lot that you work full time and go to school, who watches the kids when your at work? at school? why don’t you get their help? We switched day care the first one was a holding tank for the kids, they had activities but also a lot of problems. The one we moved him to is less expensive but have quality teachers & smaller teacher to child ratios. We feel we really won on the change. So look at your daycare!

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168. I’m a SAHM and former fifth grade teacher. I love this list and think everything listed is spot on, but I think there’s an entire section that has been left out: MANNERS!

     Yes, some things were standards that kind of addressed it, like “plays well with others.” But I think it is JUST as important -actually even MORE important to be able to know and demonstrate skills such as “showing undivided attention to an adult.” Or, and I realize this is perhaps a southern thing, but “answering questions with yes m’am or no, sir.”

     And social politeness like knowing how to stand back when an elevator door opens to allow those to exit before entering. (Seriously, pay attention to this next time you’re at the mall; you’ll be amazed at how many kids- and adults! – do not follow this etiquette! )

     Does your child know how to greet a stranger with a handshake and a polite, “How are you doing?” And be able to respond to an adult’s question rather than shying away behind mom’s leg? Does your child interrupt adults in mid conversation or know how to stand off to mom or dad’s side, waiting for an appropriate time to speak?

     Anyhow, my point, in my own humble opinion, is that we would do well to focus less on academic skills that a child has mastered by K, and focus on life lessons that will serve our children far better in life than making sure they know the phonetic sounds of letters. Children will receive academic instruction every year for the twelve years, but teachers will HARDLY focus on important skills such as the ones I’ve mentioned. And imagine the pressure it takes off of the parents! It’s a huge relief. Also, no parent is at a disadvantage! You don’t need money for a preschool program to teach your children how to be polite. Any parent with intention and purpose can make sure their child will find success in life!

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169. I teach PreK and these are pretty much our standards almost word for word!

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170. for those parents of 4 year olds who are worried that their children not knowing a lot of this list or other recommended lists required by Kindergarten.. please know that there is a HUGE difference 1 year can make.

     The day my child turned 4 i began looking at our (Kentucky) requirements for K classes and my child could do a lot but not all of the listed things, back then. Here it is 11 months later and my child has knocked out all of this list and is already doing sight words, writing, reading, math problems, spanish etc… I credit his preschool program for a lot but i think my husband and i as parents are always interested in what he has learned at school and we talk to him about it. We consistantly test his abilities, see how much he knows and then try to take it to the next level by relating it to something else fun and exciting, for the most part he thinks we are just playing games not learning.

     EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT and learns at their own rate, dont feel like a bad parent if your child isn’t to this level and remember, it’s always an option if you are going to have a YOUNG kindergartner to wait another year before starting school… again, ONE YEAR MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!

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171. I think the reason this list upsets people is some parents feel like they are failing or their child is failing if they don’t reach every goal by kindergarten. It is just like the developmental list in the doctors office looming over you while you are waiting on the doctor to come in for the check up. I have one child that excels in everything and one who fights me every step of the way to learn. As parents we should set goals for our children, this list being a good set of goals, but understand that each child is an individual and may make each goal with ease or struggle. Everyone has a purpose. It is our job to prepare them for it the best we can.

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172. I am in the Scotland where formal school starts at Primary 1, age 5. We have free pre-school for 4 year olds, and now for anti-preschool age 3 in nurseries. This list is pretty much what we would be aiming for by the end of nursery before they go up to school.

     They have 5 x 2.5 or 3 hour sessions a week and as the first 5 years of a childs life are so important for learning I would like to think that all parents feel it is their responsibilty to ensure their child has a chance to fulfill their potential by gving a range of play and learning opportunities at home or in childcare. The free provision for 3 years olds was brought in mainly I think as it is recognised that not all parents do. Nursery is great for expanding learning, socialising and helping transition to school, but can in no way do everything, at this age its all about learning through play, not pusing children beyond their capabilities but mearly ensuring they have every opportunity to reach it.

     So it doesn’t matter if you are home all day, a student, or working whoever looks after your little one all day should be talking with them, playing with them and reading books with them, pretty simple stuff really.

     If you have time to sit and read this and type a reply you have time to google kids play ideas.

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173. As a kindergarten teacher, I find that most incoming kindergarten students can write many of their letters, capital and lowercase, and most of the numbers 1-10. Students who aren’t able to do this coming in usually struggle more with writing.

     Otherwise, nice list. : )

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174. I think this list puts a lot of un-needed pressure on parents and kids. I am an early childhood educator and I know that children learn best through play. Guidelines and lists tend to highlight what children can’t do instead of what they can do. What I hope for children leaving my pre-K program is they are excited about learning. I have seen parents of children who are doing very well panic when they see a list like this and panic that their child isn’t ready.

     Kindergarten should be ready for children, not the other way around.

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175. Don’t people realize this is not expected for every child? Each child learns differently and being way ahead or behind does not indicate intelligence or what happens at home. My first could do most of this before the age 2. My second, however is 5 and can not do maybe half. I have read, taught, and spent the same amount of time with each child but they are individuals and will perform at their own pace. Please don’t limit your children by comparing them to their peers.

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176. Alternative Title: “Why Headstart Will Never Replace Two Loving Parents in the Home”

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177. This can be a helpful checklist for moms of special needs kids. A lot of this happens with little effort for “normal” kids, but as I look over this list and think about what my hard of hearing son can do, this gives me ideas on things we can work on. I also think a lot of comments reveal that some see this as hard and fast. I think it’s helpful to think of this as a general guideline and less like the ten commandments. It can give us ideas of things to incorporate into our play and one-on-one time. That’s just how I think we need to look at it.

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178. Being a principal for an elementary school in Texas, I find some items on this list to be things that students learn while in kindergarten. If your child knows ALL of this before beginning kindergarten, your child may be somewhat bored. Just my opinion from my experience.

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179. I’m a kindergarten teacher in a school that’s been rated excellent for the last several years. We tell our parents that we’d like the kids to know how to write their names, some uppercase and lowercase letters, and numbers. I do like a lot of the things on this list, but while it would make my job a lot easier if the kids came in knowing all of this stuff, that’s not what I’m after. The common core curriculum says that by the end of kindergarten, the kids should know their letters and sounds, be able to count to 100, and pretty much know numbers to 20 forward and backward. What I do hope that all parents teach their kids is to be respectful of their teachers and know how to follow directions. I would rather work with my low babes who work hard, but may not still get it (which means I have to work harder!) than to work with a “gifted” child who is disrespectful, can’t get along with classmates, and won’t follow directions to work independently so that differentiation can happen to meet the needs of ALL kids in the class. It’s my job to make sure that all of my students meet these standards, but behavior and attitude problems can really hamper that. And I DO know that sometimes, it can’t be helped (ADD/ADHD, etc.) and that the parents have done their absolute best to teach their kids to be respectful, but if the parent does not respect the teacher and is disdainful of him/her in front of their child, you can bet that the teacher will know it by the child’s attitude. Just remember that you are part of a team with your child’s teacher, and most teachers are in it for your kids and want them to be the best they can be.

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180. I find it very interesting what is expected of 4 and 5 yr olds in the US. I am NOT (really, really not, people tend to be offended by me but I really don’t try to be offensive this time!) judging that, I just think you might be interested in a comparison to Germany.
     We get schooled in at age 6. It starts with first grade. Kindergarten is day care here – a not very functional system when it comes to education – where they tend to learn nothing but social skills and maybe do a little crafts now and then. Pre School (comparable to American Kindergarden, I guess) is solely optional, as is day care.
     We were not expect to know the alphabet at age 6. “Writing” our own names, maybe, but no other letters. We learned that in school.

     I don’t approve of a lot of the German system, but I did graduate High School just fine (we had no SATs, so I can’t tell you what my score on those would have been, but the German High School Diploma is accepted wordwide if that means anything) even though I only learned to read and write at age six. I find it difficult to imagine a child knowing all that at age 5 and younger already and – over here – that is what schools are for. I don’t consider staring at letters all the time and spouting matching sounds for them quality time. If my boy has the fridge magnets already – sure, we’ll play like that for a minute. And of course we read stories. But for our family I really think that they have to actually study enough as they grow up and that they grow up very fast these days as is.

     What do you think? Are Germans/Europeans backwards? :)

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     1. I totally agree with your system. As a teacher I can tell you that you cannot teach anything unless a child is ready for it. Do a spelling test with children and most have forgotten it the next day. Talking to your young child and movement are the most important things. Have a relationship with him. Be interested in life and he will too. Then learning becomes fun. Life and learning is all about having a balance.

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181. As a kindergarten teacher, I would add: allow your child to problem solve! Don’t jump in and rescue them, allow them to think, wonder, and figure things out on their own.

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182. I would also add.
     Understands left to right sequence.
     Can say own full name and recognize it in print.
     Can say parents names, phone number, address and knows own birth date and age.
     The first 5 years a child is able to learn so much. How much have we adults learned in the last 5 years?

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183. I look it as my job to teach them these things. I love the challenge. I do not like it when they come in knowing all the standards, they somehow miss out on the magic that is kindergarten. I love looking at the growth of a child who comes in not knowing an academic thing and seeing them reading and writing at the end of the year. In a perfect world I would like them to be able to sit for a few minutes and listen, be excited, be nice, and to use a tissue when they their noses. I don’t think that is too much to ask;)

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184. I didn’t read through all the comments so this might have already been mentioned but another thing that kids need to know are “Self Help” skills such as being able to wash their hands properly, get their jacket on, work zippers, open up their lunch and whatever bags/containers are in it, etc. I intentionally never taught my daughter how to open packages of food because I didn’t want her getting into things without permission. Then she started kindergarten and had to wait for help to get into some of the things in her lunch. Oops! Needless to say, we quickly worked on it with her and now my son who will be starting kindergarten this fall is practicing those skills.

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185. I can’t believe what you have to know to go to kindergarden. When i was in kindergarden we had the letter people and learned the alphabet. It is just crazy.

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186. I’m quite a bit worried after reading this list. My 5-year old is a smart kid, very verbal. He can easily retell a very long story (like the entire WALL-E cartoon). I’ve been reading him stories that are rated for 8-9 year olds and he follows along, understands well and replays the stories later in his pretend play. Same with math and science. And he’s fully bilingual. However, he has PDD and significant delays with gross motor and fine motor skills. His speech is not clear either and takes some getting used to to understand. I kept him out of preschool partially because of his PDD. So reading through the gross motor/fine motor skills section makes me quite anxious.

     Also, why rot memorization is given so much emphasis in the skills? We don’t do rot learning at home and my son can’t count to 20 (although he can do arithmetic within the first 10). Nor does he say the entire alphabet although he knows the letters and sounds, knows some English sight words and can read short words in his other language. Is rot memorization really that necessary? What if he doesn’t rot count to 20 before he starts kindergarten?

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     1. In the paragraphs above the post, I explained how I do not think that rote memorization is effective AT ALL (except perhaps in learning sight words, which this post did not address). Please do not be worried about your son…he will be just fine. Again, this is just a guide.

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187. Obviously this list is meant for typical “average” kids – anyone with a child who has learning delays or other special needs should realize that some things will be more of a challenge for them, but it does not mean they cannot be successful. I think it should also be apparent that this is simply meant to be a guideline and something for parents of 3 and 4 year olds to shoot for and be aware of, rather than get all hung up and stressed out because their child isn’t perfect in every area. The more kids are prepared for kindergarten, the more successful they will be and the easier it will for everyone. I am sure that if there is something they are not quite doing yet, they will catch up. Any child with special needs should have an IEP in place while they are in public school to help them out. People may only remember learning their ABCs in kindergarten and that was it, but honestly, you were learning much more than that, you just didn’t realize it, or you don’t remember. I don’t want kids to not have a childhood, and I don’t want them to not have time to play or think creatively, but there is no reason we cannot have higher expectations for them as to what they are capable of learning. My daughter will be going in kindergarten this fall and she has hit every point on this list and more – some since she was 2. Yes, she has been in preschool programs at 3 and 4, but she naturally picks up a lot just being home and absorbing what she is exposed to. No flashcards or special DVDs or computer programs used in our house. Just good-quality toys that help her learn as she is playing. Art supplies like play-doh, paint, crayons and markers that she can have access to anytime she wants. Sitting down and playing games like Candyland and Chutes and Ladders and Go Fish. Doing things together like cooking and baking. Taking her to places like a children’s museum and the zoo. And yes, she does watch some TV, but it’s shows like Sesame Street and Bubble Guppies and Team Umi-Zoomi that do have some educational content. For most kids to be able to hit the milestones on this list, it really shouldn’t be that hard or that overwhelming if you are doing your job as a parent. If all someone does is park their kid in front of some crappy TV shows and let them play video games all the time, what do they expect? That somehow it is the school’s responsibility to teach the child everything they are supposed to know? And then get upset that their child is behind?

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188. Thanks for posting the list! Just by doing our day-to-day activities, my son is already doing a lot of those things. Now I have a guide of what more I can start implementing. I don’t know if he is just a good learner, or if it really is just easy to teach these things by talking out loud to him about what we are doing and the things we see around us, and playing and reading together. I love your blog – thanks!!

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189. I am a preschool teacher and it saddens me that kids are required to know so much today. They do have to go to preschool or they are behind the other kids. I can feel for the mom that said that she was shocked and somewhat embarrassed when going to Kindergarten orientation and finding out her child wasn’t as prepared as what she thought. Kindergarten is so much different than it was originally meant to be. It was meant to be social skills….fun. To me it’s added pressure on these kids! And that comes from a preschool teacher!!!!! But when in Rome….so sadly yes this list is accurately and I work on these skills but honestly even with preschool the parents HAVE TO work on these skills at home!

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190. I think these things are great but I really think that alot of these are things that should be taught in kindergarten. I have grown children and small grandchildren and I stayed at home with my children til they went to kindergarten. They did not know many of these things. They learned them in kindergarten. But they grew up exceptionally smart and ery well rounded. I think sometimes we stress our children out with all this stuff and this is why we have kids that cut or drink in jr high. Let’s ease up them just a tad.

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191. Jenae,
     Thank you so much for this quideline list. People need to realize it is *exactly* what you SAID – it is a GUIDELINE, not a pass/fail test. I think THE most important thing people need to take away from this is something you said in a comment, “I would add, however, that there has been extensive brain research that suggests the brain is more receptive between the ages of 2-6 than ANY OTHER TIME in life. Because of this, I think it’s important we set the foundation for a love of learning while kids are willing and excited to soak it up.” My little guy was not able to do everything on this list when he went into K, altho he would give it try after try until he did get it, but he is now one of a few handful of kids that are being tested for GT (gifted and talented) due to his high test scores on their prelim test. I don’t tell all this just pat myself on the back, but support your comment that if we teach our kids to LOVE learning from the time they are little, they will get everything they need with some help from us. Again, thank you for your blog, and I hope people will take this post in the spirit in which you posted it, a HELPFUL GUIDELINE.

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192. Thank you SO MUCH for a great, all-encompassing list. I’m doing very informal home-school pre-school with my daughter and am constantly worried that I’m missing something somewhere! I appreciate having some guidelines, whether I think she’s hitting them all or not, at least I know where to go from here!

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193. Do people not have TV’S? Most people with ‘less’ money, still own a TV. If they are to lazy to do something with their child, they could at least turn on Super Why.

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194. As a private tutor, I can confirm that this list is DEFINITELY going to have your Kindergartener off to a fantastic start in school. Not only because of the actual content mastering, but the confidence and joy when he/she is able to join in every class activity from Day One. However, I would say that AT LEAST 50% of kids entering Kindergarten don’t know at least 25% of these skills, WHICH IS FINE! As a parent, don’t feel overwhelmed by this lengthy list, use it as a guideline and realize most of this stuff is second-nature to your 4/5 year old already.

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195. The only things I would add would be for your child to know their phone number, address (at least the street name and the city), and their parents names. I think it’s very important for children to know this. My girls knew this info by the time they were 2 1/2. I know lots of moms on here probably won’t agree and will say that it is impossible but it can be done and should be done. You can make a song out of it to help them remember a little easier. Parents don’t sell your kiddos short, they have very smart minds and can be taught so much in their first few years so take advantage of it. FYI it’s not teachers jobs to teach them to spell their names, abc’s, write letters, it’s yours and this should be done before they enter kindergarten. They are YOUR children why wouldn’t you want to be their first teacher?????

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196. At what age do children enter kindergarten in the USA? I live in Poland and it is 3 years old. My son is 2,5 and cannot do things like cutting, counting, recognozing shapes. Are children in the USA older than 3 years old when they go to kindergarten? If yes how do you call the place where they go when they are 3.

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     1. Joanna, typically most children must be at least 5 years old to go to kindergarten here in the U.S.

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197. Thanks for this great article! I’m a Kindergarten teacher and have been collaborating a lot with the Pre-K teacher in my building to make sure the kids are ready to have a great year next year. I can’t wait to share this with her!

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198. I agree with the 71 things and maybe more. When my oldest son entered Kindergarten, (he is now 43) He was labeled as “Retarded” a word commonly used back then. The teacher suggested I enroll him in their special school. I new he wasn’t challenged in this way so I refused. I knew at that time I should have been more educated in what he needed Even though I spent lots of time with him, such as pushing him on the swing, reading stories every day, coloring in coloring books, building block towers. played with play dough and cars in the dirt etc. I was a single mom at that time and my best friend was my son. I didn’t realize that I was neglecting him a good education. We were by ourselves most of the time. He didn’t have friends to play with. I figured I was all he needed. So his first day at school was frightful with all those kids. My boy sat in the corner, afraid to interact with other children. I didn’t let him cut paper because scissors were to dangerous. I over protected him. Although now I know I under protected him. Thank God he caught up soon but he had a rough first year of school. Yes he failed Kindergarten. The second year of Kindergarten was a charm. My next 3 children had it better because this Mommy learned how to teach along with play. Now I am working with my 3 year old Grandson. He also goes to pre-school where he is learning a lot. I follow up with “Homework with Gramma time” He loves it. I love that he lives next door!

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199. I have spent time teaching preschool all the way up to grade 9 with an emphasis in special education. I am currently a stay at home mom of a kindergarten daughter and a grade 1 son.
     First off, this list is intended for kids who are free from disabilities (physical or mental). Although that does not mean kids with disabilities are incapable of meeting many if not all of these milestones.
     Here are some ideas for those out there who seem overwhelmed. Some of these suggestions might seem like they can only be accomplished by a s.a.h.m., but many should be happening wherever your children are during the day or even in the evenings and weekends.

     Make routines part of your day with the kids. Many don’t need to cost anything. Examples could be;

     MONDAY – am – park, count your steps on the way or ride trike (gross-motor, interaction with others, conflict resolution, number concepts)
     pm – make cookies, count out 10 chocolate chips just to eat! (follow 1 and 2 step directions, interact with adults, shapes)
     TUESDAY – am – community playgroup – mine cost $1 per week (most things will be covered here, usually a craft, songs, playing and sharing with others etc)
     pm – walk around the neighbourhood collecting leaves, pinecones etc for art on Wed. Sort them or make patterns, count them (shapes, count, colours, textures, counting, sorting, making a pattern)
     WEDNESDAY – am – make art project with nature collected, (glue, cut, colours, shapes, name printing)
     pm – collect laundry, have them help you sort into light, darks and colours, match clean socks and have them identify their own clothes. They can help fold and put away.
     THURSDAY – am – collect the grocery fliers and make list. Have your child cut out and glue items you need onto their own list. They can take the list with you tomorrow and be responsible for finding their 5 items. (counting, cutting, glueing, name printing
     pm – playdate, either planned or make new friends at the park or at the library (gross-motor, interactions, literacy)
     FRIDAY – am – grocery shop together. (identify colours, count, match)
     pm – make dinner together (follow 1 and 2 step directions, interact with adults, identify words in recipe by showing them the item – flour – then the word – FLOUR)
     EVERYDAY –
     1. read, read, read. Retell the story and eventually they will learn to tell you the beginning, middle and end.
     Draw or have them draw the beginning, middle or end.
     2 identify items by colour, shape, size, letter the item begins with – these items are everything around us, nothing needs to be purchased. This will become automatic – “Can you pass me the red cup please?” rather than “Can you pass me the cup please?”
     3. sing songs, dance together!
     4. colour, draw – always write their names on their art work. After they have seen their name printed a bunch of times, have them work on the first letter, then write the rest of their name for them. Keep going until they have mastered their name.
     5.play follow the leader- you hop 3 times, they hop 3 times; they slither on the floor, you slither on the floor etc
     6.give time alone to play, this will help their imagination
     7. have access to things like puzzles, paper, scissors, crayons, playdough

     Even if you only have Saturdays and Sundays to do these things so much can be accomplished and it is so much fun to do!

     Also, in turns of speech and proper english, please restate anything that your kids say incorrectly. For example, if your child say “I don’t got any” say to them, “You don’t have any?” Eventually they will say it correctly and you don’t need to embarrass them by correcting them.

     If your kids start Kindergarten without these skills, it does not mean they will fail or not do well, but it does mean the teacher will be able to spend more time with the students on things you might have a harder time teaching them yourself, such as reading.

     Finally, none of the above things stops your kids from being kids. I hope this helps!

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200. My son is 4 will start pre-k in August, he knows how to do all that just from what we do during the day.

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201. Parents usually think that it’s a teacher’s job to help children learn all these things. But truthfully the basics on the list are all learned at home. Most children at this age learn by modeling. At these times, requirements for education change with the needs of culture and globalization. This article should not be hard for a typical parent to understand. I became a teacher for last 5 years with only training and no license. I am also a parent to a 1 year old and she can do most of these without me “teaching” her. This list is so simple, it should be easy to accomplish within 5 years!

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202. Some of this is a little over the top in my opinion (and, no, I do not think that makes me a failure as a parent). I actually laughed at this one “Is generally pleasant and cooperative” – haha! So if you have a spirited child or one whose personality is less than pleasant they aren’t prepared for Kindergarten? It’s lists like these that make people think their children are delayed or need to be evaluated by every professional from every background on the planet. My daughter is 2 and doesn’t identify colors correctly all the time, she knows the alphabet but can only identify a few letters, the only shape she knows is “circle” and guess what?! She has NO delays. I actually have a delayed (older) child so my daughter was eval’d by Early Intervention and a Developmental Pediatrician. The DP thought I was crazy when I mentioned some of the things I have read online. She reminded me that children learn best through PLAY at this age, not being drilled with flash cards. Let your kids be KIDS. They will learn all of this in due time.

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     1. I don’t think you read the first few paragraphs before the actual list. I DO NOT condone the use of flashcards or drills. Here it is quoted in the paragraphs above:

        “Please keep in mind as you look over this list that kids learn best with hands-on experiences, not memorization or drill practice! These early years with our children should be about fostering a love to play, explore, and learn! Also, it is important to note that our children are all different and gifted in unique ways. Obviously, if your child has special needs, exceptionalities, or is delayed in a particular area, this won’t necessarily be relevant to your child. This is simply a guide…not something to stress about!”

        Also, please keep in mind that this was taken directly from a teacher’s assessment…hence “Is generally pleasant and cooperative.” This is just one way that teachers can share with parents whether or not their child is choosing to cooperate. In no way does this imply that children who are spirited or strong-willed should not go to kindergarten.

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        1. Some kids would need to be drilled in order to meet the requirements of this list. I’m not surprised a teacher would expect all of these things as it would make their job significantly easier. The point of my post was simple: Let’s stop with the checklists and allow kids to be kids. If your 5 year-old can’t hop on one foot or doesn’t cut a 3″ square from construction paper there is no need to worry. They will catch up and yes, for some children that will take place IN Kindergarten.

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           1. By not teaching them these things at home through play experience they will be so delayed by the time they get to kindergarten that they may never catch up. Small children are little sponges and will soak up everything you teach them, the prek statge is one of the most important.

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203. Thanks, I needed a list like this to referr back to. Just looking at the list I can see subjects where my son naturally excels in and the areas where I need to encourage more.

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204. I am not a teacher so this is very helpful for me. I never really know the developmental milestones now that my child is older than three! It is a great resource.

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205. I am a full-time teacher, as well as a full-time mom. My almost 17 month old son can do many of these things. I have not drilled, nor have I practiced. We have played, talked, read, interacted, explored, and most importantly, loved. There is no curriculum or list that can replace these things. Children will learn by example. You are your child’s greatest teacher. The world in which we live now is so much more advanced. Hence the need for advancements in education. I am appalled at those parents who say teachers just want it easier if the children come prepared. I challenge you to step in a classroom and meet the demands. You know your child’s best interests, so take this list or leave it.

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206. There are many good things on the list–certainly skills that I would like each child to have as they move on to K. I like to think we take each child as far as we can throughout the course of the year–and that this is unique for every child. I have taught public preschool for over 20 years, with students ranging from those with diagnosed developmental disabilities to those who are academically exceeding (sometimes children with both of these characteristics at once!). Hands-down, the three most powerful things they learn throughout the 1-2 years they spend with me are language skills, social skills and self help skills. These build the foundation for everything else. Sure, it’s great if they leave preschool knowing every upper and lower case letter, most letter sounds and how to segment and rhyme, count to 20, etc.. However, I am more concerned if they cannot answer a question and stay on-topic, as well as have a multi-turn conversation. It is quite upsetting when kids come to school “pumped” full of letters that they can identify, yet have no concept of what they are really for.

     MEANING is essential to true understanding. Real people, real objects, real experiences build skills in a long-lasting way. A vast number of my students come to school lacking basic language and basic experiences. Intensive work on using and understanding oral language is necessary-best implemented through a consistent daily routine . We learn and grow every second of the day through indoor and outdoor play, structured snack and small-group experiences, large grouptime- movement, daily schedule and “preschool news” review, and frequent small-group reading experiences and social skills lessons(planned and spontaneous). We offer a variety of sensory experiences and opportunities to try new things–sometimes a “choice” and sometimes “not a choice”. Sometimes we nudge kids out of their comfort zone-but in a safe enviroment with well-trained support.

     A child’s ability to care for one’s own needs, self-regulate, socially connect and co-exisit with all sorts of people, and communicate/listen accurately will take them far…and give them the ability to do all of the rest.

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207. Thank you for sharing this as a guide to use with my children. I am trying to start some preschool at home with my oldest son (2 years) and this will be so helpful in focusing my efforts. I appreciate the time, thought, and wisdom that you put into this blog. Most of all, I appreciate your spirit. I always feel encouraged by your posts! Thank you!!

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208. I see a lot of orek and kid teachers comments….maybe you can help with a question. My son turned 3 in Novemeber and he knows his letters and sounds since he was 2…..and he knows how to read several two letter words by sounding them out. He has always been interested in letters, reading and words…..he initiates most of it…..but where do I go from here? should I do 3 letter words or just keep going over what he knows til Kindergarten. I just don’t want to push to hard or interupt his joy of learning. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks Nikki

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209. I meant Prek* and Kinder*

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210. Our oldest boy has a Sept birthday & will be 5 this fall. We were already leaning toward waiting a year to send him to allow him more time to develop the social skill set he will need but after reading this we are firm on that choice. I would rather he be a bit older when he starts if the pressure to meet the Common Core is really that high starting in Kinder!!!!! What happened to the days of playtime, art, music & naps?? I was in 1/2 day K (private ed) as a kid & was out-pacing public school kids by 3rd grade when we moved to a new state. I stayed in public ed after that & never had trouble keeping pace. I look back at my K experience & I remember a good amount of focus on letter/numbers/reading/basic-math but I also remember loads of creative time & “fun” activities. I know we live in a different world today & it is unfair to compare private & public…. but our little guy will get his extra year to prepare & this will give us more time to ensure he truly is ready for this new high-stakes “game” our kids will be playing in.

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211. As a teacher, this sounds about right. As a mother, my 2.5 year old already knows this stuff. Parents are the first teachers that kids know and parents need to give their kid the best chance for success and make sure that their kid is ready for kindergarten. It’s not that difficult – babies and toddlers are sponges and will learn, if taught.

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212. I teach PreK at a Elementary school. My PreK students need to know even more than that! Our end of year exam consists of the following:
     Math
     Route count to 30 (cannot miss a single number on the way to 30 or it is considered skip counting)
     Count to 10 objects
     Create a group of 5 objects
     Identify the shapes you said including heart, diamond, oval
     Be able to explain differences in a circle and a triangle
     Create, add on to, and identify AB, ABB, ABC patterns
     Know positional words in, over, behind, under, etc
     Find objects that are smaller, taller, larger, shorter

     Reading
     Identify letters quickly and accurately
     High Vocabulary skills
     Identify words that have the same sound
     Identify rhyming words
     Create rhyming words
     Be able to say a sentence and push a block for each word
     Clap the syllables
     Put together words /p/ ull= pull

     That’s just what I can think of off the top of my head. It is incredible what they expect students to know by the time they go to kinder. Being a Prek teacher it is very obvious thou what parents work with their students and those who do not.

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213. As a parent who likes to send her child prepared, I really appreciate this list. My first child is starting kindergarten in the fall and I love the specifics. I do, however, want to point out that while he can do nearly everything on the list, he can NOT skip or hop on one foot with both feet. In asking my neighbors, it sounds like it’s something that typical 5YO girls can do but not necessarily all boys. Not saying that to criticize your list (or that NO boys can), just telling other parents in case they were concerned about their son’s inability to skip. :)

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214. My son (just turned 2 years) is, in my (likely biased) opinion, exceptionally smart compared to some of the other children I’ve seen around us. Its shocking to see such intelligence in him because, although I do stay at home with him, I’m not necessarily directly interacting with him. In fact, he learned his numbers without my knowledge from..dare I say it?..Jake and the Neverland Pirates and a few letters and sounds from LeapFrog’s The Letter Factory! He’s very independent, and I encourage his independent play. When he brings me a toy, I ask him if he knows what it is and what sound it makes. He knows MANY things that I personally deem as ‘not the norm’ (Elephant, Giraffe, Hippopotamus, heart, oval, star). Looking through this list, I’m amazed at how much my son actually *does* know, including many of the social skills (and we are RARELY around other children/adults)!

     My biggest question is, what are one or two good resources to know approximately what a 2 year old, 3 year old, and 4 year old should be able to learn? I know many of us who look at the list and think, ‘good God, how can they expect that?’, are actually NOT lazy or anything, we just can’t believe in the extent of our childrens’ abilities! I recently saw an article on the top 25 words a toddler should know and quite frankly, I was appalled at the simple fact that much of it was words that my son knew at around 1 year and the words were rather…silly? Not even ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ on the list!

     ANY resources would be greatly appreciated. I’ve been searching, and I’m guessing my researching skills are lacking at the moment (I’m blaming mommy brain and pregnant brain!), because I cannot find anything that looks reputable!

     I am very glad to know that my son is on the right track though! :)

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     1. Oh, and of course aside from this site, because WOW you’ve done an amazing job at breaking everything down! I’m LOVING this site!

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     2. I like Kumon books (find them on Amazon). They are workbooks and have ages on them, like Cutting for ages 3,4,5. Mazes 2,3,4 and Mazes 3,4,5. There are lots of different topics. They are progressive and you know that your child will be learning what he should based on the ages posted on the books. There’s also “get ready for kindergarten.” with various tasks that children can work on. I like them because they are inexpensive, my kids love doing them for 5-20 minutes a day, they gradually and progressively build skills from one page to the next, and my kids really love some of them and at age 3 are at the end of a 3-5 y.o. book. Try cutting and mazes first, if you don’t know what else to do, though cutting straws is the best for a 2 year old to start with, and then move to strips of paper that he can cut pieces off of, and then a page with 4 thick straight lines to cut on, then 4 parallel wavy lines, and zig zag lines, and then eventually a spiral inward, and then a shape like a square or circle. But he does many many many of the one type before moving to the next.

        These are fun to do for a bit of time before or after a meal, but need someone to sit with them for the first couple of months until they really get the idea of how to do it correctly.

        Also, there are usually free developmental screenings in each town or city that are recommended each year until Kindergarten, and the screeners either come to your house or you go to their agency, and they have lists of what the child should be able to do by a certain age and can give you great suggestions on what and how to work on skills. Your pediatrician should know where to go for such screenings (they often to vision and hearing screenings as well at the same time, and cover a vast array of developmental areas and provide free intervention for any huge areas of deficit).

        I hope this helps.

        In Jackson, WY it’s called Children’s Learning Center (the testing site).
        The first time I got my children screened, we were in another city, and called an occupational therapist’s office, who directed us to the phone number for free screenings.

        This website has a list, but the tasks under their age level seem so easy for them, so it’s hard to know what really I should be expecting from them, other than what I see them doing and comparing them to other kids who are of approximate equal intelligence. http://giftedkids.about.com/od/gifted101/p/milestones.htm

        Good luck!

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215. My daughter is in pre-k part-time in a church preschool. She has ADD but we do not medicate her. She has learned everything on this list with the help of her teacher and myself…plus more. They have to know how to count to 30, count objects to 20….know rhyming words and be able to identify them by pictures, know her address including zip code, phone number including area code, etc. They are learning the 50 states and their capitals, etc. While at times it’s hard for her, she is learning everything they are working on. I sometimes think it may be too much but at the end of the day I would rather her be over prepared then under prepared.

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216. I am also an educator. I am sad that some of you are bashing a mother that was unaware of what is expected to be known before kindergarten. There are things that are expected that I would not realize, if I were not an educator. Many parents are unaware that a child is expected to know more things, academically, than they were when they went to school. For example, when I was in kindergarten, in the mid 80’s, we learned our ABC’s, shapes, colors, and how to write our names in kindergarten. We were not expected to know those things before. Some of these things are picked up with regular interactions, but others are not. You are not in another person’s situation and you are not aware of the full story or her life. I do not like that many people commenting here were so ready to judge this person’s parenting skills.

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217. We are right on track!!!!!!!

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218. I don’t think it is that hard to prepare your child for kindergarten and meet these standards. My daughter is almost 5 years old and knew her upper and lower letters by the time she was 2 1/2 along with her basic colors and counting to 10 and could do it all in American Sign Language, also knew more than 650 words in sign language before she turned 3. Now at 4 years old, she can count objects to 15 knows basic shapes, can read 10 words, etc. Oh, and did I mention that she has Down syndrome, spent the first 6 months of her life in heart failure without developing, had 3 life-saving open-heart surgeries, lost the ability to eat while in heart failure and still does not eat by mouth, did not have enough lung strength for breath control until after her heart was fixed at 3 1/2 years of age therefore didn’t speak her first word until she was almost 4 years old, and was not allowed to be around other kids until she got her heart fixed at 3 1/2. Oh, I also had to work full time up until she was 4 years old. She has met almost all of the pre-k standards except for some fine motor , speech, and some social.. but not too shabby for all she has been through. Just spending time doing constructive play and reading to you kid makes all the difference in the world!

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219. As a Kindergarten teacher in AZ, I think that this list is great! I would only add that they should be able to recognize and write their first name. :)

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220. i agree with Jenny 100%! Everyones different. and whats is expected now is tripled what we knew when we were in school. My daughter was right on track but my son starts next yr and im scared for him he has gone to preschool and i work with him at home alot! but he still has problems reciting ABC’s and writing his name clearly. but he can do abc in sign language and knows all of his sounds. every kid is different. my son is a smart kid but he has no interest n singing abc no matter how hard i try. Just because certain children may not know something doesnt mean its the parents fault of the parent is failing!

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221. So I just wrote a really long comment explaning things but forgot to fill in the name and email first so I have to start over, so i guess this time i’ll keep it short. I was wondering if you have any ideas of things I can do with my daughter to help her with the Social and Personal Development? She is very smart and has had two years of preschool. One year at home with a joyschool group and one year at a school. She does very well in all the other areas and is ready to read. However she strugles at school and some times tells the teachers “I already know this”. She would often times reather stay in the hall then do what the class is doing and hates staying in her chair. N E way you get the point so if you have any advice I would love to try it out thanks!!

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222. I think is list is a good one but it’s important to remember that each child is different and MAY not achieve all the things prior to entering kindergarten. Some kids have innate strengths/talents and weaknesses. Sometimes these are environmental, sometimes it’s just someone’s nature. Some kids may learn to speak three languages before entering kindergarten, but have trouble agreeing to clean up their play area. Is this a problem? I don’t think so but it depends on many things. In some environments the rules are strictly enforced. In others not as much. Context, place, culture, lifestyle and the individual child are all a little or alot different and influence many aspects of children’s lives. The guide is a comprehensive list but by no means an edict for what all children can do. Children with tri-lingual parents are very likely to learn three languages quite naturally. As parents we’re often delighted with both small and big accomplishments of our little ones. But we need to remember that what is easy for one is not for the other. And that is okay!

     Some kids have natural aptitudes for physical activities. Others not. This is an aspect that I believe should be emphasized more into every pre-school and family life. Kids are learning to use IT (information technology) earlier and earlier. While this may be good for certain aspects of their development, it should be offset with equal if not more physical activity and training to maintain a healthy mind and body. One of the great new innovations in bicycling is the Zike bike. I recommend everyone read my blog post on it
     and make comments. Thank you and Happy Spring!

     http://educationaltoysandgamesblog.com/

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223. I just read this list today because I have a son who is four yrs old. I appreciate having the check list to see where he is and what we need to work on and I feel that is the purpose of this site. I feel the need to also ad that each child is different and will master different skills in a different order. I am a mon who works part time and stays at home with my son the rest of the time. We have videos and work books that is made for preschoolers and we read and play regularly, but he has still not mastered many of these things. For example he hates to sing the ABC’s he asks me to stop and refuses to sing it. I have just realized he isn’t going to learn his ABC’s because of a song. There are other ways to learn them. He also hates when I play kids CD’s in the car. Don’t ask me why because he loves music, but I think he thinks it sounds to kiddie! He also refuses to ride a bike no matter how many times we have tried to get him on one. I am hoping it will be different this Spring and summer, but he has no interest. (BTW, I know he could do it if he just tried). I refuse to allow this site to make me feel discouraged or that my son is stupid. Instead I will use it to work with my son where he needs improvement. As another person wrote earlier, we don’t need to be mean because someone doesn’t know what is expected. Expectations of pre school and kindergarten have changed a lot since the eighties. I didn’t learn my ABC’s until I was six! I am proud to say that I was still able to graduate from college with a 3.9 GPA. Even if your child is a little behind he will pick it up if you spend some time with him on the areas they have yet to master.

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     1. Deanna, the last thing that I want this site to be is a discouragement! As you said, every child is different and children with stronger wills need a bit more time to mature before being able to accomplish each of these tasks. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I hope that you will find the other activities on this site to be an encouragement to you as you teach your child!

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     2. My daughter started the same way, wanted to watch tv or run to her room. I got the Leapfrog dvd’s and watched them with her. I also made up games with flashcards and did rewards ect.

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224. I do In home daycare and I guess Im doing pretty good. I have my daughter who will start Kindergarten next year and I have been so worried I wasnt teaching enough. She can do everything on this list and write her name. What else should I be doing? I worked at a daycare/preschool and what goes on behind parents backs is scary…why im doing from home now.

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225. I am a newly retired teacher/administrator and I am thrilled that this dialogue is taking place. I have taught first grade and was an elementary administrator for 25 years. I am also the parent of a gifted student who is now a junior in college. Just like in any educational setting, there are those who “do” and those who choose to “make excuses”. I can tell you that these standard expectations are right on target. So whatever your time conflicts are, whatever your socioeconomic situation is…YOU choose your priorities. It becomes very evident to administrators/teachers what your choices were once your child enters school. I agree that student learn at different levels, but this list is the minimum expectations. If your learner is unable to master the majority of these skills by the start of kindergarten, you should be concerned. Again, it is not necessary to make excuses for why or why not your learner is progressing but be prepared for an administrator to let you know that your learner has not mastered the necessary skills for promotion. Don’t expect the excuse “we will work on it this summer” to be taken seriously when you have neglected to do it the first 5 years of their life. The schools are held accountable for student learning and I think it is only fair that parents should be as well. To the parents of older kinders….lucky you! You have the opportunity to expand their learning on a horizontal level if they have mastered the curriculum expectations. I suggest learning an additional language, taking art classes or learning to play a musical instrument.

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226. I didn’t take the time to read the WHOLE list of comments but here are my thoughts.
     I taught 2 years in a preschool and our kids were required to learn the Dolch sight words. Here is the list for pre-k. http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/preschool.htm. It sounds like a lot but it’s not really. Our preschool served underprivileged children…most of which were from single parents who worked full time. Our kids could do all of these skills by the end of preschool and I doubt any of them were getting any help at home.
     The only one that seemed unrealistic was the skipping one. From working in a grade school, most kids can’t skip properly till around 2 grade.

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227. Compared to the classes we have had graduate the past two years at our preschool, our kids know much more. I think if kids are not getting the right stimulation at home/school they will not be ready compared to this list.

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228. This comment is rather critical don’t you think? Just because a child goes to preschool that does not mean they spend all their time there or that the child’s parents don’t set aside time for cookie baking, nature walks and play dates. Unfortunately not every mom is able to stay home, some of us have to work, some choose to work. What is important in the grand scheme of things is that a kid enjoys life and learns at the same time.

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229. You should change the background. This page is ridiculously difficult to read.

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     1. The background is white (the stripes are only on the sides). Your computer must not be loading the page correctly. Empty your cache, close out your browser, and try again.

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     2. Hit the restore down key next to the Red X close button. It will remove the stripes and give it the look of a word doc. I love the stripes but being so pretty they distract me from reading! :o}

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230. I guess I’m going to be the odd man out on this one. I’ve taught Kindergarten for 22 years, in a wealthy district with moms who are at home and involved with their kids. Only twice have I had a child come into Kindergarten knowing all of those things. Other than them, not one other has been able to name all 52 letters and match all upper to lower case. Most only know a few numbers, not 0-10, and most only count to 10, not to 20. Most of them sing the alphabet song beautifully, but they have no idea that those are letters and when asked to recite it, not sing it, they can’t do it. This year, we are in 4th quarter and we’re still working on comparing numbers to know which is more and which is less when there’s not a model in front of them. That list is full of things it would be great to know when you come to Kindergarten, but, in my opinion, not NEED to know. That’s my job. If a child comes to my room ready to sit and listen, can play well with others, knows a few letters and numbers, can wait their turn quietly, can follow one and two step directions, and knows their colors, I’m happy! Let those pre-school babies be babies.

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231. As a kindergarten teacher I can honestly say the list is spot on. We spend the first month of school working on socialization, manners etc. We carry these ideas throughout the year. I know some think that kindergarten these days is too academic. This is the way of the world. My suggestions to parents would be to limit television. Don’t use it as a babysitter. Don’t let them spend their days playing video games. READ, READ, READ, books of all genres. Play games of all sorts. Take them outside and play ball, jump rope, ride bikes, fly a kite. Do anything that requires interaction. Kids need your time more than anything. I recently was in a restaurant and saw a family sitting at a table with two kids and the kids were sitting there each watching their own DVD. Really? Talk to your children. When my grandsons are over we do simple experiments, sink and float in the bathtub, etc. You can learn a lot from a child. One last suggestion, don’t tell your child that everything he/she does is absolutely perfect. It is difficult for a child to struggle with something if he/she thinks they are perfect. I am not urging you to be critical, just honest. If your child draws a picture, find something positive to say, just don’t lead him/her to think they are the next Picasso. In school if they struggle with math or something else they will certainly be frustrated if it isn’t mastered immediately.

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     1. Ugh! You’re a teacher?! THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH OVER PRAISING A CHILD. In a world FULL, I. mean. FULL. of bullies and kids and adults ready and waiting to tear your child down, building (or even over-building) their self confidence is the very least of their worries.

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232. I see a lot of first time parents on here who’s first child is a typical Type A personality. Have another 1 or 2 kids, eat some humble pie, and then come back to this site to apologize for being so judgmental and having an unrealistic view of what kids should know. Your genius 3 year old will most likely be an average 3rd grader in 5 years. Let them have fun, they will learn at their own pace. Their childhood will be over sooner than you will know. Make memories. :-)

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     1. AMEN! thank you! I have 4 kids (6 yrs, 4 1/2, 2 1/2, and 1 yr) My son (6yr old) started kindergartener knowing the alphabet song thinking the middle of it was elemenope. He has been doing great in kindergarten, he knows his alphabet he can match all the upper case lower case letters now and I’m SO proud of him, It is incredibly hard to find 20 minutes alone with each child, and they are all at different phases. The term “NEEDs to know” is extremely broad and makes any mother push the panic button and feel like a failure and all these rude comments don’t help. I agree most of these comments are coming from Mothers with only one child that is apparently “gifted” at 2 1/2. EVERY child learns differently!

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233. i see both sides of this situation. i am a stay at home mom with 3 kids and 6, 3, and 2. i also have a sister who is a teacher. so i see that side but i also see the im so busy i dont have time for things.thats why you make time! is that means you dont get your kitchen cleaned or laundry done till after they are in bed and you have to stay up a little later to get these things done so be it. it should all come down to you wanting the best for your child why would you want them starting school behind schedule and i think thats what this list is here for. not to tell you your doin it all wring and cause arguments but to inform the parent ! so the PARENT can do everything a PARENT is suppose to do for their child . so many times i bug my sister for well what do i do when this happens how do i teach him this what does he need to know. so here is this list so i can look at it and know instead of bugging my sister.
     be a parent and do what you are suppose to do for your child and teach them this is why kids are so far behind on everything its cause parents leave everything up to the school systems. their are things that kids are suppose to learn outside of school !

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234. Ouch, we have a four year old, Who is reading and can do simple math, is very social and can do this list. But she wanted to learn and did a large portion of it on her own while I encouraged her to be a kid. There is lots of time to learn when K5 starts. There is more than one way to educate a child and while it is fine to teach these things before K5, it is also OK to wait! A parent should not feel like a bad parent if the entire list is not done. Skip for 20 feet can’t imagine most 5th grade boys can do this. :o} I think it is great to provide supplies and motivate our kids to be active, physically, mentally, spiritually and socially with this done they will blossom where they are, how they are meant to. With a degree in education I think a lot of learning occurs accidentally in our home! With an awesome Hubby who breaks into spontaneous song or story for no reason and loves learning about stuff himself, it is kind of hard not to tend toward that desire for our girls. I do know there are other families out there that have degrees in other areas and hubbies that although awesome are quiet and not given to a constant study. I would like to encourage you to enjoy your darlings and play with this list, not stress over it. Some kids that are way ahead slow down and struggle others that are behind catch up and surpass. Some other lists that I have seen include tying shoes and some computer skills.

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235. I agree with all of this as this is the list my local elementary school gave me as a guide to see if my son was ready for kindergarten. I would add sight words to this list. My son’s preschool is teaching sight words this year to ready him for kindergarten. I’ve also gotten the Preschool Prep sight words DVD and flash cards. My son already recognizes some sight words and says them aloud before I have a chance to ask him.

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236. My daughter is in kindergarten now and she brings home 12 page packets of math to do addition problems. Also has to be able to say and write counting by 5’s and 10’s to 100. Also had to write a story about Spring Break.

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237. I find it not helpful at all to read posts like the following:

     “MY child is only 4 and has already read the Bible straight through three times. He has also read the Chronicles of Narnia and is currently writing a thesis on the information. He has also performed routine surgery on our cat, Fluffy, after finishing an online course in veterinary medicine. He not only balances our checkbook, but has used his basic accounting skills to prepare spreadsheets for our home business and has saved us thousands of dollars this past tax season. He currently is working on learning his 5th language in preparation for his annual missions trip to Zimbabwe…” When you write this you are only patting yourself on the back and seeking praise.

     Every child is different and learns at his own pace. Obviously, some children will be more advanced than others. Parents need to do their best to prepare for kindergarten. If your child is not quite as prepared, just know that you may have to work a little harder with them once they start kindergarten.

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238. When teaching your child to write their name it important that they write it with the first letter capital only. All other letters should be lowercase. It is amazing to me how many children are taught to write they name in all caps.

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     1. Annie, I admire you for that. I don’t have the patience… (I really get bored at home with kids) but It’s by far the best route in my opinion!

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        1. I am blown away by this list and some of these comments, There is way too much pressure put on kids these days. I work with mine at home but did not know of any strict checklists like this. So if they are supposed to learn all of this before they enter kindergarten what do they learn that year?? I also think it put’s a great deal of pressure on the parent(s) and I don’t want to feel like a failure if my kids do not have everything on this list down!

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           1. Please re-read the paragraphs at the top of the post…this is not a “strict checklist” this is simply an assessment that a Pre-K program uses to assess a student’s progress at the end of the year. Every child learns differently and may or may not have ALL of the skills by the time he/she goes to kindergarten.

              I don’t think this is putting too much pressure on kids because EVERY SINGLE ONE of these things can be learned during play (and should be). Kids are capable far more for what we give them credit for, especially when they are learning through playing! This list is, however, putting a little bit of much-deserved pressure on the parents to spend at least a few minutes (30 minutes at the MOST is all it takes) to be FULLY engaged with their children in play where they will have the opportunity to “learn” these things.

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              1. My job is to teach this list among other skills and the very best ways are through playing and real time teachable moments. I love this list! It helps parents have an understanding of how important playing and interacting with children is!

                 Children learn at different stages and ages but exposure to these skills is key.

                 Thank you for this post and for all the teachers and caregivers for loving what you do!

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              2. Your list pretty much sums up the K curriculum in Canada. I teach K here, and I would like children to come into my class with basic manners, an ability to look after their own belongings, listening when someone is speaking, respect themselves, others, and property and kindness to others. I can reinforce these social skills and teach them everything else.

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239. I have not read all the responses, just skimmed down some. I think the problem some people are having is in the wording…71 Things Your Child NEEDS To Know. That word NEEDS is a bit much. Every child is different. My first born knew his letters, numbers, shapes, and colors by the time he was two. He is now almost 7 and reading on a third grade level and loves math and science. My soon-to-be Kinder can only count to 10 and recognize numbers 1-5, can just barely sing the alphabet, recognizes only (maybe) 5 or so letters, and wants nothing to do with reading or writing (although he loved to be read to). I work with him on a daily basis…but he is AMAZING at building Legos, climbing, and coming up with wonderful jokes and stories.

     Just because a child doesn’t know everything on this list before Kindergarden, doesn’t mean A) The parent doesn’t care or work with them B) The child is behind or has a LD or C) The child will not do well or be ready for Kindergarden.

     As I’ve been looking into K for my middle child I’ve talked with a lot of K teachers and they all say the same thing; children come into K on all different levels…some who don’t even know their full names to those who are already reading…and by the end of the year just about everyone is one on (or close to) the same level.

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240. And might I add…My oldest son, while I encouraged an environment of playful learning when he was young, did most of his pre-school learning because loved to learn, not because I forced him to or because I thought he needed to know a certain amount of information before he got to Kindergarden.

     I personally think there is too much of an importance placed on the academics of learning and not enough on other things like arts and trades, especially in young children. There is no real reason for a pre-school 4-5 year old to be reading, unless they want to be and are passionate about it. I’d rather my son be an amazing builder of legos, learn how to use tools with his daddy, and bake with his mommy than memorizing sight words. As others have said, the reality is, most kids will level out and be average students by the time they reach 4th grade.

     Also, just as a side note, I did NOT send either of my kids to day care or pre-school.

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241. As a teacher, that works in Kindergarten. I would be thrilled if every student came in knowing everything on this list. However, the reality is, this list just outlined majority of my lesson plans for the Kindergarten school year. A big reason why this is not the standard is because a lot of parents dont care anymore. They send them off to school and disengage after that. Therefore leaving the teachers to struggle against budget cuts and over sized classrooms. And it all just snowballs from there. I would LOVE this to be the standard. And this is something that I will do when I eventually have children of my own. However the people that are talking on this blog are not going to be classified as the parents that disengage. You all care enough to read this and make sure that you know where your child/children should be at. So as a teacher, I say, Thank you parents that care enough to be involved.

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242. Oh! I felt so overwhelmed! Well, I guess am running out of choices anymore! Mom wants the best for their child no matter how exhausted it is for her. I’ve learned so much from here, moms should also read this too. Thanks! Preschooler’s Classroom

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243. Fish swim
     Birds fly
     Children learn
     –John Holt

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     1. Hear, hear! Hear, all ye good people, hear what this brilliant and eloquent speaker has to say!

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244. I am a prek teacher and from my experience, literacy skills are lacking in this list. It is true that Kindergarten is much more rigorous today than it was even 10 years ago. Prek is the new kindergarten. This shift is somewhat new and not all districts are there yet. As a teacher, I assess students not only in identifying letters but also in making letter-sound connections, rhyming, alliteration, phoneme manipulation and segmentation, sight word knowledge, comprehension, etc. Also, students should be able to write their own name and hold a pencil with a tripod grasp and have strength in fine motor. Many of my students are writing sentences at the end of the year and reading easy readers. (Notice, I haven’t even touched on social behaviors such as attention span and impulsivity!) Of course, it is important to keep in mind the difference in children and even a few months age difference is obvious at this level. It also depends on the experiences the child has had before starting Prek.

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245. I LOVE THIS! Thank you! Extremely helpful to know what my children should know and be able to do. My daughter is 2 1/2 and can do most of the things on here. I agree that it’s always the parents jobs to be parents and teach out kids. My daughter and I would go through the colors as we drive around getting errands and when in the store we’d look for certain colors or numbers. She is learning to find shapes, colors, numbers and letters all around her! It’s very fun and it makes our shopping trips enjoyable. http://www.tanastable.com/

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246. Having watched children enter Kindergarten and not even knowing their own name,I think our teachers would be happy for part of this list. They can’t even speak complete sentences because all they hear is one word commands! And some of those words you do not speak in school.
     I raised two children who could do all theses things before they went to school and I did not teach them.I read them as often as possible, talked to them about anything and everything, spent time with them.It is not teaching , it is just parenting your child.
     As we took walks we talked about colors of flowers, houses, etc.
     We learned letters as we passed signs. We also learned shapes, colors etc.
     We counted steps, doors, etc..
     It is called spending time with your child and Talking to them.

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247. I teach Georgia Pre-K and these are our standards exactly. Not every child is expected to have this stuff mastered before they leave, but having a good start on it and being exposed to these things will truly help them in kindergarten. Great list!

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248. I think this is a great list- we are always looking for a set of guidelines to work on before our little one heads to school! Thanks!

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249. I disagree with the fact that they need to jump 6 ft. in the air on one foot! I mean, come on! Am I raising a robot or a kid? LOL!

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     1. LOL! That seemed a little over the top to me too, at first. I think means hop on foot over a distance of 6 ft, that can mean many hops, as long as they can gain 6 feet in distance before tiring or losing their balance. Please don’t insist your child leap vertically 6 feet! LOL

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250. This is rediculous. As a Kindergarten teacher I expect that my students will come in with a love of learning first and foremost! Inquiry, play, and social relationships is at the heart of a Kindergarten classroom. If they can recognize their name and be able to listen to a story for a few minutes I will be over the moon! This belief that “preschool is the new Kindergarten” and how much it has changed in the last 10 years is absurd. Children have not been developing at a faster pace as the years have gone by. 4 and 5 year olds are still developmentally where 4 and 5 year olds were 10, 20 years ago. For Kindergarten to be developmentally appropriate it needs to be play based and incorporate iquiry, movement, art, music, dance, laughter, science, messes, and play, play, play! All this in a well designed, literacy rich Kindergarten class will develop these skills and way way more. At 4 and 5 years old children DO NOT need to come in knowing these things. At least not in my class.

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     1. Well, educator of poor American children, I feel sorry for the children placed in your class.

        By the way, “rediculous” is spelled r-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s, even my preschooler knows that.

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        1. Small typo – nothing to worry about. Hey, there is a reason why America has one of the WORST education systems. We are pushing are young ones to do WAY to much too soon. Also, clearly you are on the defensive and didn’t even take the time to READ my comment. I was talking about what I expect my 4 and 5 year old K’s to COME to school already knowing. I didn’t say that’s all that I TEACH all year. Oh no. But I do focus on play based models. I am a well-respected Kindergarten teacher and take full responsibly of teaching both the curriculum and the common core. Please, take a look at Canada’s education system which is ranked way higher than ours. In Kindergarten they are only expected to learn their names, a couple small sight words, most of the letter sounds, count to 10, and the rest of the curriculum mostly focuses on social skills, group work, and basic compare/contrast/sort/organize stuff. ALL DONE THROUGH PLAY! America’s early learning education curriculum is sadly mistaking. ECE is defined as ages 0-8 by respected and educated people. So why does all the hands on, fun, manipulative learning stop at preschool? To parents that are worried if their K’s are going to be bored when they start school – they will be. At least, that is in MOST Kindergarten classrooms around the country. However, if they get into my class they certainly wont be. ALL of our learning is fun – and educational.

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     2. DITTO. Well said.

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     3. I would love having my kid in your class!!

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251. I have been very fortunate to have been able to be a full time mom since my youngest daughter was born. We enjoy having “school lesson” time almost everyday. This began as a form of play time and has now resulted in a 3 year old girl that reads on an (estimated) 3rd grade level with math, writing, language and critical thinking skills at around the same level. I live in a small community where public school or home school are the only choices available. I’m worried now that I may have made a mistake in taking things so far. Will she be bored in school? Will she be able to identify that point where her classroom has caught up to her knowledge and be able to buckle down, listen and learn? Have I created a situation where she will think of school as nothing more than a social gathering? Is there such thing as being too prepared?

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252. I think there needs to be more for the arts. Like, clap the rhythm of their name, kind of stuff. I think it’s ridiculous how many kids have no sense of rhythm, when simply dancing around the kitchen to music will instill that in them.

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253. I 100% agree with all of these; however, parents shouldn’t feel embarrassed if their child doesn’t skip properly for the precise distance or doesn’t get every lower or upper case letter recognized every time they are asked. Like adults, children have good and bad days; strengths and weaknesses; and (no matter how we think of them) they are NOT perfect. These are a fantastic guideline but for someone to take the precise measurements so literally is missing the point of the list. Any normal 4yr old will know 95% of this, which means they are well on their way to knowing at least these things at a minimum by age 5yrs. My 4yr old daughter is a little clumsy, always has been, so skipping correctly isn’t exactly her strong suit, but that is just a part of who she is and does not in any way mean she is not prepared for Kindergarten. Our world is full of learning opportunities, parents just need to stop relying on technology and start engaging their kids in the world around them.

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254. I agree with quite a few points here, however, there are a few that I do feel are grouping people into one pile. I am a single mother who lives on student loans, about to graduate law school with a 3.95 GPA and despite what some readers might think, I have never had any government assistance or hand outs. We live very sparingly and have next to nothing for the time being. My 4yr old daughter can count to 30 in English, 12 in Spanish, 10 in French, spell her first name correctly, can spell most of her last name (it has 11 letters in it so I really don’t blame her for struggling). These comments I am making are not to brag but simply to illistrate a point. We are as broke as they come and she excels in her learning, why? because I made that our focus. Parents are their child’s first teacher despite socioeconomic standing.
     Education is a choice the parents need to make for both themselves, and their children. If you are a parent that has difficulty reading, take the initiave to teach yourself in order for you to better your childs life. Some circumstances can not be altered, however, you make the best of what you have. Every parent wants what’s best for their child, so why not do whatever it takes for you to make it so?

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255. I agree with Lindsay. All of these should be taught to the parents (more I think). However, we should not expect our child to do all of them well. They will develop at a different pace in different areas than their siblings/peers. The main point is that they should be able to do most, and familiar with the rest. My son at 4 (almost 5) entering kindergarten did not know all of his letter sounds, but he was familiar with them. He’s my oldest child and I don’t know as well what he needs to know. My current 4 year old daughter (who won’t start K til 5.5 years because of where her bday falls) already knows most of her sounds because of her brother and songs he brings home from school. The whole point is to give parents a list to work with and acquaint their kids with things they will need to know as students!

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256. I didn’t read every post but for those who aren’t sure what kindergarten is supposed to teach your child….go to your state website for education. There is ususally a list of things we as teachers will cover and teach during the year. I have parents every year tell me they thought I would teach how to tie a shoe. I checked … it’s not on the list from the state. Many of you have the right idea….interact with your child. If you don’t want to do that then make sure they go to a good preschool or daycare that will.
     Just reading to your child each night does a great deal for them. I can tell the first week who has been read to and who has not. The ones who haven’t struggle.
     I would love it if all 22 of my kindergarten students came ready each year. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and the reality is they don’t.
     If you want your child to have confidence then help them be ready for school.

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257. I take offense at the “just a daycare” comment from way up above – I run a State Licensed In Home Daycare and I can tell you most of my other Provider friends as well as myself DO teach the children in our care. We focus on sharing, letters, numbers, adding, subtracting, etc…. Most of us will sit down with the kids every day and during circle time start preparing them for when they enter Kinder. There is so much more kids today are expected to learn before they even get into school. If you have a good daycare your Provider will work with you and your child to make sure they are prepared to start school on a good note. There really is no reason to move your child once they reach the age of 3, 4 or 5.

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     1. Tracy, I read the same comment as you, and I don’t think it was meant to offend. You seem to be running a day-care/early learning program. The comment was meant to say just what it is “just a daycare” a place for parents who need someone to watch their kids while they work, but aren’t too concerned with them learning while essentially being babysat all day.

        Kudos to you on running a good day-care that offers early learning, but sometimes parents just need daycare and early-learning programs aren’t on the list of things they require. My DD was never in day-care because I was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom, but if I had to work during her early years I would definitely have wanted a place like yours.

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258. It is very hard being a Daycare Provider and a child comes in to your program age 4 and does not know colors, letters, numbers or shapes. It is very difficult to get the child ready for Kindergarten. A person can only do so much. Then you wonder if learning disabilities play a role or if it was just pure lazyness the last 4 years.

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259. I feel so sad reading these comments about mothers attacking mothers and feeling the need to state what their child can do already at so and so years old. I am a psychologist. Each child is different and special. Please do not stress them out and make them into little recitation machines. They will be grown soon enough. Let them be secure and know they are loved. I see so many teens with drug and alcohol issues, defiance, low self esteem. The academics will come. Work on the foundation of your child’s ego. I have patients that are pushed so hard academically that if they get a “B” they fall apart.

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     1. Preach it sister! PREACH IT!

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260. I’m a Speech-Language Pathologist and mother of 2. People often confuse academics with language development. Majority of the items listed are language skills typical developmental milestones children pick up through everyday interactions (language development) many things that require learning (flash cards, review of letters, numbers) are more academic based. A 6 month old can have a language evaluation. A 6 month old child can not have a real academic evaluation. What’s important is language development. If there is a strong language foundation receptive and expressive then more than likely your child will succeed in school (if there are any learning disabilities involved). Yes, parents average is still a good thing. So, the best thing for your child’s development is you, the parent. Loving, hugging, teaching, reading, talking, sharing, experiencing, exploring together. The more you’re engaged the more they will know.

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261. There are a couple things I don’t agree with. For instance, correct pencil holding? Everyone I’ve talked to doesn’t even know what the “correct” way is. I’m pretty sure I hold my pencil incorrectly, so how am I supposed to teach all my children the “correct” way? And stringing beads in 2 minutes? That seems a little silly to be timing them. If my children are like me, I was a perfectionist, so I took more time to do things. It nothing to do with my mental capacity or fine motor skills. I just liked to take my time and examine things longer than other children.

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262. I have a question about “Interacting with Others” and “Conflict Resolution”. My daughter is only three and all the other things we are working on or she has already passed off. My daughter is very shy and it takes her a while to warm up to people without me there. Maybe I’m taking this too literal but will there be a problem if she doesn’t warm up to the other kids for a few days once school begins? And she doesn’t like asking for an adults help until she knows them well.

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     1. Louise, I don’t think it will be a problem, but as you said she’s only three. In two years she may be more open and out going with other kids. Before she starts kindergarten make sure you take her in with you to orientation if she’s allowed so she can eet her teacher, then spend some time at home talking about the teacher with her. If you can get multiple meetings with the teacher before school starts that would be even better, and by the time she starts classes she might be okay with her classmates and teacher. Kids can change a lot in two years, so don’t worry about her being shy yet.

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263. The only think I would add is body awareness. Knowing parts of the body and being able to draw a decent stick figure including head, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair, body 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 feet, and hands are added bonus. That is one of the items included on our entrance test in the school district I teach in. Also, knowing some letter sounds is a HUGE bonus!

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264. I enjoy these lists as a guide, but not as an absolute. All kids learn at different rates, have different interests at different times and understand lessons in different ways. In an ideal world all children would know everything the teacher needs them to know, however in that world, the teachers would no longer have a job. A teacher is there to teach. When a parent is supposed to teach, it is called homeschooling. If a parent is the type that would take the time to teach and still send their child to school, they tend to be overly critical of the teacher’s capablities, stay close to the classroom and/or very involved. (both are known as a P.I.T.T.A. mom) The parents that hand over their children easily and trust the teacher 100% are not typically the parents that taught their children much before school started. TYPICALLY most parents fall somewhere in the middle, which means kids are coming to school with different skills and it’s the teacher’s responsiblity to line the kids up to some sort of standard. Kindergarten is not required in some states. K-2 generally covers the same stuff OVER & OVER so that the slower kids can catch up and the smarter kids can dumb down. In a nutshell a kindergarten teacher can be a glorified preschool teacher and still have taught all the same requirements needed to enter 1st grade. “Better Late Then Early” is an interesting book that quotes loads of stats on how children are not physically or mentally ready (like eye development, growth, etc) for formal sit down lessons until the age range of 8-10. (boys generally later) IMHO the kids in school do not get enough movement for their bodies. 20 minute recess & 1 hour lunch is hardly enough free choice run around and develop your body & mind time. Many are in afterschool sports, but that is structured, not free choice play that is so very important. Great list, I appreciate it.

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265. People need to relax and stop judging others. We do not know the circumstances of each person’s life and sometimes the choices we make come down to necessity. A good parent is somebody who provides for the child the best way they can. For some, that means putting food on the table, a roof over their head, and clean clothes on their body. For others, who have been provided the essentials for living, that means spending time on their child’s early education. It’s a shame that some parents on this blog believe that having more items checked off on a list means they are better parents than others or love their kids more. And, just as a side note, as a social worker I know that just because a programs exists (such as Head Start) does not mean it is accessible to everybody. Geography, red tape, long waiting lists, or being “over-qualified”, etc prevent lots of children from being admitted. Be nice. And, as long as no harm is being done and the child is surrounded by love, get off your high horse and let live!

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266. Do you think my daughter will be bored in kindergarten? She can spell, and is learning to read, can count accurately to 100, can write all her letters upper and lowercase, and can write her numbers to 100, she can also spell her first and last name. I’ve been debating on sending her to school or home-schooling since she basically knows more than an average kid her age. She is 5.

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267. I teach kindergarten and I think this list is an amazing resource that I would love to use as a guide when parents ask ” what should my child be able to do before they come to you?”. The only thing I might add would be self help skills such as using the restroom, buttoning and zipping, blowing nose, washing hands, and tying shoes. Thank you for taking the time to compose this list :)

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268. My first son knew all of this when he was 2, easily. That’s just who he was. My second is now 4 and the physcial stuff, no problem at all, but he’s still having issues even pointing out what’s a number and what’s a letter. :-( I haven’t done anything differently, they just learn at different rates and excel at different things. But it does terrify me.

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269. I keep my nephew and he is nearly 3 he can do a lot of things on this list, my niece is in Pre-k this year and has a wonderful teacher but they are doing a lot of these things, but her mom reads to them everynight and we read when they are with me. We love a few of the shows on tv which teach counting, colors and words. It is just a sad fact some parents dont care and expect the school to do the raising of their child and that is very sad.
     But to the person who said some parents would rather work and have the best then be home with their child, that is not true. I have kept my niece and nephew since they were both 3 months old both their parents work to survive. One is going back to school to better himself so his wife can work less to be home more with the kids but lots of families dont have those options and I dont think it is fair to judge them until you walk a mile in their shoes. There are some parents who do have kids and the nanny or daycare do raise them and I wonder why they did have kids but not all families are like that. It takes a lot today to live and if you dont have a good job you do the best you can.
     I do believe our kids are sometimes pushed too hard and expected to grow up too fast, I dont agree with all the testing that is done I think the teachers have to work so hard for one big test and all is focused on that. I think they should learn and each 6 weeks have a test. When I was in school things were done that way and I believe I have turned out ok and know a lot of very smart people. The goverment gets involed too much in things I dont think they know a lot about, it may look good on paper but in real lfe it always does not work that way….

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270. I do think that it is important for children to learn but I also think it is impotant for them to be a kid. We are pushing our children to grow up faster and faster. Don’t they already grow up fast enough?

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271. Thank you so much for the great work here on the site as well as this list. While of course not all children have these skills mastered; personally it is great for me as a parent to challenge myself to come up with fun activites and games to help my son achieve some of these skills. My son thinks we are playing hopscotch, but really he is learning to jump and alternate feet – he thinks we are acting like monkeys jumping on the bed (as we sing most obnixiously) but he is learning to jump with both feet off the ground – he thinks we are cutting decorations to paste together to make spring flowers, but he is learning to cut along lines creating shapes and learning to glue. Its all about approach; which is why I love your blog so much. When you as a parent or caregiver are playing with your child – I mean sitting on the floor or being on their level interacting with them together – they will learn. They learn without knowing they are learning – all while playing and spending time with their parent(s). Do we expect to much of our young children academically as a society? Probably, but do you buck the system and have your child feeling left behind to prove a point? This is a decision that is made individually in each and every home. For me and my son I strive to enstill him with a sense of curiosity about the world around him and the confidence to seek out more. That’s really all you can ask of you young child.

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272. Looks like someone else uses Works Sampling! I am a PreK teacher in Georgia and these are the indicators we use as we teach PreK.

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273. If you are wondering about the item “Counts objects with meaning to 10”. This probably applies to “one to one” correspondence. Ask your child to count as they place 10 items (from a large pile) in your hand. It is a very different skill from simply counting to 10. Start with a smaller number and work your way up.
     This is a great list. & Yes, I also teach Pre-K.

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274. My DD is almost 5 and will be starting kindergarten this September. She knows a good amount of this list, she’s not GREAT at everything on it (steering her trike for example) but she knows how to and tries her best.

     I’ve seen a lot of comments regarding parents going to kindergarten orientation not knowing what their kids should know before they start and let me tell you, if not for this list I probably wouldn’t have known what my DD should know either.

     Yes a lot of it is basic stuff we work on daily just because she loves to learn, so we started doing coloring books, then workbooks. Any TV she watches is very educational and I spend time with her, loving her, cuddling her and working with her. Even when we’re just in the car driving to the store, we’ve always worked on numbers and letters. So it’s entirely possible for even younger children to know this stuff, but not everything on this list is something every parent thinks their kid should know for school.

     If it helps the school and teachers then there should be a published list given to parents when you register your child for kindergarten the previous spring, that way if you notice your child is behind on something you can work on it. Maybe you wouldn’t be able to get the whole list done before fall, but any amount of things you can help your child learn first is better than nothing at all. And since all schools are different and set-up differently it’s not unreasonable to think a list of basic skills should be included with the kindergarten packet.

     It’s not entirely the parents fault in that respect, but I agree with a lot of the sentiments that if you expect your childs education to begin with their kindergarten teacher…Parenting: You’re doing it wrong. Common sense says you should teach your child as much as you can as a parent before age 5 because ages 0-5 are when kids absorb knowledge the easiest and can hold onto that information the best.

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275. Thanks for sharing this list! I will be homeschooling, so this is a good frame of reference for me.

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276. I am a SAHM of 2 toddlers, and I am very fortunate to be able to stay home. My husband recieves a meager income, so there have been many things I have went without, just so my kids would have all they needed. Am I complaining? not at all. Do I wish we could do more for our children? At times, but I know when they are older, they will not remember any of the material items. If at all possible, I believe a mother should stay home and teach her own children these things. After all, most of this list can be learned by basic interaction with the child. They read your life, and they examine the things you do. If you are going to school to better your future, GOOD FOR YOU!! I hope you succeed, and do well. And if you are working full time jobs to support your children, GOOD FOR YOU!! I hope you succeed and do well. Different people are dealt different hands in this game of life, but if you have time to read this list, and to comment about your 2 cents, THEN YOU HAVE TIME TO TEACH YOUR CHILD!! Do you have time to get on facebook? Do you have time to txt your bff while cooking dinner? Do you have time to get that face dolled up, or get your nails done?? Young mothers need to put their priorities first, and that should be your children!! Always!! If you dont teach them how to pedal a bicycle or climb the monkey bars, Im sure they will survive. Love and attention are more important than motor skills. A true mother will find time to spend with her children. Especially if she cares about the childs well-being.

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277. how about imagination, love and respect for the natural world, how to form friendships, empathy, self regulation, and the will to do go good in the world?

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278. & Bonny – comment 479

     I agree with you completely.

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279. This is a great list, and i have a few ideas for things to be added.

     1. Phone number
     2. Address

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     1. yes I agree

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280. Wow, I have a book to help me with every single one of these “objectives”… Thanks Usborne!! And thank you for posting these… Great ideas!

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281. Thank you for taking the time to gather this list. My daughter just turned five and I have been wondering what she is “supposed” to know. I am planning on homeschooling her and wasn’t sure if she was really on track. I am pleased that she is.

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282. The only thing I don’t like about this list is that it doesn’t list the one thing that will keep kids out of kindergarten in most school districts. AGE.

     My 4 year old will be 5 mid October. According to our school district he’s not ready for kindergarten simply because he’s 6 weeks too young, never mind the fact that the only things on this list I’m not sure he can do is story sequencing and cutting shapes. He counts to 100+, reads all the preprimer and primer sight words, sounds out words, etc., is doing addition and subtraction, but isn’t eligible for kindergarten for another year, simply because of his chronological age.

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283. Kids today are expected to know so much before they even begin school…alot of this was stuff we learned in school!

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284. My daughter has 8 subjects in kindergarten, including computer and Spanish. They are doing math, time, counting money. Nouns and verbs. It is over the top IMO.

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285. I don’t know about other adults, but when I was in school, this is stuff that we were taught in Kindergarten, not things we needed to know before we even got there.

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286. I’m currently a teaching student and I volunteer with an inner city school where the majority of the children in attendance are at least a year behind their peers.

     My oldest nephew is going into Kindergarten this fall and my sister had to be convinced that at the age of 5 it is okay to enroll him in Kindergarten. I know that Kindergarten is optional, yet he is not receiving enough education at home and is already behind where I know he should be for his age. As parents we should always be diligent with our children’s education. It is a mistake to believe that the only place they should be learning is at school, because that’s the teacher’s job. Thinking like that creates the enormous educational gaps between social classes as parents who are without as much education or work several jobs usually “don’t have time” or the resources to give their child a proper education where as children in suburb schools have parents who purchase the summer workbooks, enroll them in private lessons or simply read to them. In many school districts funding is based on the neighborhood. The children who need the extra support because for what ever reason they are not ready for kindergarten (such as the children I volunteer with) cannot get it because the school doesn’t have the funds to provide what they need, especially when medical, physical and emotional needs are also being met at the school level.

     I know parents some parents try, but not all. I agree with someone else who posted earlier when they stated if you don’t have 20minutes a day to spend with your child why did you have a family at all. My mother worked three jobs and when she could she would take us to free educational events and buy the educational workbooks when she could afford them. Being that kind of mom allowed me to get my first degree and no longer live inside the ghetto. Currently working on my second degree I know that education is the only way out of a dead end life. My sisters both live in the ghetto and the majority of the people I grew up with were never able to get out because they were not successful in school.

     Kindergarten is not the way it was when we were children. Thanks to the No Child Left Behind which compares all of America’s kids to the top children in other countries since the U.S. is the only country in the world that provides an education for all children, standards have been raised. When we were children we did not do the majority of our work on computers and now it’s almost impossible to get though school without owning one. The math our kids are expected to know in grade school is what I was learning in Jr. High and I’m in my late 20’s. Times are changing and it’s not going to get any easier academically so either help your child out and push them to succeed or expect that they will alway struggle or be left behind. It sucks, but it’s the truth and as we all know sometimes the truth hurts!

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287. I am an early care and education teacher. I have worked with many age groups but loves the 3 year olds…I came across the following blog post and must say…this is the way it should be. If children do not know basic manners, empathy and kindness, no amount of school will help them

     http://www.magicalchildhood.com/articles/4yo.htm

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288. WOW!! I’m shocked by the condescending offensive comments on here. Most of this list consists of developmentally appropriate behaviors. Beyond the alphabet/numbers bit these are mainly things kids learn through experience with family, other kids, and just spending time with people that care. As a teacher it is difficult if kids don’t come to school knowing their alphabet and numbers, but it is more common than you’d think. Sure, they can succeed in kindergarten without some of these basics, but it’s most likely going to be a stressful time for them. Some kids don’t pick up on all of it quickly. Also, if your child’s teacher thinks that repeating kinder would benefit him/her it’s really for the best. It’s better to gain the basics early before they fall further behind.

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289. I don’t think this is too much for a kindergartener at all, unless the child doesn’t have a parent that does these things with them. My daughter is gifted in some ways, but she has gone to a 3PreK one yr, and a regular PreK at the same place this yr, and they are great with all the kids! We do a lot of this stuff at home anyway too, but at this point, my daughter is almost reading and can do basic math like 5+5 and 10-3, etc and she will start school in the fall. All of the other 4/5 yr olds in her class are mastering these skills as well, and they are not just a preschool, but a half day church school that only focuses part of the time on this type of stuff. The rest of the time they have birthday or holiday parties, field trips, and outdoor play and games as well as learning bible stories and related things, so it clearly only takes a little bit to teach these “book learning” tasks and social skills on top of all the creative free play!

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290. They have raised the bar as far as what ALL children are expected to learn and know by graduation from high school. This is no different with middle school or elementary. The biggest problem I see where I live is that the schools worry more about parenting the children than teaching the children. While I do not think that you cannot teach without caring for all of your students, schools must understand that is is not their job to raise these children, it is the children’s parents job. If you see an issue that warrants action, report it!

     I have a 5 & 7 year old and I have my teaching degree. Our schools here are ranked 49th in the nation, which is VERY, VERY bad. I supplement my children’s education with what I feel & know they should also be learning. I have a 7 year old that has read 250 books this year and some at an 8th & 9th grade level and he understands what he is reading and can tell you about it. He loves documentaries, especially National Geographic. My 5 year old knows everything on the list above and then some…….They both love history. The fact of the matter is that I am not willing to stand by and let the school tell me how to raise my child nor am I going to wait for the schools to possibly teach what I feel and know that my children should know and be learning.

     As for the “No child left behind”, I have worked with kids that come from low & extremely low income homes. No child left behind is a joke!! There are so many kids being left behind because the schools have learned all the loop holes and how to get around a lot of the rules and guidelines. It really broke my heart to see this, especially when all of them have such potential.

     On that same note, just because you cannot spend a lot of time with your child doesn’t mean that the small amount of quality time spent with them isn’t important. What it breaks down to is that children “Crave” & “Need” time with their parents. It does not have to be hours a day…..It could be 15 minutes. If you make that 15 minutes fun, educational, and true quality time, they will crave more and want more. You will be feeding their craving to learn. They are born with that yearn to learn because they are curious. You can also help them by doing things with them like singing ABC’s while getting ready in the morning or cooking dinner or even while potty training. Many of these skills are skills that can be taught just by playing with your children or making games out of ordinary tasks and chores that you do every day.

     As for pre-school, while it isn’t necessary it is helpful. If you have to or choose to send your child to a pre-school, look for one that has teachers that hold degrees in Child Development or Child & Family Studies. These degrees require that the teachers know the important developmental checklist and these checklists are taught in the pre-school. If they are a good pre-school, they will send home a copy of the checklist with the mastered, progressing, needs improvement tasks marked along with any notes from the teacher. This will allow you to work on those tasks with your child at home, which will only benefit them in the long run. If for some reason you cannot send your child to pre-school or you choose not to, you can in fact find the developmental checklist online or in bookstores. You can also print out writing sheets from online that you can personalize so that your child will learn to write their name, address, phone number, birthday, ABC’s, Numbers and any other important things they should know. Each checklist is made up of tasks that should be mastered by a certain age. I will also tell you this, a lot of the skills that they should know do in fact overlap into other age checklist, so do not be completely stressed out if your child hasn’t completely mastered a task because a lot of them carry over into other age groups. Just continue to work with them.

     http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/manuscript/alphabets/index.htm
     Can be personalized~ http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/
     Worksheets for preschool through 6th grade~http://www.tlsbooks.com/

     I hope this helps some of you! Remember that just because one parent has the ability to spend more time and work with their child more does not mean that they are a better parent, nor does it mean that you are a bad parent! You do what you can when you can because all of our circumstances are different.
     God Bless

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291. I just want some clarification… would this be the disance of 6 ft. or said child can hop on one foot the distance of 6 ft.
     “■Hops on one foot- 6 ft.”

     Thank you for a list of goals to “try” to achieve

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     1. The latter: The child should be able to hop on one foot for a distance of 6 total feet (several consecutive hops).

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292. In our district, kids also need to know all of the letter sounds, upper and lower case. They also have to recognize rhyming words and think of an additional word that rhymes with the pair they are given (yes off the top of their head)! They also need to recognize that when a word is said they know the starting sound. For example, Elephant they have to say that it starts with the letter “e” and the beginning sound is “eh”.

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293. @good or bad- I am mom, I am totally with you on this one.

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294. As a new grandma, and a former (awesome!) preschool teacher for years, I am apalled at the nastiness and lack of understanding for many struggling families with problems of all types. It amazes me that the more demands (i.e. earlier reading, hours of homework, constant testing) that the schools place upon children, the less they seem to learn by the time they graduate.

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295. I am just apalled at some of the comments on here. My son will be 5 next month and he does not know his abc’s. It’s not because I haven’t sat down with him and tried to teach him these things, but he has developmental delays and speech issues. He has been in preschool (with our school district) the last two years and 6 months of speech thereapy before that. Children learn at their own pace. I’m not a bad mom, because my child doesn’t know the alphabet. I think people should learn to parent their own children and not worry how other’s parent their children. I am not going to do the same things as another mom does and I do what I think is right for my child. My parents didn’t sit down with me for hours and hours a day to teach me “educational” things and in school, I was a straight A student. But my parents did teach me about life and what it is to grow as a responsible adult. So I think people to worry about themselves, and not about what other’s is doing.

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296. As an educator for almost 30 years, the parent of five children and the grandmother of one….my best advice is to turn off your phone or computer, talk to your child, use imaginative play, explain how things work, follow through with discipline – whether you work or not!

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297. Thank you for this! I am having an extremely hard time finding a preschool and this will help me cover some of the things!

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298. I would challenge everyone commenting on this page to seek out books and seminars by Dr. Ruby Payne’s Understanding the framework of poverty. She’s an educator and her seminar was the best thing I’ve attended with my BSW. Information I learned from her was very helpful with teaching literacy skills to Even Start parents and children and with my own children.

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299. Reading this on Mother’s Day after tucking my three sweet little ones into bed, I am sad at how much we like to tear each other down, compare our children’s accomplishments and play the ‘I’m doing it better than you are’ game.

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300. Thank you for this post, and I am sad for all the negative comments. Children are capable of FAR more than people are giving them credit for. (my son shocks me every day by what he comes up with!) Don’t hold them back…but there is no need to pressure them either or feel like a ‘failure’ if you feel that YOUR child is not ready…if you do spend time with them, you will see what their learning styles are and how to encourage them in that way!! Don’t underestimate your kids! and please don’t take this list as a reflection of your ‘failure’ of a parent if your child is not there yet!

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301. I have never been under the impression that parents don’t have to do anything, “that’s what school is for”. I think it’s our responsibility to ready them for school, to make sure they have the best start they can. Yet, in my state they’ve changed the evaluation policy for teachers to make sure they’re making the grade. You can’t blame everything on the teachers or the schools when parents today aren’t doing their job. I understand more and more families have mothers that work, due to the economy. I’m able to stay home with my 3 children, through much sacrifice. Most of the stuff on this list can be taught through interaction on a daily basis.

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302. I love this list. I’ve been working with my twin boys who are 4 now. I always try to keep it fun for them, and when it’s not I back off a bit. I too think that working with your children for as little as 15 minutes a day can do a world of wonders. They won’t start Kindergarten until 2013, but at the rate they’re learning, they will know how to read, write their names and have acquired many of the other skills listed here. I am excited that they are excited about learning as well!

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303. Those are all skills my daughter mastered before 3 years. She just turned 4 and is reading at a third grade level. Her vocabulary is off the charts because she is exposed to so many new concepts and words through the books that she chooses at the library. My secret was no TV. We read books, sang songs, did crafts and went to preschool for the social skills. The best time to teach a child these basic skills is in the first five years of life. I think to many patrnts use electronic devices as babysitters and forget that they are their child’s best teacher. (and yes, I work full time)

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     1. 4 years old and reading at a 3rd grade level? She should be graduating from Harvard at age 11 then.

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        1. I assume that you understand that there is more to education than just reading. Like my post said, we do not watch TV. Books are an integral part of my whole families everyday life. My daughter loves to read and learned her letter sounds before she even knew their names. It was therefore an easy transition to sounding out words at 2 and reading chapter books at 3. Yes, she reads at a 3rd grade level and has several children in her pre-K class that read just as well if not better her. When children are encouraged and gave healthy competition they can accomplish almost anything. The first five years are the most important for brain development, so why not make the most of it. She will not be graduating from Harvard at 11. We want her to graduate from Stanford just like my husband and I did.

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304. Although I understand that teachers have a demanding job but what purpose does making people feel like bad parents serve?

     Most of these comments are boasting about how GREAT they are because their children know all 71 and there not 5 years old or they are tearing peoples self esteem apart. Shame on everyone who said something that may have hurt someones feelings.

     There is no better way to teach children than to model for them… while how would you feel if your child treated someone like that at the playground? I would be embarrassed and take that teachable moment to tell them that kindness is the most important thing and if you have nothing nice or helpful to say then it’s best to stay quiet.

     For those parents out there that we surprised but what your child “needed to know” before K I understand how you feel… I’m sure that you play with your children but without the knowledge of what skills are needed and not having a good support it can seem difficult. When you read websites like this one and others that have great activities that children enjoy it becomes easy to ensure that your child is ready for school! Your doing great and like every person in the world there is always room to grow and learn!

     BE KIND YOUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING YOU EVEN WHILE YOU DON’T REALIZE IT!!

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     1. I agree with so much of what you have said here.
        I also teach Pre-K, and while the article states all of the things a child “needs” to know before kindergarten, the state in which I reside has made us completely change our methods of teaching Pre-K. We are no longer allowed to use worksheets or flash cards. We can not “expect” them to sit still even for a story. (They always have to have the option of moving off and doing another activity.) If we are painting and they want to be finished 30 seconds after we start, we have to allow them to get up and go do something else. How can they be expected to learn any of this, when we can’t even ask that they sit still long enough to learn it?
        Yes, children are sponges. Yes, it is our job to help them to learn. But that needs to begin at home, and it needs to begin with teaching patience, and waiting their turn, and listening skills. Great for you if your two-year-old speaks three languages and has been reading and doing math since before (s)he was out of diapers. But if (s)he cannot sit still for the length of a story book, cannot wait patiently for you to finish in the bathroom, and cannot follow simple directions, (s)he will be no better off in Kindergarten or Pre-K than the child who doesn’t know upper case from lower case but can sit patiently and follow directions.
        One last thing, the unpleasantness here is ridiculous. This is where our children get the idea that bullying is okay. If we will do it to each other so casually on the internet, we are likely setting that same example for our children to see and hear. I would much rather have an entire classroom full of kind and caring children who struggle to learn the “academics” than a classroom full of smug, bullying 4-year-olds who are academically superior. It would be great if everyone could be perfect, but since we are human and cannot, I would rather teach my child kindness and compassion and empathy at a tender age than math and phonics.

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     2. I also would like to add that I do not feel that the author of this site is attempting to point fingers or be negative about any of the items that were identified. In my own humble little opinion, it makes me sad that this bit of information being put out there for people to be informed of how they “might” be able to guide their child’s learning should get a negative feedback and nastyness spewed from parents/family members.
        I know what my childrens’ abilities are and in my mind this list was ment to be a guide or something I looked at and though okay one to know and one to grow… The writer was just stating ‘wouldn’t hurt if your child did know/was able to do” x because, developmentally the “AVERAGE” child can do this. YES, I know there are special circumstaces that for any reason a child might not know (I too am facing a child that beats his drum to a different tune) that doesn’t mean that I need to spew anger/hate/ nasty words at others because they see one side or the other. It’s a list to be used as a guide if YOU choose to do so.
        Thank you.

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        1. Thank you so much for your comments!

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305. This is why as a truly single working mother of a toddler I have made it a priority that his daycare is an Early Learning Center. It’s expensive, but I’d rather he is ready for school then in name brand shoes. I don’t have the time I’d like to give to him to help him learn what he needs to know, so I make sure he’s in an environment that will. I get him ready for school in the morning, then don’t see him again until he’s already eaten dinner and it’s time to start winding down for bed. I do this 5 days a week. Our weekends are full of fun learning projects… Last weekend I had him matching different colored water to balloons. We filled and froze them. He then got to play with the colored ice out on the deck. Matching and colors. It took little to no time, it helped him learn and we both enjoyed it.

     Even still teaching your child is as simple as putting a handful of straws at the table for them to count while eating breakfast. Or singing the alphabet to/with them while they’re getting dressed. Have you ever read a toddler’s book?? Some are FIVE pages long, they take less then a minute to finish from cover to cover, but that’s less than a minute that’s priceless to your child. It’s about finding ways of being there for them and helping them learn without having to stop what you need to do.

     You had the time to read this article to yourself… You have the time for your child… You don’t have to sit for hours drilling your child. It is possible to educate your child on a time budget.

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     1. Perfectly put. :)

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306. I adopted a child from a foreign country. He made great language strides in 1.5 years including time in preschool so I thought then off to Kindergarten where the teacher actually said I was neglecting my child as he didn’t even know his colors, etc…. I didn’t tell her he was adopted so she thought I hadn’t taught him anything. I didn’t mention he was adopted and at end of year she was so proud she had taught my son everything she felt he needed for first grade. So, even if your child knows nothing which my son pretty much did (know nothing at start: he didn’t know any shapes, colors, couldn’t count past 7 in English or 15 in Bulgarian) they can still do fine.

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307. Being able or unable to perform the tasks on this list is not always an accurate barometer of a child’s ability to perform well in school. As the mother of a son with physical disabilities, I can tell you my son entered kindergarten without the ability to do quite a bit on this list. I can also tell you that he graduated magna cum laude from a major university 17 years later still unable to do quite a bit on this list! Am I bragging? Yes! Had we followed the “lists” and “averages” and “normal expectations,” my son would have never entered kindergarten. These “71 Things” are a wonderful guideline and most children will at some point be able to accomplish them. But don’t sweat it if they haven’t mastered them by the age of five. For pity’s sake, I have a husband who still hasn’t learned how to “clean up after play!”

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308. Which is better and which is worse? Proud mother or bully?

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309. I have taught kindergarten for 28 years. I have expereienced A LOT of changes in the K program! I no longer have the kitchen set, puzzles and other “play” items I use to use to help with the social part of learning. I really feel that our program now is more like the first grade of 10 years ago. If parents really want to be informed about what’s expected, take a look at your school system’s website. Most schools now have each grade’s curriculum posted. Also each state has pages and pages of State Standards for each grade. I think many parents would be a little shocked to see what we teach the first 9 weeks of school! Writing is a huge part of our program! Being able to write a letter that matches its sound is important right off the start! Parents, the year before entering kindergarten, visit the school your student will attend. Do your “homework” to help you decide if your child is ready for school. MANY of my students have turned 7 this spring, so remember that if your child has a spring or summer birthday. The list above is a good start, but not the complete picture. I’ve had students who are reading at the second grade level who were not “ready” for school, so don’t judge readiness by just that!

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     1. My son’s Kindergartens class room center was math, SS, history and reading. They do phonics and when I went to beginners day they gave us a list that we could work on at home so they would know what they were going to be learning in K. I also went to teacher and asked them for info about what they were going to learn next. They would give me samples of stuff to work on with my son. Things have really changed since I was in K in the 80’s that’s for sure. My son couldn’t pass K unless he was reading on a 1st grade level and knew his 100 sight words.

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310. I am a teacher at a preschool for last 9 years in Jammu and Kashmir. I teach almost children in the age groups of 3 to 5. When parents come to get their children admitted in school they have a lot of concerns regarding the children …I came across the following blog post and must say…that in schools teachers can make them learn a lot of things, and mostly how to learn and how to be in a group….. but parents should teach them a few basic things prior to bringing them in school

     http://all-school-stuff.blogspot.in/

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311. I’ve been teaching for 30 years, most of those in Kindergarten. This made me very sad. There are no
     prerequisites to coming to Kindergarten. Yes, it makes my job easier if they come knowing these things, but actually it is our job to teach children these things. You have to realize not all children attend playschools, daycares etc. Most importantly knowing all these things prior to age 5 is developmentally inappropriate. I may be old school, but I am sad that children are forced to be pushed before they enter school.

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     1. I would love for my child to have a teacher with this philosophy.

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312. Be totally potty trained. I was a kindergarden teacher in Calif. and you wouldn’t believe how many parents wanted me to finish potty training the child. They would let me know that they might still have accidents throughout the day. Sure an occasional accident may happen now and then so therefore we have them leave a set of clothing for them, for that just incase moment.
     It is important that they be totally potty trained.

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313. I really need some advice!! My little girl turns “4” September 2012. I have inquired interest in her being a peer at a school, they’ve accepted her, soon we will need to get the paperwork etc, and pay our fees, As a peer she is a role model for others who may need to do some catching up. She will not enter kindergartin until Fall of 2014, another 2 years. I worry she will get a little bored, and it will hold her back. My question: Would you all enroll your kids if she already knew her ABC’s recognizes them all by association, counts to 20, knows number recognition up to 10, knows her colors, knows most shapes (we’re about to perfect it), plays well with others, when playing she tells me if she has been hit, (she uses her words..) We still need to work on her spelling her name, etc, holding a pencil right, painting, etc, we haven’t worked with a bunch of crafts etc. .but sounds like she is about ready for kindergartin, and she still has two years,, I got her excited about going to this school, and I was excited, but money is about of an issue, it will cost 1500.00 for the year to send her as a peer, then I thought about 2 kids, (because she has a younger sister), if they both go for two years, that will be 6,000 in two years,, we have so many other needs right now,, wondering about what you all thought, I was thinking if we decide to wait at least 1 year, I could do my own teaching lessons each day for at least 1 hour, have more field trips to do something educational, and I could find a group to help her with her social interaction.. Would love , love input,, have a feeling my husband is going to be happy about me changing my mind,, because the idea of going to school got her so excited..

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314. I was surprised not to see anything about getting themselves dressed, shoes and coats on, toileting etc. I’ve seen how frustrating it is for our Kindergarten teachers when half the kids can’t get their own coats and boots on in the winter.

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315. Hi, i’m not a mom (im just 18, about to enter college) but I think this could be useful for my cousin who has another baby girl :)

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316. I think that this list is made by a teacher that doesn’t want to do their job, TEACH, if the children can do all the above why do they need a teacher? Yes I agree it’s the responsibility of the parents to teach their children things at home, I realize that when I grew up and went to kindergarten things have changed, the change? The teachers don’t want to have to teach, they expect for a 5 year old to come in and sit down and write a report….come on…their CHILDREN!!!!! Let them be kids while they can, let them enjoy life and the excitement of exploring new things and learning new things. I guess the above list is a nice thing to strive for, but it shouldn’t be the basis on whether or not a child gets to go to school or participate in a program (some of which I think are just made for people that think they have it all and have more money than they know what to do with), I have two grown children, three grandchildren and a two year old little boy. Now while his mother is fortunate enough to be allowed to stay at home and she teaches him things that I never would’ve thought to teach a child that young, he’s extraordinarily bright and know most of the list, but she knows he’s a little boy and won’t sit with his hands in his lap and have his attention held for more than just a few minutes.
     Okay I’m done with my rant, the point of the rant? Teachers don’t want to teach, they want to give assignments and sit at their desk and tweet, facebook and instant message their friends (probably a teacher in the next room). We need to look at our education system and revamp it, teacher need to realize that being a teacher means just that, TEACH. Not babysit, not give assignments and expect the parents to have taught or teach them at home….

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     1. Tom, I urge you to reconsider this generalization of ALL teachers.

        How many days have you taken care of 30+ children with no assistance, and how many days have you observed classrooms?

        Do you know any teachers personally?

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        1. I’m not generalizing anything or anyone, if someone falls into the category that I mentioned and they take offense, then maybe they need to talk to a career counselor and reconsider their career choice. I know many teachers of different age groups, some fall into this category most don’t. I’ve done something a little harder than taking care of a classroom of 30+ children, I’ve been in charge of entire divisions, I’ve taken care of multimillion dollar aircraft and insured they were safe and ready to fly, I’ve worked on a flight deck with jets all around and the wrong step could cost me my life or someone elses. Don’t lecture me on how many classrooms have I taken care of, YOU chose your job, which I hope you did a little research in (but obviously not) and known that you’d be overworked and underpaid. And that you’d have classrooms with 30+ children. Yes it’s the parents responsibility to give their children the basics to go to school with, my 2 yo already knows his ABC’s and can count to 20, he’s working on his colors and has most of them down, he’s working on learning to read now. But this is my 2 yo, he has a different mother and a father that’s no longer at sea, my oldest son, can barely read on a 3rd grade level, this from the wonderful teachers in remedial classes? NO child left behind? PHFFFTT!!!! They pass the kids so they don’t have to deal with them or the parents, I know several people that have graduated from high school and can barely write their own name.
           So while I’m not generalizing all teachers into my above rant or this one, the ones that fall into it are going to be the ones that take offense to my rants. If the teacher doesn’t fall into that generalization and cares about her students, Well Done, I salute and applaud you and you have my utmost respect.

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           1. Thanks for replying, Tom.

              I think my issue is this: this has turned into a forum for people to talk about how their kids have already achieved all of this, while trying to one-up others. None of us are more important than others. Words like “I’ve done something a little harder than _______” villainizes people who chose a different profession. If I said “Being a [insert your title here] is for uneducated and small-minded people”, and claimed that only uneducated and small-minded people in your field should be offended is absurd. I would expect that anyone could be offended. It’s the same as “stay at home moms are just too lazy to get a real job” and assuming only lazy stay at home moms should take offense.

              Why can’t we just take this bit of information and either use it or not? Why does this have to turn into an attack on others?

              I respect your career choice, regardless of what it is, because I don’t know anything about you. And I am NOT a teacher, nor have I ever been. But I am a mother of a 2yo and newborn twins who is doing the best I can.

              And what I can do is take this information, and use it to help my daughter, who has some slight delays, catch up to most of the kids who she’ll be attending kindergarten with (as most of the comments are about peoples’ 2 year olds who have already mastered these tasks).

              And I can teach my kids about tolerance.

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317. – Persists in task and seeks help when encountering a problem
     – Follows rules and routines

     I coach children (5-10 years) in beginner gymnastics and I find it disturbing how many kids today simply give up on a task and they can’t follow rules and routines. They watch a skill demonstration and taunt, “Easy peasy. Lemon squeezy.” “I don’t need any help.” Then they try it and find it’s a little bit hard so they give up. “I don’t wanna do that.” It used to be (20 years ago) that only the occasional ‘bad’ kid wouldn’t learn the rules. Now it’s more like 25% of the kids we get will persistently break basic rules (stay out of no-go zones, no cheating in games, listen to instructions before beginning, etc) for MONTHS on end. We recently had one child in a talent identification group who had to be told to stay off equipment before class EVERY single time twice a week for 2 YEARS (5 1/2 to 7 1/2 years old). I definitely think there is a bigger problem today with parents who don’t understand they have to be a PARENT not just a playmate for their child.

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     1. AMEN! Following the directions and following the rules is a NUMBER ONE in my book!!!

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318. Just wondering what children learn at kindergarten these days then? If they are expected to learn all of this list before school,why are they going?

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319. Hey Everyone,

     I wish I wouldn’t have read all the comments. Most state that their kids already have everything accomplished and that any idiot can teach their children these items before kindergarten. Seems like we’re judging lots of parents out there, or just bragging about our kids already knowing all of this.

     I, too, have a daughter with some delays (2 yrs old). They’re not significant enough to have state assistance with therapy, and we can’t afford it without (our insurance won’t cover any of it). I have newborn twins, and as you can imagine, I have my hands full.

     Let’s all just take a minute to pat ourselves on the back for doing the best we can, and stop comparing kids and parenting.

     I will use this as a great guide, as I really believe it is. I will also not expect anyone else to do anything the way I do.

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320. Before my son started Kindergarten when we went to beginners day they gave us a list of 100 words that the kids had to know how to say and spell. My son already knew how to could to 10, he knew his colors and some shapes. I knew that, that’s a given that kids need to know. I am thankful that they gave me this list and we worked all over summer with it (yes he did get some time to enjoy summer too). He will be going into 1st grade for 2012-1013 and I went to a 1st grade teacher and talked with them to ask what I could teach him over the summer to get ready for 1st. I know they go to school to learn,but at the same time they have so much to teach the kids here that the state requires that I feel if I want my son to do very well I have to be his teacher too. My son has a speech delay so I knew that would be a hold back and didn’t want him to suffer b/c of that. He has done very well over this year. For those of you who have kids going into K-2 grade I was given a web sight to go to that the county in NC that we live in is teaching the kids and if any of you would like to help your kids go to http://www.dolch.com you will find a list of 220 sight words that you can work with your kids. Some people tell me that it’s wrong that I go up to the teacher of the next grade that my son will be going to and ask them questions,but I want to make sure he does well and can keep up with the rest. My son school failed 16 Kindergarteners last yr b/c they could not say or spell any of the 100 sight words so I knew I had to work with my child.

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321. As a primary teacher the only other thing we would ask parents to do with their kids prior to Kindergarten is to read and rhyme with them. Please read and sing nursery rhymes with them. This teaches kids very basic and fundamental skills that will help them when they start reading. The old “Jack and Jill” song is not just silliness. It is teaching your child essential skills.

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322. I work in an elementary school office. I am shocked, almost daily, by the number of children who cannot tell me what their phone number is!! And these are not kindergarten and first grade students, these are fifth and sixth graders!!! I understand that most families now have multiple phone numbers because of the use of cell phones, but they can certainly learn one. In the case of an emergency, where an emergency card with phone numbers is not available, it is imperative that children learn phone numbers.
     With that being said, I would like to add some very basic things that a child should know when they enter kindergarten. Their full name, their parent’s full name, their address – complete with city and state, and their phone number. Not knowing these basic things can be a safety issue.
     Discipline your child, teach them that there are consequences for their actions. It will make their lives so much easier in the end!!!

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323. I think this is a very helpful list. My daughter just finished Pre K last month and will start Kindergarten in the fall (10 days after she turns 5!!). She can do all of the items mentioned and then some, except for skipping but she will learn that eventually! We don’t put a lot of pressure on her to know everything before school because she will learn at her own pace, and we both work full time so we can’t do everything ourselves.

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324. Maybe I’ve missed it, but I’m amazed that no one seems to have mentioned a child needs to know his/her surname, address and telephone number.

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325. Thanks for the information!

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326. The list is the same as the bright from the start standards I have taught in peek. By the way, I work in a daycare and we love our kids and take very good care of them. Not all daycares are bad.

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327. Only thing I would add that is super helpful to the teachers is for them to write their first and last name (of last initial) I would put that before knowing all the letters and counting to 20!!!

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328. Im glad I saw this….seeing that my son is 3 and can do about 50 of these things….not including the fact I use to teach preschool and my mother is a your child read and he keeps a book in his hand.

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329. In one 7 day visit to my house my 20 month old GRAND daughter learned to count to 14. I have 14 steps to the bedrooms in my house. We would count them each and every time we went up or down. She learned to march and to scoot a stool over to the sink to help wash dishes or cook. Just doing every day things WITH a child will help them learn and retain their knowledge. Now I know that my son and DIL taught her a love of reading and counted with her all the time but I feel that EVERYONE who is with a child should find ways to help them on their discovery and learning adventure. I STILL march with her and she’s 4. (People stared at us when we recently marched thru the hotel Pop-Pop and I were staying at. ) <—–but we didn't care. We were having FUN! We also still count the stairs but now we're trying to count back from 14 to 1 when we go down the stairs.

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330. My son is 4.5 and knows everything on the list above and then some. He has been going to pre-school since he was 4 months old because both his father and I work outside the home. This is been really good for him. He actually knew all the academic pieces of the above list before he started this past year of preschool. He now has one more year of pre-k as he misses the cut off to attend school this fall. If your child attends a “preschool” and he or she isn’t learning these things, then I suggest you move them because they are more of a daycare rather than a preschool. True preschools have a set cirriculum that follows what these kids are going to need to know to enter kindergarten. Some even teach concepts required of of 1st grade.

     My only concern about my son is that he still throws fits every once in awhile when something doesn’t go his way at preschool. I feel like his preschool teacher is a little hard on him. I mean afterall he is still only a 4 year old boy. Can anyone provide advice on what is normal behavior (or mis behavior rather) for a 4.5 year old boy or for a kindergartener?

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     1. Therein lies the crux. Emotional development is as important as intellectual, if not more, and a low tolerance for frustration can hurt academic achievement in the long run. It’s important that kids succeed, but it’s also important that they can handle failure without being discouraged. I think right now our society has grown so risk adverse that it’s only impairing development in the long run. Children have to fail or face some degree of adversity so they can learn to pick themselves up.

        That said, it is normal for a four year old to have the occasional tantrum. Without knowing the specifics, it’s hard to know how developmentally appropriate his actions are.

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331. I was so worried about my kids not knowing what they needed to before kinder. My mom is a 1st grade teacher which helps, but also worried me with all the kids she had come in that still couldn’t read or write their own name.

     Thank you for posting this list. I feel much better. My just turned 4yo can do everything and my 2.5yo can do everything , but the scissor activities. We’ve had issues with him cutting the wrong things even with the solid plastic ones.

     Everything we’ve done has been at home. While I’m not opposed to pre-school, we just don’t have the money for it right now. We do have a playgroup through meetup.com that has helped with their social skills and listening to other adults.

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332. Hello Everyone!
     I am a fourth grade public school teacher and a mother of three boys, aged 6, 4, and 3 years. The list does seem exhaustive and intimidating if you really think about it! “Knowing” letters and numbers does not mean being able to sing or say them, it also means knowing what they mean, represent, can sound like, etc. Perhaps it should say “know and be able to use.” I do not believe all of these things NEED to be known before kindergarten, but if they know half or more, it does make your child more comfortable and able to adjust to the many other aspects of being in an institution if the academics are not too daunting. Each of my children is different and has learned different things at different times. Some kids are completely uninterested in letters and others love to count and put numbers together in their minds. If my students came to fourth grade having mastered what they’re “supposed” to have mastered by 4th grade based on state and national curriculum, I wouldn’t have much to do, so don’t be too intimidated by lists. Just pay attention to your kids, talk to them, listen to them, and teach them what you can. Many of these things happen very naturally. Things like knowing and being able to use letters and sounds takes some intentional teaching. If they can simply recognize their letters and know some sounds, that is to your child’s benefit when they go to school!

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333. Unfortunately, times have changed and when your child reaches kindergarten they need to be prepared. I was also under the impression that the teacher taught my kids alot of these items. However, they do not! They give homework, then send it home. Even as early as Kindergarten your child will have homework and be expected to be in the same place as all other children or they will be labeled with an IEP or as Special needs. Years ago, teachers taught Math, Reading and Writing…now, they expect you (the parent) to teach what they order as homework. I have 3 kids and this has been the same for all of them while they atteneded public school. They DO NOT take into account that every child is different and every child develops and learns at their own pace. It is SAD, SAD, SAD!!! So if you want your child to have a “Public” education…you better get ready to do alot of the work! If you want your child to love learning…find another alternative to public school!

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     1. That may be the experience at your local school, but don’t knock the entire public education system simply because of your bad experience. Think of how many millions of people have had a public education and turned out to be successful in their lives. There are THOUSANDS of wonderful schools and teachers in the public sector that daily address individual needs. 99% of schools and teachers work their BUTTS OFF to help every single child that walks through their doors. We spends nights and weekends doing so! In most states, we are required to have master’s degrees and beyond, and even if we weren’t, we would still go out on our own to get additional training in order to develop processes to deal with every possible kind of student that walks through our doors. Why? Because we CARE and we want to help EVERY SINGLE CHILD. We are not the enemy. We can’t do anything about the fact that our hands our tied because of Race to the Top standards and the new Common Core Curriculum – both of which give us very explicit benchmarks that students should be meeting, “or else”…

        And yes, parents MUST take a role in the child’s education. Want to know why we expect you to help your child? Because at the elementary level we now have to take time to teach manners, handwashing, tying shoes, getting along, how to blow your nose without spraying (no kidding), and other behavior/social issues that USED TO BE taken care of at home… but now that has fallen on the schools, because parents have said, “Why should I have to teach it? It’s the schools’ job!”. Hmm.. sound familiar? Just saying…

        And yes, IEP’s are used for students that have disabilities – that is how we can get kids the services that are provided for by law, and that they might really need in order to be successful. If the kid is not up to par, there must be a reason. Often there is a hidden, underlying disability that parents do not want to face. If we can get to the bottom of it, it is better for the student – we can then help the student!

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334. What about knowing left from right?

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335. As a pediatric occupational therapist, working in the schools now, I feel this list is fairly accurate. But honestly, I must say cutting out a 3″ circle is probably more on the 6 yr level (remaining within a 1/4″)
     Maybe cutting out a 5-6″ circle is more like it. Also, I would allow the kids to write their names in upper case letters in the beginning. Kids these days are “drawing” their letters & unfortunately not actually TAUGHT handwriting. They write n a journal making letters however they want & not top to bottom. Then when they get in 2nd/3rd grade we get these referrals for OT saying their grasp is terrible, they’re sloppy, they’re slow etc. WELL, if it had been taught correctly from the beginnings those problems more than likely wouldnt have happened! TEACH pencil grasp, repeat, it becomes a habit. Handwriting Bly needs 10-15 mins practice daily! Check out Handwriting without Tears- http://www.hwtears.com. Begins at Pre-K level :) Ok, off my soapbox :) Hope some of this helps from a therapists’ perspective :)

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     1. everything you said is so true! I will be learning more about handwriting without tears this next year, and I am excited to bring it into my preschool classroom. However, many of my preschoolers could cut out 3 inch circles by the end of the year. But I do lots of fine motor activities to get them there. Strengthening those fingers…that is what is all about!

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336. I think we need to remember the more important part of this list. While it is great for your child to go to kindergarten already knowing their letters, and how to write their names….(a kindergarten teachers dream start) above all else they NEED social skills. They need to be able to take care of themselves, problem solve with their friends and other adults and be able to sit and attend to what is being taught. The top 15 or so are really the most important…if they don’t have these skills mastered, wether in preschool or in the home…academics will be harder when they get in a school setting. It doesn’t matter if your child can say all their letters and numbers before the age of 2, if they can’t handle themselves socially with other kids and the teachers, they are going to have a difficult time.

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337. My grandson will start kindergarden this fall. His mother took him to a get aquianinted evening at the school. she was told standards have increased conserning reading skill. He has to be able to recognize basic words such as I, the, it, a ect plus letter recognition.

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338. As a special ed teacher and mother of 2, I hardly find anything wrong with this list except that perhaps it doesn’t aim high enough. My son is nearly 4 and has been able to do all these things for a while and can, additionally, add, subtract and multiply, read, write his complete name, retell a complete story, and dictate a made up story with a plot. I work full time, I finished graduate school and I have a long commute but you know who taught him all these things? His father and I did. Because we’re parents and that’s what we signed up for. He wants to learn. He begs to be taught more and more. He has never once complained. People need to stop being so soft and babying their kids. “Let them play and be kids”. Sure, let them, but don’t forget to teach them too. That’s the reason why the United States lags behind other countries in Math and Science.
     To those who say “I didn’t know” that’s pathetic. Do your research. It’s your job as a parent to figure this stuff out. It is not a school’s job to find you and tell you when all you have to do is simply do a little google searching or even ask the pediatrician. Next you’ll blame the teacher. Furthermore, it’s no wonder that kids come to school ready with excuses instead of ready to learn. They get it from their parents who have been making excuses about why they are too busy to sit down for 5 minutes a day to work with their children. This is what is wrong with our country. It’s not the government, it’s not the schools, it’s people ill equipped to be parents.

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     1. Superiority complex much?

        Play IS learning for a child. Sometimes parents are too involved and interfere with their child’s development trying to make sure every moment is devoted to something meaningful as though the child isn’t doing something meaningful already. It’s the mental equivalent of parents sticking their kids in those horrible bumbo seats instead of letting them do the crunches that they instinctively do to build the muscle strength that excessive use of bumbo can impair.

        I also hate to break it to you, but barring disability or a sub par education, the 4 year old who doesn’t know multiplication will quickly catch up to the one who does by the time it’s actually relevant. If a kid desires to learn these things, that’s one thing, but to suggest that parents impose these lessons on children at the expense of other valuable age appropriate skills is irresponsible.

        I suggest reading the following:
        http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/18769/why-i-do-not-care-about-teaching-my-toddler-about-letters-shapes-and-colours/
        http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/Issues/S/State_Early_Education.asp

        It’s also ridiculous to make assumptions about parents based on their child’s development. By your logic, I’m a good parent to one of my twins but a bad parent to the other. No, they are just developing at different rates. And for what it’s worth to anyone reading, teachers are not infallible. We make mistakes, too.

        When I was in kindergarten, they told my parents I was mildly retarded because I was code switching between German and English (something that’s actually common in bilingual children.) By third grade, I was being tested for the gifted program. In second grade, they stuck me in the lowest reading group and I had to beg to be moved up because I knew I was in the wrong group. By fifth grade, I was reading at a college level.

        I’m not saying parents shouldn’t be vigilant, but take things with a grain of salt and don’t assume that because your child is behind one year that they are a lost cause or that you did something wrong. Use milestones as information to see where your child is now and where they need to be next but don’t get discouraged. And don’t get drawn into the mommy wars. It’s neither a competition nor a race.

        Personally I think the reason why a lot of people are baulking at this list is the sheer number. Most of these are milestones between birth and school age, and need to be broken down accordingly. Big lists are overwhelming regardless of age, something else that educators learn – breaking down information into smaller increments.

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339. This is a great list. I know that it seems like a lot for a child that just turned five, but if they can have these skills before getting to Kindergarten, they will have more opportunity to learn.

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340. I like it all except for the “play well with others” – most adults can’t even manage that.

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341. I feel like this is a very comprehensive list and a great tool that parents should be grateful to find and utilize. The only thing I can think off the top of my head missing from this list would be proper use of basic manners. Please, thank you, you’re welcome, excuse me, and I personally would include sir, and mam. My children have been cared for at home until they started pre-k, kinder and possess/ed most of these skills before starting school, we are not stay at home parents, we both work full time, but we do make time to interact with our children.

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     1. Agreed on manners, and I’d like to add listening without interrupting or interfering with another student’s learning. As a teacher, the biggest problem I observed was a lack of manners. The more time teachers have to spend on classroom management, the less time there is for actual instruction. All the more reason why a child’s emotional development is most important. Well mannered children are more open and receptive to learning new things in the first place.

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342. This list is very comprehenisive, and while it would be a kindergarten teacher’s dream to have kids come in knowing these things, it is not likely to happen. As a full day kindergarten teacher with 25 kids and no aide, I would love parents to teach their children to WAIT. So many kids are used to having their wants or demands met right away, that they never learn how to wait patiently. The classroom would be a calmer place if children were able to wait for a few seconds, or their turn.

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343. @ Lynn – that’s awesome! I agree.

     My daughter is 5 and I’ve had to work full-time for most of her upbringing to date. I am a single mother who shares custody with her father. I made flash cards for her after she learned the sounds of each letter in the alphabet on colored construction paper and made little envelopes for about 10-15 cards. I made about 20 little “packages” and had her review them each time we were in the car for longer then 10 minutes at a time. She learned them so quickly (by the time she was four). Since then, we make regular trips to the public library and we check out about 10 books each time. Half she can read and half slightly longer that I read to her. We read every day and she can read 70 page books that are the equivalent to early 2nd grade level. There is no pressure on her, we make fun, quality time that we spend and cuddle together. She can count to 200 and by 10’s and 5’s as well. She can add and subtract single digits and knows the value of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and dollars. She can write basic sentences and knows a little French and Spanish. I would say that she is of average intelligence, but she has had the privilege of Montessori school and my undivided attention in the mornings and evenings (and of course weekends).

     I attend night and weekend courses finishing my B.A. in Web Development, I’m a freelance graphic designer and a commissioned fine artist (including a full time position). Before my daughter goes to bed at night, it’s all about the girl. After that is when I pursue my dreams.

     I think that children are so bright and will naturally pick up most of the items listed in this article. Times are tough and most parents work full time jobs and run households. It’s very difficult to set aside time to educate their children. It’s possible, and most are more than willing to soak up all that they can. Not every parent knows how to gently encourage and/or teach beyond what the school systems provide. And no one is a lesser or greater person for it. The point is to enjoy life. Enjoy your children. Laugh and play. Encourage and support. Most importantly, build their senses of self, self-esteem and sense of autonomy when they are developmentally ready. Without gentle encouragement and love and affection, they will not develop properly.

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344. I have two children, one now 12 and the other just turned four. My daughter is very bright and knew how to write all of her letters when she entered school. My son is very bright but he has difficulties with speech and number and letter recognition. It used to worry me.

     Luckily I have the benefit of having 5 older married sisters and 11 nieces and nephews. Kids learn at very different paces. A lot of the things on this list is feasible for a child to know by the time they reach kindergarten, but come on, specifically knowing how to cut out 3 inch circles, practically knowing how to read and write. For anyone to say that those things are ‘normal’ for a child is being unrealistic, exaggerating or being dishonest.

     I know this because my daughter did do all of these things and the school immediately had her tested and I had to enroll her in a gifted and talented school. She does not take AP courses, she goes to a gifted and talented school. My point is these are things one should strive for with their children but to try to act like these are all basic skills for a child that age and if they aren’t at that level, that the parents are being neglectful of their education is ridiculous and insulting. And if your 2 or 3 year old is so advanced to know all of this then i assure you your efforts are only part of the equation and they must surely be above average in intelligence.

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345. Most of what has been posted here is garbage. It consists of brags about the one wonderful child so carefully reared.
     As a retired special ed teacher (After retiring from the Army) please allow me to pass along a few researched facts.
     One child in ten has some sort of learning disability. I personally am red/green color-blind. Not only would learning the colors listed as one of the skills be impossible for me, the NAMES of these colors are meaningless to mean–they are without referent in my universe. Often parents as well as teachers are not aware of these disabilities. By the time they are ready for kindergarten they have taught themselves COPING SKILLS that convince the parents they are finally “getting the idea.” I simply learned from experience which shirt was ‘red’ and which obviously blue socks were called green. A partial list of learning problems include:
     Dyslexia
     Dysgraphia
     Dyscalculia
     Sensory Integration Disorder
     Nonverbal Learning Disorder
     Central Auditory Processing Disorder
     Visual Processing Disorder
     Attention Defict Disorder
     Hyperactivity Disorder
     (Note that ADD and HD are not the same thing, though they often are linked)

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     1. I think the list is meant as a good place to start…and noticing that a child who does well in other areas but consistently fails in one specific area (such as colour identification) would be helpful since it would flag that there might be a physical or learning issue, something that could either be ‘fixed’ or supported or otherwise dealt with. I’ve seen kids suffer for years, thinking that they’re dumb or bad, until someone comes along, recognizes the problem for what it is, and tells the child “You’re not bad or stupid. (Fill in details of the challenge.) This isn’t your fault. It’s just the way you are. And it’s ok. And I can teach you ways to make your life easier.

        Trying to keep this short, so the above is obviously not exhaustive, but these types of ‘norms’ can help identify areas requiring support before kids add ‘depressed’ to the list b/c they feel so awful about their perceived inabilities.

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346. All of these parents bragging … someone has to be lying! Asian countries like China, South Korea and Japan don’t even start school until what we’d call “first grade” here in the States, they only go to school for an average of 5-6 hours (rather than 7.5-8 like here in the US) and they’re BURYING our kids in test scores, achievement and technological advancements.

     So obviously we’re doing it wrong here in the US. Very wrong.

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     1. Chinese students attend classes five or six days a week from early morning (about 7am) to early evening (4pm or later). In fact, American children spend the least amount time in the classroom when compared to other countries. Currently, the school year length in the States is 180 days. Advocates are pushing further toward a 200-day school year, which would align with Thailand, Scotland and the Netherlands, and leave us a close second with Israel, South Korea and Japan, who leads with a 243-day school year. They also start formal kindergarten at age 5-6 in many Asian countries (Japan, China, India, Singapore) with optional preschool.

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        1. however, length of school day does not equate with test scores or achievement later in life. Finland has one of the shortest school days in the developed world, with minimal standardized testing, and yet their students consistently outperform the majority of their peers from other countries in world-wide studies.

           I think the difference is the resources put into them when they are young. Classes have 2 or more fully qualified teachers. Teachers loop with the students. And schools have the same high-quality resources (in terms of personel and physical resources) no matter where they’re located.

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347. Wonderful list! I am a K teacher and that definitely covers most of it. The only thing I’d add is self-help skills, such as putting on jackets & zippering/buttoning fasteners on all clothing. Also, using the restroom independently and washing hands correctly. Almost all students put soap in their hands and immediately rinse without actually lathering up.

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348. My two cents is this: 99 percent of you are absolutely right. . . According to your own standards . . And at least 50 percent wrong compared to somebody else’s. What’s your top priority? For your child to be at the head of the class the first day of kindergarten? Well then you better make sure they are up to speed on at least 69 of the items on this list. Is your top priority relationship with your child? Then you really need to spend more than 20 minutes a day with them. Is your top priority that your child knows and loves the God who created them, then you may need to drop singing the abc song twice a day and work in Jesus loves me at least a few times a week AND get busy teaching them about the world God has created which includes shapes, numbers, letters, and of course how to read the Bible. I think we will do ourselves and our children the most good by spending as much time as possible in a loving, warm relationship with them, introducing them to preschool concepts by capturing teachable moments,providing appropriate learning environments and toys, and throwing in workbooks here and there to nail down problem concepts OR having them follow a preK curriculum if that is more suitable, teach them about God, and make sure they are fully capable to manage their world – teaching them to wash hands, zip their zipper, clear their dishes, speak clearly and politely, and of course how to get along with others.

     I found this list very, very helpful to identify some gaps in my little boy’s knowledge and skill set. It helps me to look at lists like this as a tool and not as a judgment on how he is doing or how I am doing as a mom. I have 7 children, all homeschooled, and I can’t tell you how they would have measured up at age 5 looking at this list, but I can tell you that by early elementary they are reading well-they all LOVE to read, counting and doing “age-appropriate” math just fine, loving the Lord, minding their manners, and children and adults alike love being around them.
     Blessings to each of you Mamas, may the Lord guide your priorities and help you do what is best for your children according to His plan for their lives.

     Alyson

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349. When my niece went for Kindergarten orientation they asked if she could tie her shoes. She can get the first tie and one loop but the wrap around the loop and putting it through the hole was stumping her every time. I watch her 3 days a week and was in school to be a kindergarten teacher (switched to nursing) but I thought it might be easier to use a bigger “rope” for her to tie. So I let her practice with a robe rope and she got it the first try. Then was very excited to try her shoe again. She got it with in the first couple tries.
     Also another thing not on the list that they asked if she could do was handle stressful situations without getting upset or losing her temper.

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350. I currently teach 4/5 year old Kindergarten and have for several years. The biggest issue I see with all the comments is complaining about curriculum. I am very thankful for the curriculum I teach (A Beka), it teaches children how to read, write and number skills all while making it fun and enjoyable.

     Children at this age are little sponges, they WANT to be challenged and they WANT to learn. I know every child is different, but as a whole, every child but one or two leave my classroom reading on a public school level of second grade or higher. This is not because I force them, but they LOVE it and want to learn! We start at square one with academics and assume the child has no previous academic skill. This helps so that no child is lost or confused.

     I do, however, have very high expectations for my students, if I did not, they wouldn’t accomplish much. They have time to socialize and are very well rounded when they leave my classroom. Today, some parents seem not to expect much out of their children, hence the reason students do not achieve much. It must be a partnership between parents and teachers and both should hold to high standards and expectations (it won’t hurt the child if done in LOVE).

     I am so thankful to have an impact on these little ones and watch them love learning!

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351. In my humble opinion… :) …as a teacher who’s observed hundreds of parents interact with their kids, and then seen how those kids interact with others and their environment, the most uneducated parents can achieve almost everything on that list by interacting with their children, paying attention to them, and showing their love through quality time. (I actually dislike the phrase ‘quality time’ but what I mean is that it has to be more than just being in the same room.)

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352. I would add that children need to know their own name first and last and their parents name first and last. Knowing their phone number would be helpful but I know that one is a little harder. I don’t know how many times while patrolling the hallways during after school duty I have found a lonely kinder child who does not know their name, their teachers name, or their parents name. How do I get them where they need to go? Teach them these simple things will save you lots of stress in case of an emergency.

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353. That’s exactly what’s wrong with this country – apparently expecting 5 year olds to know their numbers and letters is too much, and we should just let them play. I’ve seen it first hand parents who fill up their 5 year old’s no-drip sippy cup with Coke or chocolate milk (extra chocolate) and plop them down in front of a movie before bed so that mommy can hang out with her friends in the backyard on a Friday night. I KNOW the woman who does this to her kids every night. Obviously this is an extreme example, but I’m slightly disgusted by someone who doesn’t have 20 minutes to spend working with their child. Then why in the world did you have one? They are not pets that you clothe and feed and hope they turn out okay. Kids take work, and it’s not fair to dump your kid off on a Kindergarten teacher who has to slow the entire class down because you couldn’t take the time to bring your kid up to par before they entered school.

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354. I teach early childhood special Ed. I would add walking in line to this list, toileting without help, probably adding that to fine motor skills, zipping coats pants and such. Being able to sit for 30 minute period of time, keeping hands to self. We have also adopted Common Core, when we conducted a survey to see what the principles of our elementary schools wanted, behavior rated at the top as you can not teach or learn when a child has behavior issues. I would recommend to parents to work with your teacher on behavior strategys if your chld has problems with following directions, cleaning up, playing well with others. Remember all teachers want your child to succeed and are not picking on your child. Most curriculum the children pick up fairly quickly like colors and such, we also work on writing your name. Parents we are a global world now and our children are severely lacking in math science and language. Hopefully, the No Child Left Behind act will go by the wayside so we can stop teaching kids what’s on that feast and really start teaching children to compete with the rest of the world. By the way, my daughter is an engineer.

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355. I work day-in and day-out running a nonprofit I founded in 2009 that prepares at-risk preschoolers for grade school success. We work in the home and focus on building meaningful relationships with children, introducing them to new literacy skills and opportunities, and teaching their parents how to educate their preschool aged children. Our philosophy is that success starts in the home, with the family, and before grade school.

     I truly believe that we can close the achievement gap and ensure that children grow up to live fulfilled and productive lives if we first focus on closing the Literacy Gap.

     Paul–10 Books A Home

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356. I can’t believe how horrible some of these comments are. I am now afraid…my daughter is going into kinder garden. I just want some of you to realize how you affect others. I was really excited about her entry to kinder garden and so is she. The love of our children or the value of us as mothers should not be based on whether our children know how to count to 20.

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357. I’m an early education teacher (taught 5 years in K, 2 years working with at-risk 1st graders, and 3 years pre-K). I also have a son who’s 5 and will start kindergarten in the fall.

     I am saddened to see mothers making rude comments on here. Each child is different, and each family’s situation is different. Making comments out of a misplaced sense of superiority doesn’t help anyone.

     Also, I’d like to point out that many of the items listed in the above list are things children are supposed to learn IN kindergarten. As in, many of those items are listed in states’ standards of learning for the kindergarten year.

     Kids need love, time, and attention. There isn’t a need to force-feed academics, nor is there a need for “kill and drill” in preschool. Read to your kiddos, play with them, work with them, and just love them!!! I’m sure we’re all doing our best with our kids, and I’ll leave it at that. Thanks for your time.

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     1. Thank you Mary! Well said!

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     2. I have been teaching 30 years. First grade, now Kindergarten. Yes, it is true, we are now teaching many of the same things in Kindergarten that we used to teach in first grade. Our world is changing. Many children are ready for this change. Still, other things remain the same.

        1. Every parent sends to school their most precious child and every child learns at his/her own rate.

        2. One of the most important things we try to teach is to be kind to one another. ( A lesson many here seem to have forgotten.)

        3. Social readiness, for me, is more important than academic readiness. I can teach them the academics. It is helpful to me if you have taught them to clean up after themselves, to be compassionate toward others, how to wait for a turn without interrupting, that it’s okay to make mistakes…we can learn from them, and that ” You don’t have to be THE best, you DO have to try YOUR best!”

        4. If they come in knowing how to tie their shoes, that’s a bonus. It is such an individual task that it is harder to do at school. I did like someone’s idea about starting on something bigger, like a bathrobe belt. Also, flat, cotton shoelaces are easier than the round slippery ones to tie and keep tied. Make sure your child’s laces are long enough without being too long (a nearly impossible task, I know!)

        I know how limited working parents’ time is with their children. You have to make good use of all the incidental times. Sing nursery rhymes in the car. Find letters on the back of the cereal box. Count as you are cleaning up the toys. Name the letters in their name at the same time you or they are writing them. Please start letters at the top. Thanks!

        If by age 5, your child does not know how to count objects to 5 and recognize the letters in their name, it is time to “kick it up a notch”.

        If you have time for only one “outing”, make it the public library. They have so much to offer. Let your child choose some books, but also choose some alphabet and number books. And they are FREE! Again, if your time is really limited. Read only one book, but try to do it every night. You will love this quiet time with your child as much as they do and that time is never wasted.

        PS. I have rarely seen a Kindergartner who knows the proper amount of glue to use. Go ahead and use a glue stick!

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        1. LOVE your post!! :-)

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358. As a homeschooling mom with similar concerns – though my own schooling growing up was not unsatisfactory to me in any way – I do wonder if you have considered home educating your children so that they can learn at their pace and in the way that you think is optimum for them. That is the number one reason we home educate. I just know that a teacher dealing with 30 other kids at varying levels of ability isn’t going to have nearly the time or patience to teach my child the way that I can having to divide myself only between the four of them.

     As to the original list I think it’s fairly accurate even in our home where I don’t have to be concerned with the state kindergarten standards because we do home educate. My 5yr old can certainly do everything on that list and my 3.5yr old can do most of it. But that’s what happens when you insist on being involved in your older brother’s school time. lol On the one hand I do think its a shame that kids are being pushed to know so much more so much faster than when I was in school but on the other hand I want my children to learn at the pace that is right for them – and sometimes that is going to be faster than what I recall learning things when I was in school. Sometimes it’s going to be slower.

     I don’t have any hard feelings towards public school teachers. I think that most of them do the best they can with what they have and generally what they have is unrealistic expectations placed on them by their superiors and the parents of the students in their classrooms. Kudos to you teachers who continue to take that on year after year.

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359. Isn’t this just a list of goals….a tool to use as parents in teaching our kids??? I don’t see anything negative in it…so what if my child doesn’t master everything on the list before age 5….I’m sure she will at some time or another….it’s just a list of goals….each child is very different—-some love to sit still, listen, follow directions, etc…..some learn better through discovery, hands-on play, etc. Every day is an adventure for us as we watch our kids learn and find joy together in all of our little discoveries…….and yes every parent can teach their kids…you teach them how to talk, brush their teeth, cross the street, use the potty, tie their shoelaces, etc…..everything you do/don’t do from birth to age 18 and beyond leaves an impact on their lives….their “teacher” has them for 9 months…you have them for a lifetime….

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360. First of all, I want to say thank you for this list. I am a first time, single mom of a soon to be three year old, and a teacher and coach. I have terrible hours during the school year so I spend all of my free time with my daughter, always exploring and learning. I say this to say that I work with her a ton, and she knows a lot on this list. But even still, it was really scarey to look at. I may or may not have gotten to the associating physical letters both upper and lowercase, but it is scarey that she has to know it in two years. Now that I know she needs it it will be a focus for us.

     All of that is to say, how dare we judge each other! Our jobs are very difficult and we all have very different circumstances and challenges, and a lot of time the only support we have is fellow mothers. I believe that I am a very good mom and was concerned not because it was too difficult, but because I had no idea. I am not ready to say whether it is or is not too hard because I have two more years to complete it, but I believe that many women were in shock like I was because they didn’t know and it is a scarey prospect looking at my very quickly bored three year old and thinking I have to get her to know how to notice upper and lowercase letters and associate numbers.

     So again, thank you for posting this so I could find it (thank God for Pinterest!) as I am sure I would have panicked getting this at registration or not at all! And mothers and teachers be nice to each other, neither job is as easy as it looks and is seldom regarded by others with the respect it deserves.

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361. It is impossible to read with the background you’ve selected. I copied and pasted to be able to read it. I thought you may like to know. I can read other people’s comments on this page but not the valuable info. Thanks for sharing!!!

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     1. You might check your computer. The background of the site is striped, but the background of the text is white.

        Thanks!

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362. Great list. Love how comprehensive it is.

     As a pediatric occupational therapist who knows how crazy early kids have to start handwriting these days, I have 2 pieces of advice for parents of pre-kindergarteners:

     1) Strengthen those little hands! Give them opportunities to play with play dough, build with LEGOS, lace, snap, button, color, hang on monkey bars, and do whatever it is they find to be fun (but playing video games DOESN’T count). Stronger hands = stronger writers.
     2) Strengthen those tummies, backs, and arms. Strong hands are only good if they are supported by a strong core and set of arms. This can be accomplished through gross motor play such as animal walks, wheelbarrow walks, playing on the playground, riding a scooter board, crawling through tunnels, helping parents cook and mix foods, and engaging with vertical surfaces such as easels and chalkboards. Make it fun!

     These 2 things will help prepare kids for success in those early days of learning to write (and read!). Thanks for sharing this list, and best of luck to all you parents whose kids will be going off to Kindergarten soon!

     Christie Kiley, OTR/L
     http://www.MamaOT.com

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363. my son is 3 and does all of this, if not more!!! but we constantly are talking to him, teaching him, reading to him, etc. He will even point to a stop sign and say “that is a red octagon”. He can even point out several states on a puzzle just from us teaching him. We play “i spy” in the car and take every opportunity to teach him. He is even very knowledgeable on some Bible verses from church, just from going to sunday school. A little bit goes a long way with a child, if we just take the time! It’s so important in this big, crazy world we live in! We have to take it upon oirselves to do the best we can to raise smart, healthy, Godly children! The odds are stacked against them!

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     1. My son blew me away when he told me the stop sign was an octagon. He watches tv at home and picked that up from a show on Nick Jr. I would love to take credit for it. He just turned 4 and he has a very large vocabulary.

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364. My 3 yr old is developmentally delayed. I would like advise from more experienced mothers on what skills to work on. He is in speech therapy and will be attending a special ed preschool program in the Fall.

     I am focussing on developing his adaptive living skills, such as dressing and undressing, feeding himself, drinking from an open cup etc. He struggles with buttons, so I bought elastic banded pants, shirts and jackets without buttons or zippers and also shoes with Velcro straps. He is getting better at these skills. He refuses to brush his teeth or hair – do most 3 yr olds manage to do these by themselves ?

     He is also beginning to ride a tricycle and his gross motor skills are good. Fine motor skills are another problem, altogether. He hates to draw or color and struggles with writing utensils (chalk, crayon erc). He also tends to mouth play dough, although he can manage self feeding with a spoon with assistance in scooping food into the spoon.

     His attention span is so low that he hates books – how do I get him to focus on one for at least a minute ? He loves the program Super Why, and I know that he knows his alphabets and numbers (he used to vocalize them before, although he does not any longer), so I am at my wits’ ends on how to improve his skills in communication and fine motor and playing with blocks, doing puzzles etc.

     Help !!

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365. Wow!
     I’ve got to admit that reading all of these posts is rather depressing! Is this really worth fighting over? A simple checklist to help raise awareness of what our kidletts will be expected to know when they head to school? As long as we, as moms and dads, are doing our genuine, top level, best with the time that God has given us each day with our kids, I’m sure they will make it into the big world without too much of a bump.
     What falls between the cracks will be learned at kindergarten and at home throughout that first year. We don’t lose our opportunity to build into them physically, emotionally and mentally just because they have started school.
     Thanks for sharing this list. I’m going to tweak it to meet our family’s needs.
     Blessings!

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366. I am a grandma with my first grandchildren going to Kindergarten in the Fall. Your list is very complete and easy to follow. My grandchild has been checked out by grandma, a retired Kindergarten teacher. Thanks for making this great list!

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367. The company MEAD has a great book called Preschool Comprehensive Workbook. Target sells it for about $12 bucks, and I believe Walmart does also. I am a preschool/kindergarten teacher and it is a great book if your child cannot attend preschool. Here’s a link. http://www.ataglance.com/ataglancestore/mwv/product/Preschool-Comprehensive-Workbook/48054;jsessionid=2CB31C5175075771BB5F7F3A1BFB3CD3?pageSize=9&rootCatId=&goToPage=1&catId=cat170022&prodId=48054

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     1. I love this workbook, I definitely used it with my son. However, I picked it up at my local Walmart and they did not have one for kindergarten. Thanks for the link, I will definitely get the one for kindergarten.

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368. Mrs. P, why exactly does it make you “sad” when a Kindergartner comes into your classroom not knowing all the skills “needed to know” before they start Kindergarten? I have to be honest, I’m not pointing you out Mrs. P..I’ve read quite a few of these posts and I’m a little irritated by what I’m reading. I know I’m not telling anyone anything they do not already know with this but all children learn at their own pace, especially at that age and for a child coming into your class not knowing all of these skills making any of you question what the parents are doing at home with them, is pretty ridiculous. You’re TEACHERS. I absolutely agree 100% that parents need to teach their children, learn and play with them and the first few years of a child’s life are crucial in learning specific things.. I do not have to go into detail but just because a child comes in, not being able to speak completely clearly or has a little harder time than another child, does not give you or anyone the right to assume not enough is being done at home. I have three children.. a 7 year old son, a 5 yr old daughter whom will be starting Kindergarten and a 4 year old son who may or may not go to Kindergarten this year. For the past 7 years, I have done EVERYTHING in my power, along with my husband as well to teach our children all we can. We were unhappy with the school systems in California before we moved away this year so last year, I even home schooled my 7 year old son and he grew and learned more at home than I felt he was learning at his school. That is a completely different subject but what I’m getting at is, my daughter has a speech problem. She struggles with her articulation and gets upset from time to time when someone cannot understand her. I have given my heart and soul to all my children to help them any way I can. She has gone to therapy, she has had her hearing checked and she will continue therapy when she starts to Kindergarten. She feels alone, or separated from the other children because she knows she cannot say all of her words clearly yet and I see this affect her even though she is a very bright, sweet loving child. As a mother, it SADDENS me to see a post stating “it makes me sad when a child comes into my class not knowing all of these skills”. Sorry to sound rude but last time I checked, Kindergarten isn’t even a grade or a requirement for a lot of states. It is not called “Pre school” but it IS pre-school. Kindergarten PREPARES a child for grades 1st-12th so why exactly does ANYONE expect a child to know all of these 70 something things before coming into Kindergarten when Kindergarten itself is supposed to teach these children most of these skills or things, or whatever they have not learned yet at home? I’m just a little blown away right now. I seriously feel sick to my stomach and if I ever heard a teacher at my childrens new school say something like that, I would raise a huge stink about it. It isn’t 2nd grade, it’s Kindergarten. Kindergarten is very important and in my opinion, should not be optional but to expect a child to know everything on that list, especially children with earlier birthdays whom are just turning 5, is a joke. It should be more of a guideline… not requirements or a standards in any teacher’s mind.

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369. Hi everyone I’m Lyn I’m teaching special children and I also have a 3 year old son. i really agree with you Claire that each children have their own pace of development.As a teacher I’m always creating a friendly atmosphere to the children so they will be motivated to study.so what if my son cannot do all the 71 things listed does it mean that his not ready for school. In kindergarten don’t expect that children can do a lot of things because sometimes children doesn’t know the essence of school. what’s in their mind is to play so teachers out their always incorporate play in the lesson ( playing while learning method) it’s fun and children really love doing this actually it’s on the hand of teacher to be creative and innovative enough so learning will takes place.

     Thank you very much

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370. Since there are no naps in kindergarten, children must be able to stay awake all day. I started during the summer prior to kindergarten, not having nap time. It is a difficult transition.

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371. my suggestion- get over it. remember when you were in school and there were children who didn’t learn as quickly as others? sometimes they were assigned teachers aids to help them keep on track, and sometimes if that didn’t work they were held back. why do kids get held back? because schools are jerks and want kids to feel rotten and awful? no! i think no child left behind is absolutely ridiculous, if kids can’t keep pace they should be held back, it will do them no good pushing them forward when they don’t have those skills. saying that it’s outrageous to expect kids to know this stuff before kindergarten is ridiculous. kids learn so much faster and in much more subtle ways when they’re that age. if they’re not ready then they’re not ready. sure, let them learn at their own pace, but don’t blame the schools if your child’s pace means not fast enough to complete kindergarten the first time around.

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372. and no, it’s not a race. you can learn as fast or slow as you want to, just realize kids do need to gain specific skill sets before advancing to a higher grade level. too bad if that means they can’t stay with all their friends who are going to first grade next year.

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373. I really like what you guys are up too. This sort of clever work and reporting!
     Keep up the awesome works guys I’ve added you guys to blogroll.

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374. I have tried to spend time with my son everyday learning however he just can’t grasp some of the ideas. He was delayed in speech and is about a year behind. He is in the special education preschool at the near by elementary to try to get him up to speed but I have a fear he won’t. Education is the most important thing that sets them up for life! I have tried everything I can to help him excel but sometimes the children just can’t or aren’t ready. I have a year left to bring him up to par and after “Education Bootcamp” this summer, hopefully he excels greatly this year and can go into regular kindergarten next year. As a parent with a child whose behind, you want nothing more than to help them. So I do feel that parents should try to make time for their children’s learning no matter what. I have had some people tell me its my fault which really upset me when I honestly spent more hours, got more educational toys, took him to so many schools to help his education that there is nothing more I could have sanely done.I did the best I could without knowledge for his needs so I can rest easy. I am still going to try like crazy though! I have a daughter who I am already fitting time in to teach and read to at 9 months old.

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375. Wow, my 4yo twins are ready for sure. My 21 yo and my 19 yo. Not so sure sometimes.

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     1. Hahaha! That is funny! My 14yo can’t catch a ball either…..

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376. I am impressed, my son just turned 4 and he knows most of this. I have never seen him use scissors and I know he can’t catch a ball but more because he is scared of it than anything. Within a year, we can get the scissor thing down. I just hope they don’t expect him to catch a ball and when he doesn’t they say he isn’t ready for kindergarten. I can barely catch a ball……

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377. This information is correct. I am the founder of a student achievement program for families that are not aware of the things their children need to know before kindergarten. State standard do families injustice when they tell the families children don’t have to know alphabet sounds when entering kindergarten. Our organization creates pre-k packets for families and allow parents to pick them up at the Human Service Buildings. I will reference this site when sharing resources with families. Preparing our children for school is the only way to help them compete globally. Its not fair for children to come to school unprepared and feel lost becasue of parents lack of understanding.

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378. My son can do all of the things listed and he just turned 4 years old several months ago. He is not enrolled in preschool or daycare. But will be starting pre-k in a few weeks. I think he will be very bored and may even say so.

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     1. That too is a skill that is essential for every child to learn–how to keep oneself busy and being able to learn something from every situation.

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        1. AMEN!!!! Everyone has to learn how to WAIT, or wait in line, or occupy oneself…

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     2. He’ll probably enjoy interacting with the other children. He’ll learn how to interact with other children at school. I was a parent educator prior to the birth of my youngest child. A lot of my parents did not engage their children. It’s so important to take an interest in their education. It seems that you’ve done a good job since he can do all of the things on the list. I do agree with Jenae, he will have to learn to be at school. As a mother of three, just be prepared if the transition is a little bumpy just b/c it’s new. :-)

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379. This article (and, most likely) the entire website here could not have come at a better time for my family and I. I have a 4yr old, and I have not enrolled him in Preschool for financial reasons. I stay at home and would love to homeschool him. A fantastic resource here, and great encouragement through the comments for learning at home. Being an an AOK parent by exposing him and teaching through everyday things is going to be great preparation for him by the time he is school aged, I appreciate the encouragement throughout the comments. So many things are expected of the kids, and at earlier ages, from when I was in school. I am thankful for resources that give the heads up for my first time sending a child to school.

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380. My 3 year old (he’ll be 4 in two weeks) can do almost everything on this list. These are things he learned at preschool and at home. My older son is going into 1st grade and I felt he was behind upon entering Kinder but he made a lot of progress during the year. My children have different personalities and I believe that makes a difference as well as barriers (such as a speech issue). I’m all for teaching them as much as you can. As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher.

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381. How was she bragging? I’m looking at all these other posts and if anyone was bragging I think she would be on the bottom of that list. If anything she is just proud of her child.

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382. My oldest will be 4 at the end of August, and he can do most of the things. I am homeschooling him, so he wont be going to a formal school, so has no requirements put on him, but he is a fast learner and even when we sit in the bath we learn full/empty, sink/float etc. When you bake with them you teach them half a cup, full cup..he can count(with meaning) to 60, he knows his abc’s,

     KIDS ARE ALL DIFFERENT. My baby is now 30 months and cannot be bothered about formal work. He loves balls and wheels. So I leave him…he will learn at his own pace. I dont have any requirements for them, and most important is that they play while they learn, or learn while they play.

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383. I agree that parents are first and foremost our kids teachers. BUT each child has different abbilities. And assuming that a child behind has not recieved tiem and attention from their parents is a very ignorant thought. My first 2 children caught onto learning quickly, each had their strengths in different areas. However my last child has had difficut time in almost all areas. He has a summer birthday so I didn’t send him at age 5 because I knew he wasn’t ready and after reading this even as he enters 1st grade this year he sounds like he will be behind. But I ask all of you when you intereact with people day to day do you know when any of them learned to read? or if they knew all this before or after going to kindergarten? Hopefully by the time our children are adults this will not need to be on any resume. My point is we all learn differently and for some of us it just doesn’t happen easily and for some of us it takes longer for the learning bug to kick in. I hope that for him he catches up sooner than later but he has had many challenges from day one and none of them are IQ related (he’s been tested) they are all physical but that can affect you ability, desire to learn and energy left over to be able to learn.
     I guess what I really want to say is it is wonderful that so many of you have children who have caught on early but it doesn’t neccisarily have to do with how much time and energy you have put into teaching them. YES that is a huge factor but I can honestly say that I have devoted so much more time in teaching my little guy than the other 2 and he is still behind. So please don’t insinuate that all children who go to kindergarten without knowing all this have parents who don’t give them time. Being a parent of a difficult child is already hard enough we don’t need those looks or comments from parents of children who learn easily. You don’t always know the whole story.
     My son was born a preemie, has had 3 surgeries in his short life, physical therapy, speech therapy, worn a helmet, 2 years preschool, growth shots everyday for 3 years and was just diagnosed with anxiety and OCD. So I can honestly say that I have spent a LOT of time and energy trying to help him learn and be succesful and he will probably still have a very hard time the rest of his life and it is not his fault or mine.
     Please be so grateful for your quick learners!

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384. It’s not that children come to Kindergarten knowing nothing. All children know a lot. Some can say their alphabet, count, sit and enjoy a story. Others can sing every song on the radio and do every dance from the music videos, lots of information and skills. The problem is some information is more helpful in school.

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385. Wow, after reading a few comments I just feel I need to say a few things. I am a mom of a two year old and have 22 years of teaching experience, 15 of those in Kindergarten where I’ve seen so much change. Yes it’s great to work with your child, they are sponges and I agree that there are great preschools and not so great. Just a few things though, yes you might be able to teach your child the academics at home but unless they are in an environment with other kiddos their age on a consistant daily basis, they will most likely struggle in the social areas which at times are as, if not more important than the academics. It’s much harder to teach social skills than the curriculum! Proud to say that my two year old can do lots of those things as well but the time frame, details and to do it when asked consistently is much longer and demanding than that of a 2 year old. So great if they are all mastered but just keep practicing or challenging them! The comment that really bothers me is that your child could be overly prepared and get “bored”. At the beginning of the year it is difficult for ALL kiddos to get acclimated with their new classroom, classmates, and teacher no matter what they know and don’t know. Well through my many years of experience and MANY gifted students, the most gifted child does not get bored with activities that easily, he or she will elaborate or expand on the most simple task. I’ve also noticed that they tend to challenge themselves as well. Should a teacher work with and challenge such a gifted child, ABSOLUTLEY, but the “my child’s bored” is used way to much! The most important thing remember is that Kindergarten is not what it use to be, many more expectations academically and socially so keep up with what they might need before going off to BIG school!

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     1. AMEN! “My child is bored” – a familiar battle cry. I think it is overused. “He can’t sit still because he is bored”. POPPYCOCK!! He is going to have to learn to sit still eventually! He is immature socially and emotionally. It’s great that he is advanced academically, but there are other areas in which the kid still needs development. Being around other kids in a group environment is so needed.

        You are so right – teaching the social skills is a harder task than teaching the curriculum! (But, at times, more rewarding when we “get through” to them.. LOL). As a teacher, I often I see that some gifted kids have trouble socially (high level of arrogance or lack of empathy for others are usually what I see). They can’t handle defeat, have very poor sportsmanship, and can’t handle any kind of failure. I have also seen lots of gifted kids that put forth little to no effort, simply because things come so easily to them and they feel like they don’t actually have to work hard. Somehow, we are supposed to challenge them enough so they have to work hard, but without smacking them down and knocking them off their high horse. Talk about a delicate balance!! On the other hand, I also have seen gifted kids that have a very high level of empathy, and they are leaders academically, socially, and emotionally. Thank goodness for those kids!

        Now, to support gifted education… (I can see both sides of this coin!!)
        I wish that the truly gifted kids (top 2%) could also have IEP’s – they are a minority that gets ignored, and technically could come under special ed since their learning issues are different from the majority. Some teachers, administrators, and even politicians feel that those gifted kids will have the world at their feet simply because they are high academically and that giving them any more advantages is elitist. But isn’t it still the job of the schools to provide for those high level students, too? Those kids deserve individualized support, too. As a teacher, you can have the student take projects, reports, and other things to the next level without taking the “pile on the extra work” route. The key is to push them to develop the next set of higher-level thinking skills. One of the things I really dislike, that some people claim is advantageous, is simply pairing the gifted kids with the struggling kids in order to help the struggling kids… while I see the point that it is trying to help the gifted kids develop that much needed empathy that some of them lack, it takes away from their education and often just makes them bitter and resentful. Those gifted kids should be allowed to fly at their own pace and move ahead faster than the rest of the class if they are ready to do so. The problem is the heterogeneous groupings – it doesn’t allow for those kinds of things (for the high kids or the low kids – so isn’t it a disservice all around??) … but a lot people say that homogeneous groupings are embarrassing or elitist…

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386. In the U.K. kids start nursery around 4. I’m a sub teacher and I have been in many nursery schools and saw kids who couldn’t express themselves properly, couldn’t play without hitting, couldn’t eat with a spoon…etc. I think this is an ideal list(and it probably applies to older children). Thanks for sharing it anyway, great help to parents in the U.S. who read it, I’m sure!

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387. There are so many ways for kids to learn the things on this list. Even for parents who both work. Check out a brand new website http://www.curiosityville.com. Learning through play for ages 3 to 8. Parents can check in and see what their kids are doing.

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388. My son is three and a level two reader! He learned without gizmos and gadgets.

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389. I would hope that in achieving these goals that parents and caregivers are teaching preschoolers in a play environment rather than an academic one. Preschoolers are not developmentally tuned to learning in a traditional academic standard, and trying to do so could actually work against a child’s future learning. A child’s work is play.. be creative and have fun.. children will learn tenfold via play.

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390. So if children are going into kindergarten fully able to integrate and have no social or emotional issues, what is kindergarten for? If they are going into kindergarten with full knowledge of letters and numbers and have conquered basic numeracy and spacial concepts, not to mention they have an advanced fine motor control, what is the teacher teaching them? To read? to add? I don’t understand the rush to jade our children of their childhood. I can honestly say that I was pleased with the article until the language and literacy subsection writing. Everything after annoyed me.

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     1. Sorry to be an annoyance…but I didn’t make this list up. It was taken directly out of a Pre-K assessment back in 2006.

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391. some people don’t agree with this,but my daughter if four,just tuned four and she learned a lot from the ipad and it’s activities you can get for kids her age,she uses it since she turned three and she learned how to count,sing,did puzzles on it,alphabet,there are games where she was asked to pop balloons that are red or yellow,they make it fun for them and she learned a lot,and this is just the ipad,she also has other books and activities besides that,but i like taking the ipad with me when we travel she keeps her self occupied in the car

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392. julie: thats the key,”seem to understand the school routine better”…it’s good when they interact with kids their own age and are learning to share and play together,when to do what teacher says,pay attention,at that age in a childs life a year makes a lot of difference,it’s not like an adult that 28 and 29 is really the same,to them 4 and 5 is a huge difference in development

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393. I find a lot of these comments absurd, ignorant and hurtful as a parent and a former challanged student myself! Some of you parnets need to be less stuck up, and minimize the bragging on what your child can do compared to others. Not every child can learn the same way or level as their fellow peers. Im 32 yrs old, priviate school educated K-16, and had/have severe learning disablitlies and dislexia growing up. I was far behind my peers in schoo,l yet my parnets had me in tutoring in every subject, and I worked my rear off, almost to tears some nights, yet I ended up going to college and earning a BFA degree and have a succesfull career in my feild. My daughter is 4yrs old, and dosnt know alot of these things on the list due to her having autism, speech delay, and a processing disorder. That dosnt mean we are bad parents, havnt socalized with our child enough, and havn’t done our best in trying to teach her what she needs to know before she starts school. She just isnt able to process alot yet due to her limitations. No need to judge other parents unless you know their circumstances first!

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     1. Well said Jason. My oldest is a quick study on some things, but is super hyperactive. He does not have ADHD, which is what other parents want to say, but his pedi says he is just an on the go child. He can do some, but not all and he starts Pre-K in a year. He is 4. While the list is a nice basis to start things on…we need to take into consideration OUR OWN children and where YOU live. I went to school in 3 different states…NOTHING was constant.

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394. My son started kindergarten a few weeks ago and this looks pretty accurate. The good thing is that they understand that some kids don’t know all of this and spend the first month making sure everyone is on the same page. They do want the children at my son’s school to come in with a rudamentary understanding of how to sound out a word if possible, and they also need to recognize a hexagon.

     I can also say that I spent MONTHS with my 3 year old trying to teach him letters and the alphabet. We did crafts for each letter. Made food for each letter. Read books for each letter (we read probably 7-8 books a day because I’m a book nerd). I failed. Miserably. It was horrible because I’m a teacher (high school, but still) which made it downright embarrassing. I sent him to preschool when I went back to work and within TWO WEEKS he knew all his letters, uppercase and lowercase, and the sounds they all made. Some children learn better from someone who isn’t a parent, and I believe most kindergarten teachers understand this. I think some kids are completely ready to learn the skills listed above, they just may need the push of other children around them and the excitement of a new teacher!

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     1. Most likely, he learned those things from you but he didn’t want to demonstrate it to you (a lot of kids are like that – won’t do it for mom or dad). Don’t knock what you did – you gave him the foundation for him to go into preschool and say to himself, “OH! Look at that!! Mommy did that with me!” Be proud of the role that you played. :-)

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395. Having worked with children as well as parents in the educational field many years now, I have to say learning starts at home with the parents or guardians and teachers cannot be expected to teach a child everything they need to know when they have usually 18 plus children in a classroom. My children could do everything on the list above when they entered PreK and were reading when they entered K. Reading to your child is vital starting as a baby and should be done on a dailey basis. Its so important to encourage reading and love of books. The list above I feel is great, and parents need to use it as a guide, but I will say there are some parents who just won’t do anything with their children and expect the school system to do it all.

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396. My son is in Kindergarten and it’s sad to see 5 year olds who don’t know their alphabet or numbers. Both my kids [even the one who had to learn her alphabet in ASL since she has spoken language issues] both knew their alphabet before 2. I don’t do anything special – PBS cartoons make what I want them to learn cool – letters, numbers, reading, learning and if you trick them into learning while they are playing they don’t even realize it and it’s not boring. Thank you for the list.

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397. Ths is a great list -I have a grandson who turned 4 in June 2012
     He knows all this and then some. He can log on the his games and videos on a iPad. He knows how to spell the primary colors and is learning to spell the months. Knows his complete address and all house hold bn numbers.

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398. So many of these comments are just hateful! Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions or form judgments. I’ve been a stay at home mom since my son was born. I practiced attachment parenting, “extended” breastfeeding, read him a gazillion books, did arts and crafts almost daily, and you know what? He can’t do most of these things at four. He recently started preschool and has been diagnosed with severe ADHD. His vocabulary is huge, but he struggles to wield a crayon or even a spoon with any accuracy, and he is not potty trained. He was never able to master pedaling, although we bought him FIVE different tricycle/bike type things to see if one of them would be easier for him, but so far have had no success. We’ve taken him to therapists, many group activities, etc, and just recently have started medication. He is improving, but very slowly. He has almost no impulse control and is constantly in trouble at pre-school. His teachers are already saying he won’t make it to kindergarten next year and we’re only a month in. I have to carry him in to school because he won’t walk with me and I’m sure all the other parents are thinking thoughts like in these comments, that I must not have put any effort into raising my son. You really have no idea what some parents are going through.

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399. It makes me so sad to hear all of these mothers attacking each other. We should be supporting, not judging. Use this list for what you wish, or don’t. But the desire to attack others and put them down says a lot more about you than it does other well meaning moms. THe vast majority of parents are doing the best they can with what they have and what they know. Spend your energy improving your lives and your children’s and not attacking each other.

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400. My five year old grandson can do most of these things except for the larger motor skill items and some of the fine motor skill items. He suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy III so he will never be able to ride a traditional trike (however he does ride a hand peddled trike), he cannot balance on one foot, skip or even jump. He can hold a pencil correctly but due to the trembling he has in his hands his handwriting and tracing skills aren’t that great at this time. At a recent IEP imagine our shock when his regular teacher compared his handwriting skills with another student’s. Comparing children to others is often a disaster anyway but comparing the skills of a child without a disability to a child that suffers from a neurological muscular disease was totally out of line. I think sometimes people including our schools see a person with a disability and label them in a negative fashion. Just remember that this is a guideline of what a child should know when entering kindergarten. If your child doesn’t do these things just try to work with your child and help him or her improve their skills

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401. That list seems pretty basic to me, but seems to correspond with most of what I have read lately. My daughter enters Kindergarten next year and I have been worried that our days have been so busy and I haven’t been able to give her education the detail I wanted to since I opted not to do a pre-k program. Reading that list I feel a lot better. She could do pretty much all of that by the time she turned 3. It is hard for me to imagine that kids enter kindergarten without knowing that stuff since it is mostly the stuff that kids pick up just by having parents talk to and read to them. I have noticed that with younger kids it is really simple; just spend about 15 minutes a day on basic skills and get excited about it. I think that is what I have noticed the most about young children. By the time they enter Kindergarten so many kids already see education as a chore instead of something enjoyable.

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402. I feel like this list is beginning of preschool for the most part. My just turned 2 year old is doing most of this already and some like reading sight words. I do understand she is gifted, however, it seems a little behind. She already counts in rote to 14. The sad thing is my husbands “other daughter” has been in daycare since 6 weeks and is now 4 in preschool and can’t do half of that stuff. She can’t identify any letters or write her name or copy her name or count in rote past 13 or identify numbers past 6. So idk if my daughter is just gifted and the other child is just slow and maybe the list is dead on? Either way I think my child will be starting kindergarten early based on the above.

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     1. I think the “other daughter” just didn’t get enough time being together with her parents ;) like you spend much time with yours. Knowing most of the list by 2 is pretty good :D

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403. My daughter knows probably 80% of the list by 3 years old and now she is 3 and half and knows pretty much all of them. It is parent’s job to educate the kids not the pre-k, although it is also a good source. It is also very hard for some parents who both have work and dont have much time.
     On the side note ;) My 3.5 old girl can count 1 to 10 in English, Spanish, and Chinese. And can count 1 to 20 in English.
     She is ready for Kindergarden, but we are still working on sharing part ;) Everyone knows, it is probably the hardest part.

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     1. The “difficulty with sharing” is developmentally appropriate for her age. No worries there. It will come. :-)

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404. In Canada, a child must be 4 by december 31st to start kindergarten, which means starting age for kindergarten is 4. My daughter, who is 3, will be turning 4 while in kindergarten. She knows this list and has known most of it since the age of 2, as did my 2 older boys. By the start of grade 1, our school system expects children to be reading. The way I see it, it’s a parents responsibility to give your child everything they need to succeed in a school/learning setting. And that’s not to say that you need a tutor or anything like that… really all your children need is YOUR time. Time for reading, playing, singing… it’s really as simple as that. Children are naturally driven to want to learn new things, parents just need to give them the opportunities.

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     1. Children are indeed naturally curious, and are SPONGES (and usually pick up on the things you wish they wouldn’t repeat… we all have experienced that!). This early childhood age is a great time to start the academic process because kids are EXCITED about it!! We can teach them from very young that learning is FUN and that once they can read a few things, more can follow – leading them to be able to read things they see in daily life: signs, ads, etc. They think it is so cool when they can read what they see around them! Why should we wait?? As parents, our time (like you said) is the most important thing. We should have dialogues with them. It really irks me that parents of toddlers and preschoolers think it is stupid to verbalize what they are doing: “I am going to put the milk away because it will spoil.” “I need four napkins – one, two, three, four.” “Your shirt is red and mine is blue!”. Those things are so important!!

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405. My child is 2 months old and can do most of the items on the list. Can your child?

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406. My son is only one and he knows how to count to 10 in English, Spanish, and on his fingers. It is difficult to understand him he is counting non the less. He knows his ABC’s. He knows a good amount of words(both in English and Spanish) for example Juice/jugo moon/luna daddy/papi shoe/zapato. I am not Spanish but I feel its an important thing for him to learn. He taught himself sizes at the 13m by one day getting all my spices and putting them in order from tallest to shortest when I just sat there and watched him do this I was amazed, my husband however said he was going to have OCD lol. He is able to ride his powered ATV, he can turn himself in which ever direction he wants to go and since there is no reverse he will get off and turn the atv in what direction he wants to go. He is very bright even though I don’t spend as much time as I would like working on this stuff with him, but I am one pround mommy.

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407. My knee-jerk reaction was, “I didn’t know jack going into kindergarten, and I’m almost done with a Master’s degree.” And then I thought about it some more, and I’ve been left with the impression that lawmakers are taking a Nietzschean stance on education – if you’re not the Ubermensch, then you’re left behind – despite the name of that law.

     I keep hearing about competing with East Asian countries when it comes to math and science…well, they value literature and art and sports and everything else. There’s a few differences, though – if you’re not good at something, they’ll probably have you focus on something else. If there’s nothing you’re good at, better get used to being a street vendor.

     Not everyone is going to be good at science and math, though many people can gain a reasonable amount of skill in it. The government has decided to prioritize certain skills and the prerequisites to get those skills. If you’re kid can’t do it, be prepared to shell out cash for a private school.

     Not to be cynical or anything.

     As for my kid, I’m spending more time focusing on respect because she’s not so great at it since she’s, well, three. On the plus side, there are a lot of things she can do. She just won’t do them if my husband and I ask, no matter how nicely and how fun-sounding. She does pre-K, and I was told her attention span isn’t long enough to progress further. She’s ahead of the game cognitively, at least, so my hope is that it will even out.

     At this point, I’ve started to leave out certain toys that focus on letters and numbers that are obnoxiously loud and light up. Worksheets with crayons as well. Leaving her alone as much as she’ll tolerate seems to be the most helpful thing I can do with her academics at the moment. Saving interventions for social skills. I suspect her future kindergarten teacher will thank me for it.

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408. I have two girls; 3 years old, and one 12m , and I am a stay home mom.
     All I want to say is that the list is helpful :) Look at it as a resource to see what you need to enforce. If you think your kids are all ready and will be bored at school, that means he/she needs practice participate in the social group ;)
     Don’t be upset about what other parent’s words since every kids are different, so is the family situation, so is the way every parents educate their kids.
     Now everyone go look at your precious kids and how gifted they are!

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409. This HUGE list of comments is amazing to me. For the most part I didn’t notice any rude comments until the parents who started feeling “guilty” and “embarrassed” as they quoted, chimed in and showed everyone their insecurities. There were a couple of items on the list that my son still needs to learn and I was motivated by this post to teach them to him. I was not set back and defensive about why he hasn’t learned them yet. Just stop trying to defend yourself and start stiving to teach and help your child. It’s all about perspective. Don’t blame and get upset…change your mindset that people are attacking you because your child doesn’t know as much as yours. Seems more like jealous reaction to me.

     Great list! Thank you for posting!

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410. And P.S. — I don’t believe this post was posted to point out flaws in children who have learning dissabilities. So if your child has learning challenges then you are aware of that and know that they probably won’t meet up to every one on the list…so why would you get upset? If my child had dislexia or autism I would not expect them to meet these standards and I would definately refrain from writing upset comments towards other parents who’s child is thriving. In everything give thanks and be grateful!

     PPS –playtime and P.E. are SUPER important and teach alot of “teamworking” skills and co-ordination skills that are need in life. Everyone who has a family or a job or is in contact with other human beings needs teamworking skills!! :)

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     1. not to mention playtime and PE help in fightin childhood obesity….?? I am not sure if someone already said this because there were too many post for me to read them all…lol

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411. Many of these are skills that are actually taught in kindergarten. They were on our kindergarten report card. I wouldn’t expect children before kindergarten to already know some of the items.

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412. No wonder all of my kids hated school from the first day.

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413. I think that every child is different and some learn these things much earlier than others. Our Kindergarten told us that our child must be able to use the bathroom themselves, use their own lunchbox, manage their own shoes and socks and be socially and emotionally ready. They had a list of things that were desirable (numbers, colours, holding a pencil etc) but they weren’t esential. Our 4 year old certainly has most of the75 things on this list down pat but then, so does our two year old who picks things up much faster.
     I think there is too much guilt being lumped on parenens who are genuinely giving it a go and whose kids don’t have the whole list down pat.

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414. Wow. I’m glad all your special snowflakes are geniuses. I read way too many of the comments (many by kindergarten teachers who couldn’t spell).

     There’s so little empathy or nurturing in these comments. It ruined my day.

     YUK.

     For the most part, I don’t want to know you people. I do appreciate the list and this site. I just have to stop reading comments.

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     1. Agreed! I wish I would have just stopped at the list. I am a speech pathologist in a public school and love what I do :). I can also spell. ;)

        It seems to me that most parents come to this site in order to ensure that their children are on track. In the end, the majority of us just want the best for our children. We all “suffer” from some sort of guilt as it pertains to parenting, and I think we would be much better served by offering a kind word or some help to those struggling. After all, they only want the best for their children as well.

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     2. took the words right out of mouth :) Parents of truly gifted children (which is only 6 in 100) dont behave like this.

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415. I think it is very important that kinds enter school having played with other kids before, having been read do etc. But as someone who studied preschool education in college I HATE when I see parents stressing out. check out the book “Ernestine Never Used Flashcards!”

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416. sorry if my last comment was preachy. I don’t pretend to have all the answers but there is so much stress placed on kids these days and on parents…just take a walk and talk to your kid. be with them.

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417. I remember this was everything that they taught us 12 years ago when I was in kindergarten, I think this list make sense because they teach way more now than they did when I was in school.

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418. Wow.

     1) Some of these comments are down-right mean and nasty

     2) As a single mom of a developmentally delayed 4 1/2yr old I found 42 things on this list that he can NOT do. 2 of them that he can only do part of(spacial concepts and comparative words). He can not spell his name. He can not hold a crayon properly to scribble or write anything. He can not do most of the fine motor skills. Can not do most of the list. He doesn’t go to preschool. Not because I won’t send him but because the system is already failing him. He can’t get into Head Start because they are full and he’s not delayed enough to bump to the top of the list. His state provided insurance says he is too high-functioning to receive speech, occupational or physical therapy. I can’t afford over $200 to send him to preschool every week. Right now I work from home because the cost of daycare or preschool is too much to afford. I read and talk and try to teach him things but I have no idea HOW to teach him when he can’t understand what I’m saying to him because he has receptive language disorder. Some things he just can’t understand. He won’t do most of the art activities because he has sensory processing disorder and doesn’t like loud noises or music or songs. He won’t let his hands get dirty so he won’t touch playdoh. He doesn’t sit still long enough to read half of a toddler board book. He’s so active he never sits down. He’s so active that he doesn’t listen to direction. He’s not dumb. If you ask him he will tell you every color, number up to 40, identify every letter upper and lowercase and he can even show you what a parallelogram looks like. He can’t say it but he can point it out. I know that because of a list like this that I’m sure the public school in the area has he will be in special needs classrooms where the system will continue to fail him. Sure they will give him all the occupational and speech and possibly physical therapy he needs but he’s not going to learn anything. He’s going to slip through the cracks. Because he’s smart, high-functioning but can’t do everything on a list like this so he will be labeled as special without anyone ever trying to see how much he really can do.

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     1. I agree with you about this. My son doesn’t have any kind of disfunction or anything like that, he just suffered the first 2 1/2 – 3 years of his life suffering from constant ear infections. It really messed with his hearing. This has delayed his speech severely so he is just now catching up with things he should have already known. It has been tough because he is also so stubborn. I can sit with him and recite numbers and things like that but its like he doesn’t care to retain it. I have to resort to homeschooling in order to figure out what would work best for him and in order to help him catch up with everything that he has missed.

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        1. I totally understand where you are coming from my son had ear issues until he was almost four. They finally took out his tonsils and boy did I see a difference. I too homeschool but purely preference. He is six and is reading well and is doing addition, subtraction, knows numbers, sounds, and letters, and can tell time with minute hand visible. It is amazing how they catch up.

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419. When I was a child, the alphabet was taught IN kindergarten; children were not expected to already know it beforehand. That’s what kindergarten was FOR! (Generally speaking, kids knew the alphabet song, but not necessarily individual letters.)

     Most of my kids do know these things prior to kindergarten age, but it is not at all abnormal for children to develop reading skills later than this.

     So kids are now expected to know half of their phonics before they even start kindergarten…and many of our high school graduates are still illiterate. Clearly *something* is wrong with this system.

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     1. Oops. I got so carried away on the alphabet thing that I forgot to say that I think the rest of the list is excellent. And I love that it’s so well-rounded.

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420. Make that 72 things they should know, and please teach your children how to wipe themselves after bowel movements.

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421. Thank you for a great guide. We are homeschooling, so sometimes it is hard to know where we are on the spectrum of things. Luckily my daughter is spot on on most things and advanced on som. I know we are on the right track.

     To moms whose kids are “behind,” you know what kind of parent you are. You know what work you put in and how you communicate and interact with our child. Don’t let a list or negative comments make you question your parenting. Chances are,you wouldn’t bother reading ANY of this if you weren’t caring well for our child. Kids are not just blank slates, they come with developmental, physical, and emotional differences (thank God). Not everyone learns the same way or at the same rate.

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422. And excuse my typos. My toddler is trying to “help.” I do know how to spell :)

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423. The main parts of this “list” that bothered me were the “Interactions with others” and “Speaks clearly enough to be understood without contextual clues”. My oldest child is very shy, he runs when he hears someone knock on the door. He may or may not grow out of that, but unless he knows that we (his parents) trust and know you, then you don’t stand a chance in him interacting with you without a great deal of “warm up” time. His shy nature also has a lot to do with his mumbling when speaking. We are always telling him to put his hand down or keep his fingers out of his mouth, because he tends to do those things when he is trying to communicate and someone unfamiliar to him is around. People often ask us does he talk much or question where he is in his speech development because of how quiet he is in public, but when he is at home or at friend’s and relative’s houses his mouth is like the energizer bunny! If these are day one expectations, they are not realistic in my opinion. I could see if each item or category had a time frame on it such as “by the end of week 6″… or “by the end of the first semester”. If this was the list published in 2006, I would hate to see an updated list for 2012/2013.

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424. My child is 5 and still does not know his letters and cannot pronounce many sounds. He struggled with ear infections and has speech issues. He will start speech therapy in a few weeks. I am a homeschooling mother and thank goodness for that because apparently he would be behind. I made my mind up a long time ago that I would not push my kids to learn anything by a certain date but that when they got ready I would reintroduce things until they got it. Well it’s working great. My 10 year old is right on target and he didn’t learn his letters until kindergarten. Parents don’t beat yourself up if your child isn’t labeled a genius. Go slow with him or her. Don’t instill a distaste for learning by trying to keep up with everyone else. One of my problems with my kiddos when it came to learning letters was that everything was so mundane and boring and by the time you made it through a few letters and started some more then they already forgot the other ones you were doing. Workbooks don’t focus enough on one thing. You may have one page for A and one for B so they are not ideal for me in teaching ABCs. The best thing I have found for any parent trying to teach their children their ABCs and don’t know where to start is the book titled “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons” by Seigfried Engelmann. At about $22 dollars for the book it is the best investment you could make. You can find it at Books A Million or Barnes and Noble. Each lesson takes about 15 minutes and you go at your own pace. Kids like it because immediately they see accomplishment. Parents love it because it does the work for you and you can throw away the flash cards. It teaches using sound instead of just looking at letters. Within the first 3 lessons your child will be reading words and within the first 14 he will be reading sentences. If you do two lessons a day that is one week. I cannot stress enough the value of this book. It tells you exactly what to say to your child and what your child should say back. And the best part is you can start your child as early as three years old but I wait until I know for sure my kids are ready. My son is five and starting but my three year old sits through and participates in the lessons also and is picking up on all the sounds. Also teach colors by playing Candyland. That was the only way my five year old could learn them. Counting by playing Chutes and Ladders. If you can keep your children entertained they are twice as likely to learn and remember. Just know that you are a great parent and if you concerned that you are not doing enough for your child’s education or that they may be behind than that makes you an even better one. Don’t worry if your child starts school and is not completely ready. The teacher gets paid regardless (some teacher is cussing me right now) and maybe she can give you more pointers on what to do at home and show you areas where your child is struggling and set up a plan of action. It’s just kindergarten guys. These children have their whole lives ahead of them. Give them a break. Quit putting expectations on them and let them be kids. Don’t push them or worry about them. They’ll be fine.

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425. I agree with this list. I teach “New Entrants” in New Zealand – children start school the day they turn 5 unless it is a holiday. Children who come to school with at least being exposed to most of these things, are more confident and feel more successful at school. We don’t expect them to come to school with anything, but unless they are super keen learners they won’t fly like some of the others. Don’t worry they won’t be bored at school. If they have a good teacher, they will modify the curriculum to keep your child moving. Also the child can use that first year of school to consolidate their learning and give them a solid foundation for the rest of their schooling.

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426. I have a daycare in my home 3 two year old girls who I have had since they was 6 weeks old, one 2 year old boy who started three months ago and 2 newborns who just started. The three girls that are 2 do everything on this list and then some they know how to recognize all their letters,numbers,shapes and their name. They can write half of the alphabet and write numbers 1-14 and have started writing their first name and they have been doing the peg puzzles with shapes pieces since they was around 11 months. We have a routine that if I dont do something in our routine they remind me. My 2yr old boy who just started can not do any of these things and but we will be working on that. He has never been to daycare. This is not alot for preschoolers to learn it just seems that way when you read all of it at once this is common things apart of life they should learn to help them.

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427. I am a teacher. I would like to say that some children come to school knowing all of these things, others know fewer of them. Children cannot be turned away from kindergarten for not knowing these things. Allow your child to play, and to develop at his or her own pace. Don’t stress about making sure your child knows all of these things before going to school. It is a teacher’s job to accept children at whatever stage of development they are in, and to take them as far as possible.

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428. This is quite a list. As a teacher, I know that some of the things listed here, particularly in Math and Language Arts, are required by the end of Kindergarten in some states and provinces. I think that the best way to make sure that your child is prepared would be to make an appointment or e-mail the school that your child will be attending and ask what concepts they should have mastered before beginning Kindergarten.

     In my province, there are Kindergarten orientation days (4 maybe) spread out over the year before students enter school. That way, students become comfortable with the school, they meet the K teachers, there are parent sessions so that parents know what to work on and fun ways work on these skills, and the children are monitored to see how they are coming along progressing. I think it’s a great system and it works very well for many families.

     All in all, if children call do all of these things when they are 4-5 years old, they will definitely be set for Kindergarten! :)

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429. I’ve read almost all of the comments on this page. While I do agree that parental interaction is extremely important/necessary for a child’s mental advancement, it’s still worth noting that no matter how much pre-k education a child may have—if shy enough—the child will fail to reveal his/her intelligence at school until weeks of familiarizing with the new settings/people. My [just turned] 5 year old son is VERY mature in terms of communication, manners, perspective, etc.—and he’s quite impressive when it comes to his letter/number awareness, musical interests & artistic skills. However, when expected/asked to publicly show/answer what he knows—it’s as though his bashfulness takes over; he grows so anxious that he temporarily forgets all that he otherwise knows. It’s not always fair to judge a child’s seemingly lacking knowledge as some result of being raised by educationally negligent parents. I’d be offended if my son’s teacher[s] assumed I were anything but the involved parent I am all because they saw my son pass on trying to tie his shoelaces in front of his peers & nervously shrug his shoulders after being asked to count to 20 within his first few months of being in a classroom environment. I take my role as a Mother 100% seriously; I can’t help but be sensitive on the subject. I want my baby to always have the chance/confidence to warm up & vocalize at his own, gradual pace without ever feeling embarrassed and/or “not as good” as the socially open kids. With that said, I do know being a teacher isn’t easy & calls for concern of every student—so I’m more than thankful for [you] teachers!!! ~I just had to remark on the exception!

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430. Did you know that in the state of Texas it is not a requirement to attend Kindergarten? We skipped Kindergarten and went on to 1st grade. We are doing fine. I enjoyed that extra year with my DS, while he stayed at home. I, like a few other parents, didn’t want my pressures that come with school, and thought it would be fine to skip it. Yes, we read every night to our kids. I did not home school and just learned from everyday living. :-) I had asked a friend, whose husband was a Principal at a elementary school about preschool and those who didn’t attend. She said those children all caught up by mid year and not to worry. So I didn’t.

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431. My kid has done a lot of this stuff (ABC, counting, colors, shapes, etc) since he was 2… and far beyond the number 10. This is NOT a lot for Kindergartners to know. Too many parents do not give their kids enough credit on how much they can learn when you actually take the time to be parent and teach them. I find it upsetting that many in my son’s preschool class are learning things they should have known before they started preschool. It holds the other children back!!

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432. If you are working with your child and they are not getting certain things, do not rule out an underlying issue. I have four kids, and they are close together, like stair steps. I worked with all of them. The youngest, just did not get certain things. Other adults and teachers just thought it was because she was the baby. But, that made me work with her more. Many things were over looked with her. Now, she is 15 and finally has a diagnosis of Aspergers. If you feel something is not right with your child, press on, to doctors. Aspergers falls under Autism and is finally being recognized in younger children. When my child was younger, she was so “on the line” of being normal, and she is so smart, but still some of those things she should have known was not coming to her. If you know you have worked with your child and they are not getting certain things, please consider they may be an underlying issue. The earlier you get help the better!!!!!!!!!!!

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433. what do you do ,when your child is 4 years old ,and the teacher’s think he may have adhd, and he is bringing home bad notes everyday. he can not sit for 15 minutes, and the teacher tell you that your son is 4 but she thinks he has a mind of a 2 year old, i ended up taking him to the doctor and the doctor gives me this copy of things to do to help ,and i am going by this paper ,like a what to do list and this isn’t working out to good . now things are getting really tough for him ,the teacher tells me that will may not go to kindergarten…. does anyone have any ideas about handling a child with adhd not on medicine

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434. If your child has ADD or ADHD they need structure and free time to think, play and be creative – but I don’t mean just out on their own – they need supervision. Make lists, label drawers and shelves -use pictures from magazines and contact paper, have a posted schedule and follow it. Lay out clothes the night before and have bags packed and a place for everything – and everything in it’s place. This will help to teach your child to be organized and think things out ahead of time. No procrastination for homework, chores etc. Stick to your guns. Movement helps the body to produce dopamine which is the chemical needed for focus. There are so many different activities to do outside and inside with children that it is easy to get this time in. It is very important that they have a bath, stories and bedtime schedule every day – this will pay off. When your child is a little older they will do this almost on their own! Medication is important but should not be expected to “fix” all of the problems that come with ADD. Unfortunately Kindergarten is very academic – the law- and children need and focus on stories, lessons and sit to complete work or read without being disruptive. YOU can do it – Keep your chin up and make sure that little one knows that he/she is loved and ADD can be a gift later in life. Join CHADD. :)

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435. Love all the stories about the children loving to learn. But haven’t read any stories about social skills and these are skills that can take you far in life. You can be the best reader or speller but if you don’t know how to share or play or even be a good person then those other skills won’t get you far. Teach your child to love one another teach them empathy. Teach them to be good listeners and observers. The rest will come don’t rush them. Oh yes and as a kindergarten teacher we would much appreciate if you would teach them to get dressed on their own!

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     1. Be able to write and recognize first name (at least). I’d add gray and tan to the colors. Keep your hands, feet and objects to yourself at all times. Teach them to tie their own shoes, for goodness sake! Speak with an “indoor” voice. When your teacher asks you to do something, don’t say, “no,” whatever you do! ha ha ha. I teach kindergarten. Really, though, if they come to school with good manners, I’ll teach them the alphabet and how to read. Teaching them how to behave is MUCH harder!

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436. Wow, I’m amazed that my son at two knows all these things. I was worried that I was going to find out he wasn’t going to know even half. He has always been ahead of the curve. I know all children learn differently. He was even potty trained two weeks after turning two. I’m a stay at home mom and he will be three in a few months and will start Pre-school in fall. I’m happy to know he will be ahead of the game! Thank you for your blog post.

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437. Wow. All those mean name calling comments from grown ups. Who are parents. I feel very sad when I read all of these comments. I think it is very important for kids to learn as many of these things on that list. I also think it is important to love them and teach them how to love. This world is already a dog eat dog world. I hope that each and every one of your children are smart and also take time to enjoy the roses along the way. There is a lot to be learned in this world and kindness and compation for people should be one of the many lessons. I feel you can be smart, and succeed in life and still be kind and loving to others. Everyone is different has different cercumstance’s learn to except people help others care about each other. Stop the put downs,bragging, name calling. Remember why we looked at this sight. To help little kids be ready for kindergarten. Also teach your child humanity, care about others. Be proud of themselves.. They are the future.

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438. All I have to say is ABC Mouse has been an amazing education tool. My daughter wasn’t interested in anything I had to teach her at first. She was learning a lot from Team Umizoomi and Dora, I was amazed, then I realized I didn’t know how to teach a child and catch their attention. I had not gone to school for a teaching degree. So, I got her ABC Mouse, It was the best investment. She has learned so much through the learning games, more than I would have been able to teach her. When she sat with me, I was lucky to not have bored her in 10 minutes. She will sit with ABC mouse for over an hour reading stories and learning songs and playing puzzles, matching shapes, counting, doing adding and subtracting. Now she is beyond the kindergarten level. I have even learned from it, I now know ways to capture her attention when I sit down to teach her. The amazing thing is she is writing letters and that is not something that I taught her. When I tried to teach her to do letters, she wanted nothing to do with it. On ABC mouse they let the kids trace the letters and eventually it becomes natural, but they manage to do everything in a fun way thats like coloring or a game, and after you finish you win tickets to buy items for your avatar. I just figured it would be helpful for other moms to know that there is a cheap way to get your children prepared for school. It only cost me $60.00/yr. plus the first month was free.

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439. It’s so easy to say that if you do X,Y, an Z that they will know what they need to know. I have triplets starting Kindergarten in the fall. They know almost everything they need to know, but they have trouble writing, and recognizing letters is still a struggle.

     After reading these comments, I take it that I am a huge parenting failure. I was looking for suggestions, and I leave this website feeling discouraged and sad.

     I wish we could all just build each other up as moms. :( Why must we be so competitive. Empathy helps. It hasn’t been easy parenting 3 of the same age (and I have older kids too).

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     1. This is just a suggested list. I didn’t see where it said a child needs to write a sentence. You are not a failure. You obviously care if you are looking up things like this. I’m pretty sure they are just fine. I read so much to my child. They say that helps more than we could know.

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     2. To Poppy: If you are seeking out ideas, there is no doubt in my mind that you are a great parent. Even though almost everyone on this thread appears to have the perfect kindergarten ready children, the truth is that every parent is just doing the best he/she can and hoping that they’ve done what they can to raise productive, kind children. Defenses go up very quickly when there is a slight suggestion that you haven’t done enough as a parent. Unfortunately, women (in general) are not always very supportive of other women. I have never understood that…..I wish we could take the time to help rather than leave people feel defeated.

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440. Not one word about Emotional Intelligence.

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441. I have not read every single post here, but in the many I did read, nobody talked about socialization. I think Kindergartners need to have had a good number of social interactions, as in playdates, with other children close to their age before they start school, especially oldest and only children. As a mother of five grown children and an experienced teacher as well, I can say children are happier and do better in school when they are comfortable there. And one of the most important ways for that to happen is for them to experience the give and take of playing, and yes, sometimes arguing, with other children before they start school. Because relatively unsupervised interactions will absolutely happen at school; at free playtime, at recess, in the hall, before school, after school, the cafeteria, some time. We cannot protect our children from these interactions nor should we want to. But we can help get them ready for them. You can practice with your child what to say to say to stand up for himself. You can playact sharing situations, etc. I don’t mean to sound like a know-it-all here; just a mom with a lot of experience.

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442. I would like to add a few things to the list (perhaps some of these are self-evident):

     – potty trained
     – says “please” and “thank you” at appropriate times
     – has been exposed to children from different ethnic backgrounds as well as learned things about different cultures
     – distinguish the various emergency services (police, fire, paramedics) both their vehicles and uniforms
     – has experienced different modes of transportation (cars, planes, trains, boats, etc.)
     – has experienced rural and urban environments plus seen the ocean (lakes or rivers if you live too far away) and has seen snow
     – knows the difference between a penny, nickel, dime and quarter plus has gotten to hold paper money such as dollar bills. A basic understanding that many things cost money and is part of the reason their parents likely have employment or some means of making money
     – some dietary knowledge about what is the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods
     – knows how when to wear their coat
     – uses a helmet when they are riding a tricyle or bicycle
     – knows when they should hold a parent or adults hand (i.e. crossing a road or walking in a parking lot)

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443. BTW just a to add some more things to the previously list but I’m surprised it’s not really been mentioned. What about their experience with modern technical devices? For example my 4 year old knows how to use an iPad tablet and some basic control over turning off the television and cable box. He knows how to pick up and put away his toys which they really emphasize in preschool. He knows how to apologize when he makes a mistake plus how he is supposed to treat our family dog. Perhaps the best preparation is just taking the time to talk with your child and showing them respect and that they are worth your time and efforts to teach them. Be gentle and kind with your child, teach them how to get along with other children and how to use their words and not their fist. Talk to them about their feelings and offer suggestions on how to cope with their feelings. Lastly be careful with your own actions and how you treat other people…your actions will speak louder than your words with your child…trust me I learn this all the time myself.

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444. My daughter can do all those things and more she can write all her letters and sound out words so she can spell them all her letter sounds she is reading big words to with help she can practically do anything count add subtract. I taught her all this I don’t want her to be behind in school the teachers here don’t teach good and I want to make sure my daughter is learning well she loves to learn we spent a hour everyday to learn something she runs for her books. She just turned 5 she starts school in August it’s March she is going to be very smart when she gets in kindergarten

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445. I have taught Kindergarten for 21 years. I agree that this is a very long list. There are only a few things that I wish all of my kids knew before they came to me.

     Self help: button, zip, put jacket on…etc. I do not expect them to tie!!! Clean up after themselves!

     Academic: Write their own name

     Social: How to get along with others: share, take turns, use kind words, etc.

     Address seperation anxiety issues before the first day of school: mothers day out, sunday school, play dates, day care, preschool, etc. Anything that will show them that you will come back to get them after leaving them!

     I have never seen a “bored” kindergartener and I have had over 400 students. That’s actually the “B” word at school.

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446. As a Preschool Teacher, every parent should read this. It is right on the money

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447. Ugh….that is all I can say. Yuck yuck yuck…uses an appropriate amount of glue??? I feel that the freedom to express oneself through using large amounts of glue should be allowed at the age of 6!

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448. I think this is just a suggested list, not a required or standard list.

     But after reading through the comments I agree that basic parental interaction goes a LONG way with children learning these things. Parents need to take time and interact with their kid(s). It’s as simple as playing with them! Play with blocks and ask them to hand you one and say “oh thank you for the red (or whatever color) one!” and gradually go up to asking them for a specific number of blocks or color.

     Each child is different. My oldest son could sight recognize letters at 15 months old. My daughter is 4 and still struggles with some letters, and we interact with them the same way. My son is just a natural learner, whereas my daughter needs to be able to do it on her time and in her own way.

     My biggest thing, is don’t push your kids or they’ll end up hating school and learning. Let them learn in their own way and they’ll get it down on their own time. There is no need to force a 2 year old to sit at a table and do worksheets. Take them outside and talk to them about their world. They’ll get it and you’ll be making memories!

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449. It is a great list of things to work on … but I would add to your list to learn to write your name in lower case letters with ONLY the FIRST one being capital. Unless it a name that has more than one capital like LaToya, MaryAnn, McMullen, O’Keefe, etc. The reason is that a habit is hard to break so the earlier that it is written correctly … the better!! And we must learn lower case letters if we are going to be able to read books!! :)

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450. Hi there!
     I have been an Early Childhood educator for 20 years, and have run a Family Child care in my home for the past 8 years. I use a list very similar to this and share it with the parents of my 4 year old children at the beginning of the year before we head to Kindergarten. I typically indicate what the child is already doing on a regular basis; what we are working on, and what the parents can help with. Parents love it and we do some follow up a few times during the year. It also helps the parent for when Kindergarten does start, and the teacher says, “Your child isn’t… or needs to…” The parent is already armed with, “We have been working on…” or “We are struggling with…” As a parent, it is a powerful feeling to be able to say to the teacher, “I know, what do you suggest?”

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451. As an Early Childhood teacher of 22 years, I always posted a sign on my door – “Our work is child’s play!” Playing is how a child learns. All the text books in the world, while important, do not take the place of social interaction.

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452. Anyone talking down about teachers has never been in there shoes. They work early, leave late, and correct homework at home. They have anywhere from 20-35 kindergarteners to teach! They do not have time to teach a kid how to tie shoes! Your argument about tax dollars is ignorant! This list is not asking a lot! My child does not do per school, I am not “educated” as you say to be a teacher, but I can teach my child numbers, letters, shapes, etc. She has this list down! It is not a teachers job to do everything! It is a parents job as well! Take responsibility, please. I’m sorry to get all huffy and puffy. It come from working in an elementary school for 5 years. I was not a teacher, but I have seen both sides.

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     1. Well said. We pay teachers so little to do so much! Also parents can be in the PTA, volunteer , etc

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        1. Teachers get paid well, and get 14 weeks holiday a year. They will live

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453. As a current Kindergarten teacher, I can say that only a few students come to school each year knowing many of the skills mentioned on the list. While I CAN tie shoes and could teach shoe tying in class, if every student showed up with laces (I had 26 in my class this year and no other teacher in my class), I would have no time to teach the content that is ‘required’ by our state because I’d spend my day tying laces. Lace tying is NOT on the curriculum, and many students have not developed the fine motor skills early in the year to do so (we do activities to build those skills). I appreciate velcro, especially in August and September.
     In looking at my files this year, there were no students who arrived in August knowing numbers 1-10, all their letters or their shapes, and only two could write their first name. Four attended preschool and it prepared them for a classroom setting. Most came to my Kindergarten class and it was the first time they had been separated from their parent/caregiver. They are socially unprepared as well as academically, I don’t know when it became JUST the teacher responsibility to educate the child. Many parents do not check to see that the students complete their homework, practice sight words, ask them to count or practice identifying numbers, read to their child on a regular or daily bases. Teachers do not ask much of parents, we just ask that you take an interest in their learning. Student are eager to share what they have learned at school and it is a great review for the students as they recall their day. As teachers, we know what goes on at home (kids tell EVERYTHING and we listen), do you know what we are doing in the classroom? Take the time and ask!

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454. Excellent advice! Thank you! We are printing out this list and working on it. =)

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455. I don’t agree with this list purely because it is outcome-based and uses the words “should” and “need” to get its point across. I’m a student teacher, having completed my first two-month practicum in a kindergarten class, and though I don’t have much experience in teaching, outcome-based lists like these inspire a huge, huge, huge amount of panic and fear.

     Sure, a kid “should” read by grade 1 but “should” is irrelevant. What if they just don’t or can’t? Some children learn to read at a different rate, some children learn mathematical concepts at a different rate. People aren’t machines that, if they complete x, y and z, all execute the same result. It’s different. Each child is different. Telling parents that their child “should” be able to count to 20 and skip successfully to 20 feet is going to scare the crap out of those with children who don’t (for whatever reason). It’ll encourage defensiveness, hostility and shame.

     Having said that, what I believe needs to be emphasized is what parents CAN realistically do to help their kids transition into kindergarten. Other commenters here had great suggestions that parents pointedly identify shapes in stores, count produce as they pick their apples, and use everyday situations as teaching moments.
     This is doable, controlling the outcome is not.

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456. I’m a preschool/daycare teacher I have a mix group ranging from 2-5 yr olds most of my children can either do most if not all of what is listed, BUT with that said I DO have a couple of children who while they are there when I’m teaching them they do not retain all the info, one little girl in particular can write her name no problem and was always a quiet child so I did not notice until recently that though she could write it the only letters she knew in her name were the a’s she knew A and a but the rest of her name she just wrote and when I asked her what the v was she would look at me and question ummmm i, so I’ve been working more with her. my point is you can try as much as you want BUT there are still children who do not want to learn or need a little more 1 on 1.

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457. Really? People complaining about this list , my child is special needs was born with it didn’t walk until almost three but through quality time , no tv, direct adult interaction, peer play. She does all of the above ( except gross motor and tying shoes) and in two languages. So turn off Facebook , and all the non sense and go play and spend some quality time with your child. I use kumon books too

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458. I’ve went through many of these comments and find quite a few of them very rude. I do understand the need for children to enter school somewhat prepared. My 2 y/o can do most of this list simply be the daily interactions we have with her. However, not every parent is afforded the luxury of being able to spend as much time as we do with their children. Teachers need to understand that most parents do actually try to help their children learn. The fact that a child cannot do something should not alleviate the teachers from actually teaching. If you get frustrated because you actually need to teach a child how to do something, then maybe you should rethink your career choice. You should be in it because you love teaching children and not so you get your summers off! I understand that the government has changed standards as to how schools get money allotted to them and that causes other issues, but the primary job is to teach, whether that is tying shoes or doing math.

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459. Children are given healthy food for proper nutrition in kindergarten. Remember they have developing mind which needs a lot of nutrients to grow up.

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460. What I don’t get is why the things on this list are considered to be things a parent should teach a child, but beyond this level it is expected that children should be taught by someone else. Of course I understand that circumstances don’t make homeschooling an option for every parent, but I fully intend to homeschool my children. I was homeschooled until the eighth grade and am very grateful to my mom for making the choice to teach my brothers and me at home.

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461. I am getting into this discussion very late. Everybody take a breath. Do your think Bill Gates, Jonas Salk, Abraham Lincoln, the people who sent people to the moon, most of the world’s greatest artist, doctors, and scientist mothers’ ever worried about kindergarten readiness. Nope don’t think so. Just worry about raising your children to be good, honest, fair, and compassionate human beings.

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     1. Love this and very true

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462. I’m glad I found this list. I send my daughter to a home day care where the wonderful lady runs it more like a preschool. My daughter will be starting kindergarten in August and she can do most of the things on this list. Yesterday she was even working on basic math problems. A friend of my husbands just told him that we were wasting our money with our home daycare, and it wasn’t necessary for the kids to learn anything before they went to kinder. I really feel their daughter will be at a disadvantage when she begins, as they are planning on not working with her at all on anything.
     For my daughter right now, learning is fun, no pressures. She loves getting a worksheet and completing it. I am hoping that the early start she has will give her an advantage, and I’m hoping that by presenting learning as fun from the beginning, she’ll always enjoy it.
     The only one that is anxious about sending her to school is me, and that’s because I’m emotional at the thought of my baby growing up :). she, on the other hand, cannot wait, and we are on the countdown of how many days until school starts.

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463. Thanks for the list! I got a 5 year old who missed the start date by 15 days so she has a year to hang out with me. I agree there is a mutual responsibility for learning Parents+Teachers=Best opportunity for growth in our children!

     I esp. like the expectations for behavior!

     ~:)

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464. I teach K-5 music, and I would say that there are a few things to add, since “participate” in group music experiences is extremely broad. A child coming into Kindergarten music should be able to echo sung or spoken phrases, and simple patterns by clapping, patting or stomping. A child should be able to maintain a steady beat–maybe not consistent, but that takes time. :)

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465. I have a 5 year old, just turned 5 a few weeks ago. She is doing all of the above and more. I worry that she is somewhat behind!

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466. I Think that this is a great list of what kids should know. As a working parent it is really hard for some of us to devote time to teaching our kids. We as adults have to set aside the time to better our kids future. You have shown your child how to feed himself, walk, talk etc, etc, etc. We as parents shouldn’t leave educating our child soley up to the responsibility of Teachers or Schools. We need to lay the foundation of Education. You have to take the time and learn how your kid learns.

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467. Thank you for this post! my son is three years old and I want to ready him as much as I can for school, as well as when he starts school to continue his education at home as well. I am studying to become an elementary school teacher and I know the importance of education in the early years.
     For those that think that the kindergarten teacher should teach things like basic ABC’s 123’s, colors, shoe tying, etc. : the curricula that teachers are given for their students is very demanding and starts at an early age. Teachers need to focus on the curricula, and if a class or multiple students are falling behind on the more challenging skills because they have yet to master the basic skills that should be taught at home, then those hard working tax payers would think that their tax dollars are going down the drain. Teachers are tested again and again, and students are tested at a very young age to determine skill level in many subject areas. All of this data is put together to ‘grade’ a school and determine eligibility for the Title 1 funding, which is your tax dollars given to the school to better its programs and continue important programs like music and art. your child soaks up knowledge like none other in their earlier years, so why not take advantage of this? Be a role model for your children when it comes to education and continue their education at home. Education works best with a correlation between teachers and parents.

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468. So much ignorance & arrogance in the comments. I don’t even think these people know they sound that way…some are even teachers & administrators. Comparing children? Assumptions that the parent has lacked in their duties? Tax money is being wasted on a child that is behind in the class? It takes a village to raise a child. One person, one teacher, one administator can make a life long difference in a child’s life. I don’t care if the parent was lazy, busy working, or has a diability, education is a right in this country, not a privilage. I am outraged. I am disgusted. These are 5/6 year old innocent kids. People are clueless about how others live & what their circumstances are. My favorites are the polite arrogant ones that preface their bragging by saying, “I’m not saying this to brag, BUT….” I would really say what I think if I didn’t think it might be deleted. This has become a forum for hurting people, some on purpose, some out of ignorance.

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     1. I find this whole comment section sad in many ways. It shows just how competitive our society has become. All these parents bragging about what their 3 year old can already do and if your child can’t do it you aren’t doing your job. I can’t believe how much is expected of small children now thanks to the No Child Left Behind program and all the testing etc. My oldest son is 19 years old and he didn’t learn a lot of the things on this list until he was in Kindergarten. At the time he was little Hooked On Phonics was the thing to have. Everyone had to buy it and teach their child to read. I followed the advice from experienced educators at the time and left the whole learning to read thing alone, he learned to read in 1st grade with the rest of his class. Studies show a child is cognitively able to read at age 6 (1st grade) and not before. We push and push these kids and expect the parents to teach them and spend hours at home. I am not a “lazy” mom or slacker for anyone who wants to comment or judge me. I have a 4 year old and while he can do most things on this list he can’t do all of them and I’m not pushing him. He spends a lot of time playing outdoors, making up stories (he has a vivid imagination), getting in to things and exploring – what a 4 year old should be doing. He doesn’t spend his days being drilled and doing worksheets so he can compete and be “smarter” than the other kids or so that the teacher’s job is easier when he enters school next year. Studies have been done that prove children raised in the 1950’s (kindergarten attendance wasn’t the norm back then and preschool was very rare) scored just as high as kids today on achievement tests. When does all this pushing kids stop? Children are little for a very short time and they should be playing and just being kids. I feel I am qualified to comment because my oldest son turned out just fine. He went to preschool when he was 4 and learned the alphabet that year NOT before . At 16 years old he attended Harvard and is finishing his dual bachelor degrees at 19 years old. He has done well because we helped him with his homework, encouraged him and exposed him to many experiences. Let the kids be kids and learn when they are physically and cognitively able to.

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469. I am a mother of a 3 yr old. He knows his letters upper and lower, most his basic shapes, all the colors in the rainbow, most his numbers to 20, speaks Spanish and English. He loves to learn everyday. I think as parents when we read the things our children should know before they get to school we should say well then I’m doing a good job not ugh the teachers are lazy! That’s the last thing we should think. There are so many ways to teach your child. In the car choose child friendly music that counts or rhymes. In the home if its t.v choose educational shows like super why. I love being able to say I was my sons first Teacher. So I commend all Teachers who love to teach. I hope that parents can also teach there children basic respect for there teachers!

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470. Thanks this is just what I need! I have a 27 month old and a 13 month old and I didnt know where to start!

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471. I have a 4 year old and she will be starting kindergarten this coming year (2013). I also have a new born. my 4 year old can do all the things on the list above and more however it is a lot to take in… we tried pre-school and for us it just wasn’t working but not because the teacher was a bad teacher. she did all she could do with what she had and what she was told to do, and having 20 students whom some where not even potty trained. Our thing was our child is a strong will child. she is a very bright girl however if you can’t make her do her work, she wont. teachers lost the right to put children in time out or other actions, they lost there authority in the class room. how can you affectively teach a room of 20 when 3 or 4 fight you left and right. I was and still am a stay at home mom I showed up at the school every time the teacher called me. I spanked and put my child in time out every time she was bad at school and wouldn’t listen to the teacher. I talked to her every time I took her to school about being good and listening to the teacher, but nothing worked until I pulled her out and started teaching her myself. the only reason I put my child in school in the beginning because when I talked about home school I was told I couldn’t do it by family members however that is what she is and will be… I believe its not just the teachers and the system but also the parents with the student.. I may not work outside the home but my job never ends. I am at the beck and call of my children 24/7 with school and nursing the baby girl, I handle everything my husband needs me to (bills, cleaning, cooking, making sure he is ready for work, if anything with the cars happen its mine to deal with, doctor appointments even for the husband,) everything in the home is mine but by stepping up to the task my children will not surfer. Parents who work God Bless you and God speed but don’t be mad at teachers, step up, teach your children.. fighting about it will not change the fact of what the system wants from your child. support, teach and prepare your child.

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472. We just finished kindergarten last week. The requirements for both entering and exiting kindergarten vary from state to state, and school systems have the same goal for each student. they strive for success in today’s advanced world. I volunteered in his classroom and it was easy to determine which students had parents who worked with them from day one. Children all develop at different rates, both academically and socially, but the expectations are the same for everyone. It is a parent’s responsibility to discover where their child lacks, excels or is right on, before entering the school system. It is hard for a child to keep up with the rest of the class if they have to learn the basics of knowing the alphabet or being able to count after they enter school, the “expectation” that they already know the basics is there. I talked to my child’s school system the year before he was enrolled so he would be right where he needed to be. He had his challenges and excelled in other areas but making it fun for his was the key. He was behind in some areas compared to some of the other students, but he was ahead in other areas. Since he had a jump start, we could focus on what he needed more help with instead of taking the whole kindergarten year to teach him what he should have already known. In kindergarten he learned to read, spell up to 6 letter words and know their meaning, basic addition and subtraction, science concepts, geography and social skills. He also learned to write stories by conveying ideas in his writings with a beginning, middle and end, using at least 10 sentences with proper punctuation and capitalization. He began learning about time, money and spacial ideas. Kindergarten is far more advanced than most people realize. Go to your school ahead of time and ask them what your child should know. Help them feel confident by helping them learn the basics in an environment they are already comfortable with, your home, before they go to kindergarten. I already know the expectations in the coming year of first grade and we will keep learning over the summer. He learns while playing, riding in the car, eating and helping in the kitchen and in the yard. The world offers many opportunities to teach our kids something new every day. It’s way beyond just sitting at a desk and having it drilled into their heads. Make it fun, they can still be kids.

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473. I wanted to know what is the basic for children at this age. I see alot of parents saying well my child can ‘blah blah’. I have no need to list everything my son can do as he has been tested and has an IQ of 155. Parents can teach at home, i teach my child. My son goes to private school 3 days a week with 6 children in the class and 3 teachers and he also has a tutor. I do believe that MANY(not all) teachers are lazy and want the children to start school knowing all the stuff they are meant to teach them.

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474. homeschool all the way. my four year old boy will be five in october and he has known and been doing this all for over a year. one on one time is crucial in children.

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475. Wow. All of the bullying here is unbelievable! I just hope that the kids heading into Kindergarten with my son aren’t picking up on all of this terrible behavior. Your child can learn everything at 3, but if you yourself are not a kind and respectful person they will absorb this as well. Please do read to your children and teach them what they need to know for school, but don’t forget to also teach them how to be loving and compassionate. If they succeed in school and fail at relationships they will never be completely happy. Please don’t forget that the alphabet isn’t the only thing you are teaching your child.

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476. Hi I just added a link to my blog for parents/teachers to use and will add it to my Daycare Group on FB. This list will be very helpful to me as I work with the kids in my tiny daycare. Thanks so much for putting it together. I used the buttons you made for this post and also the 33 Ways to prepare your child for kindergarten. http://familyliteracy2.blogspot.com/2013/07/advise-needed-things-your-child-needs.html

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477. I am appalled by some of the comments on here about how parents expect their kids to learn all this from their Kindergarten teachers. These are things they should know BEFORE kindergarten. If they don’t know it, you are setting your child up for failure. They won’t have the head start they need to achieve, and they’ll struggle because many of the other children will know all this already. These are the same parents who expect the school system to raise their children for them and then blame the school and teacher when their child doesn’t succeed. Studies show that the children who do best academically are those who have strong parental involvement. Read to your children, ask them about their studies, help them when they struggle. Help your child succeed! Schools have a hand in it, but you need to do your part too. It’s called being a responsible parent.

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478. This is wonderful! I am a pre-K teacher and constantly have parents in panic asking me what their children need to know for next year. I try to avoid a checklist because it only makes those parents more panicky. But many of them need a list to ease their own angst and this is the best I’ve ever seen. In fact, I am going to use some of your wording to suggest some reinventions to our school’s bi-annual “assessments.”

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479. I just wanted to say that while I think it is important to spend time teaching your children and that my kids did a lot of these things when they entered kindergarten (some of them knew more, some of them struggled with some areas), I think the most important things are the self-control and social skills. I read to my kids, but not every night. We colored together, played blocks, etc. but not everyday. We just spent time together. Sometimes I would be so tired by the time bedtime came that me and the baby just laid on the bed making silly faces at each other. All of them are doing fine in school. Some of them pick things up quicker than the others and all of them have areas where they excel and subjects where they struggle but the one thing their teachers always tell me is that they enjoy having them in class because even if they struggled with their letters, or had extremely poor writing because they hadn’t developed the fine motor skills to do so neatly; they were polite, considerate of their classmates, and respectful of their teachers. Everything else, came at different times for each child. Believe me, your child’s kindergarten teacher would much rather have a child that struggles with counting to 20 but is well-mannered and kind than the child who can write paragraphs and perform long-division but doesn’t know how to say please and thank you, take turns, or respect his teachers and classmates.

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480. My last two cents-when I taught kindergarten in the late 80s, I always wished dads/grandpas/special male friend would show the boys how to use a urinal! Sometimes we weren’t in the classroom when some little guy needed to go and he’d go into the big kids’ bathroom and not know what to do.

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481. Thanks for this list. I would add a small self-help skills section: like dresses themselves (buttons, zipper, and YES-shoes), takes care of needs in bathroom (turn on faucet, rip paper towel, use soap dispenser, wipes, etc.). I’m a preschool teacher and we work on all of this stuff that parents don’t think about, or that parents autopilot through for their child WHICH IS OK, but they have to learn it before they are on their own for upwards of 35 hours a week. That’s why you send your child to preschool, so that they are PREpared for SCHOOL (see what I did there?). In some kindergarten classrooms, there are 30 students. No learning will be able to take place if a teacher has to tie 60 shoes 5 times a day, button and zip 30 flies countless times a day, and help students rip paper towel in the bathroom.

     go hug a teacher, they are shaping the next generation while being beaten up by the current one.

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482. If this is all they need to know entering kindergarten then clearly my child is too advance they gonna send her to 1st grade because she’s spelling reading writing adding n subtracting knows her 1 n 2 times table parents need to sit down with their kids and teach them too we can’t expect teachers to do it all the time they taking to teach a child something he or she should’ve already known its putting everyone behind n putting that teacher job on the line so help the teachers to help your child

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483. Hi. I found the comments more helpful than the article, which in it of itself is extremely helpful.

     I had surgery and was ill for a year and a half. Combined with the stress of losing a business, it has been quite the challenge for me to really focus on my kids’ education.

     I notice some kids can do things on here that my kids cannot. While I started to feel bad, I decided not to feel bad. I am here now, I am healthy and we have more stability. I am making my 3 and 4 year old’s education a priority now.

     Still, I feel like I need a LOT of help. I think starting small is a good start.

     I am thankful that my children are healthy and intelligent. I want to teach them more, get them up to speed, and most importantly, help them feel confident in themselves.

     My children know colors, letters and numbers. I would appreciate (non-judgmental) advice as to more that I can do with them.

     Thank you.

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484. I agree with most of the things on this list. I am an Early Childhood Educator and parent. I agree that you need to spend quality time playing with your children. But I think what most people are missing is that this list is preparing children for Kindergarten. This is for 4.5 – 5 year olds. It is unrealistic to expect a 2 or 3 year old to do many of these things. It is also not appropriate for his/her development. In a preschool or daycare these things are all taught, through play. What is most important for me as a parent, is knowing that my son can get along with others and has empathy. Remember these are children. They are unique and all learn at different rates. That is apparent with infants. Let them be children! Play with them and spend time with them and let them know they are valued and loved no matter what they do. They will learn everything else through preschool and school.

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485. I believe you start at home. My 3 yr. old and I practically live at the library (we go 3 -4 times/wk). We know most librarians by name, and they all know my son. Local libraries have so many resources, that it’s a shame for any child to not know those 71 items listed and more. I’m a stay-at-home mom, so I realize we may have a different advantage than those who work. However, that said, many local libraries offer story time in the evenings and on weekends, for children whose parents work; so there’s no reason why a child can’t learn many of those “basic” skills. Because I’m at home, I feel more pressure to make sure my son has the knowledge he needs and more – he is able to speak in French and English (actually, he’s better in French because I know he will have English full-on once he starts school). I think as long as the learning process is made fun, they’ll be open to it. Also, there are half-day preschools for ages 2 -4, which can be great for social interaction, which I think is very important. I think it’s sad when parents make excuses for not doing more with their children by saying, “oh they’ll learn the ABCs and 123s at school.” Give your children a head start – even if it’s something as simple as reading to them at bedtime or while they brush their teeth (sing a song to make it fun – sing the ABCs). I usually brush with mine so I’ll play the ABC song in the background on repeat – after 3x, we’re done. If you have a partner in the home or an older child that reads, even better – split the fun between everyone so that everyone participates. Your child doesn’t have to compose a sonata by age 6, like Mozart (but if he does, wonderful), however, you should want to give your child a better chance for successful learning in any environment.
     Best wishes to all (especially, those hard working parents inside and outside the home).

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486. Aside from skipping and such bigger kid physical activities, my 25 month old knows everything listed and more. She’s even starting to sound out words! It’s nice to see we’re in the right path. Thank you for this list.

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487. I’m not sure why everyone is getting up tight. This is here to give parents an idea of what they need to teach their children by kindergarten. Its not saying if your child does not do these things they are stupid. My son is 3 and I read this to get an idea of what to work with him on. Whether I like it or not I, as a parent, need to teach my son these things, well what he doesn’t already do, in the next year or two. I’m glad the list is up for me to use as a general guideline. Oh and for those bragging about how their kids being younger n knowing all these things, shame on you. It is not a contest.

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488. The majority of the list calls for skills which are not aligned to a 5 years old natural capabilities, especially for boys. To Natasha, the lady from Denmark. This is US, where killings in school are so frequent, where its reasoning debate goes from gun control to mental health issues…though they are global. When comes about my son education I so regret moving to this country( which might change), for having my boy in kindergarten here where the stress level is just an ordinary, where the teachers, backed by an uneducated system will push your kids’ limits untill one of them will crack ..and another and another… . I am so dissapointed to see a great nation, or better said, once great so uninformed ( could it be on purpose?) when comes about kids’ best. there are tons of studies supporting my words here, their brains are yet not ready for reading nor writing at such an early age. Let them be kids, and ket them learn through playing. Look to the Finns, and not only, their students are outperforming any other nation while they start reading at 7 if I’m not wrong. My fav book on the topic is Raising Cain by Dan Kindlon, Ph.D and Michael Thompson, Ph.D. I highly recommend it to teachers/ parents who think that if one kinder can not read then he must be idle back home. You are very wrong

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489. I have been fortunate to be able to stay home with my daughter. She is almost 2 now.I know not everyone is able to be a stay at home parent or lets be honeat is cut out to be (it is physically and emotionally and even somedays spiritually draining) but the truth is most of the day I let her play independently. She love an pretend play and actually rathers I just watch. When I feel its “learning” time I pick an activity and we play untill shes board (20-30 minutes max most days) then she will play and later we will pick another activity. so even if you cant stay home all day finding 20 minutes each night to do a learning activity with your child is the least that they deserve and can help them more then you realize.

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490. My 2 year old has most of this list down pack and I thought he was behind. We learn from 7 to around 11 ish then he has the rest of the day to himself.

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491. I think this is one of the most important info for me.
     And i’m glad reading your article. But want to remark on few general things, The web site style is perfect,
     the articles is really excellent : D. Good job, cheers

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492. my child is 3 year and 2 month now ,he knows all what is above and more he can read first grade stories and write words only what he don’t know is to use scissor and am working with him .He can sit for hours and keep writing and filling up his practice books but I wonder if they accelerate him to kindergarten

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493. AWESOME CONVERSATION..!!
     I really enjoyed reading. I am a strong advocator in early learning. Congratulations to the parents sharing and valuing importance of learning in the early years. Thank you very much to this website. This really made my day. I am a Fijian Girl currently teaching Early Childhood Education (ECE) in New Zealand, taught ECE in Fiji for 10 years, 7 years at the primary education and another 4 years lecturing at the university in the south pacific. Through these years experiences, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT ITS THE ADULTS THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH CHILDREN ARE TO BE TAUGHT THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUES OF EARLY LEARNING IN THE CHILDREN. Because in these ways they will be better parents and as a results we will have quality citizens of tomorrow.

     Reaching out to the parents/ caregivers and guardians is paramount to a holistic teaching and learning package for preschoolers. Its these adults who birthed these young minds to live in an environment where they grow. develop and learn. Teachers are just part of the package, and should be committed to a partnership with the 3 parties mentioned.
     LOVE YOU ALL & YOU ALL REMAIN BLESSED.

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494. This is a pretty good list. But if you really want to know what your child needs to know before they start kindergarten just got to your child’s state educational website and look up the 1st quarter standards for each subject. I would also add ZIPPING THEIR COASTS AND TYING THEIR SHOES.

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495. I think a list like this should be compiled for parents when their child registers for kindergarten. My Mom works in a kindergarten classroom and some kids showed up on their first day with the ability to write their own name, and some children couldn’t even recognize the first letter of their name. Where she is, preschool teachers are actually not ALLOWED to teach children anything like this, and it puts the kindergarten teacher in a place where she has to somehow teach kids in extremely different places to all be in the same place by Grade 1. It’s virtually impossible – especially since the kids who haven’t been taught at home will need to constantly have special attention. I’m shocked by the mentality here that it’s the teachers’ responsibility to teach everything to our children – as a parent I want to be sure that my children learn what they need to and although it would be great if the school system and kindergarten teachers, etc. were ‘perfect’ – I’m not, so I can’t expect them to be. Ultimately it’s more important to me that my children become successful people than to point fingers at who is ‘dropping the ball’ as it were. Thanks for this list.

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496. As an elementary special education teacher, I’ve been saddened to discover that children are not playing games as much today as I was as a child. Games such as pick up sticks, kerplunk, Ants in the Pants, Old Maid, Barrel of Monkeys, Battleship, Life, Clue, Candyland, Connect4, Cootie, Don’t Spill the Beans, Monopoly, Mouse Trap, Operation, Rack-O, card games, Trouble, Twister, Yahtzee, outside games (hide & seek), Scrabble, Skipbo, Uno, Count Down & Spell Up all taught educational strategies such as balance, fine motor, adding, subtracting, deductive reasoning, critical thinking skills, visual motor skills, social skills, problem solving, multi-step directions, graphing, patience, memorization.

     I encourage parents and my students to play games. In fact, I often have game day Fridays where my students play some of these games in order to learn these skills.

     I’d encourage preschool moms to pick up these preschool games and play them with your children. Have game nights with the family.

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497. This is basically this years’ list for my son’s preschool…but he’s only 3! I hate that there is so much pressure even at 3 to be kindergarten-ready.

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498. I think these are completely reasonable but I think being able to read sight words should be on the list too
     My son just turned 5 and can do way more than this. He’s been speaking clear sentences since he was almost 2. He’s even reading. I have him read everything including menus lol. He gets excited when he reads a difficult word like refrigerator or dictionary. He’s currently in preschool and we work with him at home.
     I know a few kids his age who won’t talk to other people and you can’t understand them. I believe it’s lack of socialization to be honest but I only know that’s true with a couple of them.
     You have to work with them at home, period.

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499. Im not sure if anyone reads this any more but i’ve been preparing my kid for kindergarten but i didnt know where to start. This page is amazing but im looking for where my kid should be by now. I try to make everything fun with learning for her, while at the same time learning the concept i’m giving her which isn’t an easy task. hats off to you teachers. I’m not being an over bearing parent but shell be three in a month. I was just looking for directions on what she should have a grasp on and any new techniques that have worked that would work as well. If anyone responds that would be awesome. Thank you

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     1. Hi Michael! With your daughter getting ready to turn 3, I would focus on making reading aloud to her a priority for at least 20 minutes each day. Read high-quality picture books with enthusiasm and inflection. Start working on identifying letters and their sounds. Talk about rhyming words. All of this can be easily incorporated into a simple conversation or even in the car just a few minutes a day. You can find more ideas here: https://www.icanteachmychild.com/2012/06/33-ways-to-prepare-your-child-for-kindergarten/

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500. WOW! Such an extensive list! I am always looking for informative blogs to help my child care academy teachers find new, fun ways to teach! I am excited to share this list of 71 things to know! Thanks so much for sharing!

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501. I do have to say that I didn’t know what was expected of my daughter before she got to kindergarten. This doesn’t mean she didn’t know certain things just not EVERYTHING. She went to pre-k through the public schools so the curriculum is there to prepare them and my husband and I worked with her on other basic skills. However, we were not given a list of 71 things to know.

     Also, at first my daughter was having a hard time in kindergarten but now, 1/2 way through, she is right on par and very eager to read and learn how to spell words. She asks me all day what new words mean and how to spell them. I love seeing this in her. She’s doing really well in other aspects of her learning as well.

     It makes me sad to see such judgment by other mothers. We are all doing the best we can. As my mother always said, “If you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all.”

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502. I am junior in high school, and I am in a program that helps me become a teacher. With that program, I am qualified to be a substitute teacher right out of high school. But I really want to get a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education, and preschool is what I mostly want to teach. I like this list, and I can already think of many activities that I could put together. I have a lot of ideas now, thanks! :) Creative dramatics could be playing dress up, which I loved to do when I was in preschool. Also, there’s nothing on the list about science, which is important for a preschooler. They need to observe the world around them. I would suggest, as a class, planting a garden and having all the kids work together on it; watering them and watching them grow. Not only is it teaching them how flowers grow, it is also giving them a sense of accomplishment. They`ll be proud of themselves that they made the flowers grow.

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503. It seems to me that we should be looking at what the child wants to learn, instead of coming up with a list that they have to learn. I realize that the list part is mostly from the government, but as parents (and teachers) we should be encouraging children’s natural curiosity. I have a five year old, and he is constantly asking questions. All I need to do is answer them, or help him figure out where to find the answer.
     After the K-12 years, a child is expected to specialize in something (a career). Why aren’t we encouraging that specialization from the beginning? Along the way, they would learn how to read, write, speak, add, multiply, etc. because it is how they will continue to explore that subject.
     Kids want to learn. I feel like we are just pounding that natural curiosity out of them by requiring that they learn certain things. Give them a choice!
     Also – every child is different, just as each mother, father, teacher is different. Everyone has there own weaknesses and strengths. Or as Albert Einstein said “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
     All we can do is our best.

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504. So, I have not read all 900+ comments, please forgive me if I’m repeating another’s comment. I am a mother of four special needs kiddos ages 7, 5, 4, & 2. Three of them have Autism Spectrum Disorder. Two out of the four also have severe emotional disturbance issues due to their life circumstances before being adopted into our family through foster care. When I read the list of 71 Things Your Child Needs to Know Before Kindergarten, it was very much like all of the speech, occupational, and physical therapy evaluations my kiddos have had over the past several years. I think that it’s fabulous that some children are advanced in all areas and can do all or most of the things listed before kindergarten. I think it’s okay if some kiddos have areas of great strength and some of weakness. Every kiddo is different, which is what makes life so interesting. But I couldn’t resist thinking, as I read this post, that it’s a great guideline to follow if you have any concerns about your child’s development. If your child is struggling in many areas listed here, talk to your pediatrician. Have them evaluated. If there are only specific areas where your child struggles, consider that there’s a huge range of skills, and even differences between boys and girls, and when they learn specific skills. But, there are a lot of skills here, that aren’t necessarily taught by a teacher or parent, they just come with development. If your child doesn’t have those skills, then ask questions, so you can help your child in the best way possible. Not a single one of my kiddos meet all of the criteria on this list. In fact not one of them fits most of the criteria, but I work hard with educators to help them do the best they can. If nothing else this post is just a reminder of what I need to continue to work on with my kiddos each and every day. But, they may never be able to do some of these things, and that’s okay.

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     1. I sincerely appreciate your thoughtful comment! Thanks so much!

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505. I am currently in school earning my Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education. I also have 6 children, 4 of whom are in school, so I have spent a great deal of time working with this age group. Your list is quite comprehensive and covers most everything I could think of; with one exception. Part of each Kindergarten Pre-Assessment includes a child being handed a simple story book (generally upside-down/backward) and being asked to point out the text; where you would begin reading the story. It is shocking and saddening how many children can’t identify the text of a story, or don’t even recognize that a book is upside-down. READ to your kids! They will pick up on so much! This list is wonderful, but we seem to feel as a society that kids should learn everything in school…we as PARENTS must better prepare them! Do we honestly expect a single teacher with 20+ students to teach our children everything on this list in 2 1/2 hrs. per day?

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506. These things used to be taught in kindergarten, so the child could actually spend the years before kindergarten being a kid. Playing and not worrying about ‘learning’ because learning occured naturally. It’s so sad that our kids are made to be responsible for so much so soon, especially since they aren’t ending up nearly as smart as previous generations, who were allowed to be kids longer and without pressure or guilt. It’s a very said commentary on our country.

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507. My daughter turned 4 in march. She knew how to do everything on the list by her 3rd birthday. Now she is 4 and i am struggling to teach her things. we have moved onto learning how to distinguish money and count money. I have her doing household chores because she finishes her ‘school work’ and she is bored! my youngest is 1 and has already started writing and painting. she can barely talk but i already know that by 4 we will be having the same problem: do i start teaching them grade 1 level activities and math? addition and subtraction is a simple idea for my 4 year old. i introduced french just to keep her busy. i have people tell me shes gifted but to be honest i do not spend much time teaching her. she is like s sponge. i say something once and its like she already knew it. i find it sad that she will be bored in JK, where i know there will be classmates who will barely be able to do half the things she can. (i know this because during the tour of her school the teacher boasted about the SK class and how much they have accomplished by the end of the kindergarten program and its exactly what my daughter can already do)

     we need to do some upgrading in the kindergarten curriculum….our children are our future and i expect more than ever from them. they are capable of so much more just given a few extra moments everyday. learning is about those moments between the things that need to be done. like counting aloud each stair your child is climbing. its simple and builds more than their education: it builds confidence which is the key to prosperity.

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508. Does anyone have a copy of the “FLORIDA EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENTAL STANDARDS FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS”? – thanks a bunch!!!

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509. I’m shocked at some of the comments left. I did not have a child so the state can pay someone else to teach her everything. She has been in daycare some, but she isn’t even 3 yet and knows how to tie her shoes and almost everything on the list. Kids love to learn, especially when you teach on their level, pointing out things and spending time with them. I want my child to excel in school and feel that if I can teach her anything, I will.

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510. No, I think this is c***. There are no unreal expectations here in Europe and thank god for that. What a load. For the record, my 4 year old can do all of ‘this’ but that is besides the point.

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511. I teach 6th grade and some of my students can’t do that….the one I have to laugh at is the use the appropriate amount of glue for a project. They had glue ALL over my tables…on their hands, etc. Good Luck Kindergarten teachers!!

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512. Wow! These parents all give yourselves a pat on the back!!! If your child can do those things, good for you and good for them but why do you feel it necessary to then degrade kids and parents who can’t or don’t do the stuff you do with your kids?! Me thinks it’s best you all stick to what you do and stop criticising those who don’t conform to what you think should be normal.

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513. When my daughter was born, you could have showed me this checklist and I’d have scoffed at it and said, “Please. She’ll be able to do all this stuff well before that.” And if life had been different, I’d be one of the parents here gloating about their little geniuses and how they’ve hit every milestone. That’s not the case. The universe realized I was full of hubris and gave me a child who has spent the past nearly-5 years teaching ME. My little girl has sensory processing issues, early signs of severe ADHD, motor delays and had a severe speech delay. She has spent a year and a half in speech therapy and occupational therapy. We work with her at home, she does two hours worth of therapy a week, and she went to preschool all last year. She will not hit all of these milestones by kindergarten.

     According to comments here – and other articles I’ve seen circulating lately – I’ve failed my daughter and her entire academic future is set in stone. She can’t read enough, she doesn’t have big enough of a vocabulary, her fine motor skills are lacking, and apparently that means she’s destined for a life of failure and I’m not doing my job as a parent because it’s so easy to help your kid, right?

     Not so much. Not when the system is stacked against you. Not when you have to argue with friends, doctors, evaluators (one did not complete the evaluation at 18 months because she passed her expressive language skills and did not test for receptive, which was where her issues were most severe and she would have failed), and teachers who gloss over the child’s issues in school or mark it as a discipline problem – like the gymnastics coach who was punishing her repeatedly thinking she was ‘bad’ when it turns out she was a 3 year old with the receptive language skills of an 18 month old – no wonder she wasn’t listening, she didn’t understand the directions! So finally, you get your kid help – you get them into therapy, you work at home, but they’re behind and it’s going to take a lot of time and work to get them where they need to be, and they probably won’t be there when they start school. Then you see something like this, and the comments . . . and it hurts, because the attitudes are already there: if your kid isn’t where they ‘should’ be you are already being judged. People don’t say ‘What if there’s some sort of delay here?’ They say, “How can your child NOT be able to do this?! Why, my little darling was writing perfect sonnets in iambic pentameter by the age of two and a half!” Then you start to worry you’ll have a teacher who assumes you’ve failed your kid or they are ‘bad’ somehow – and that’s IF you know there’s a delay you’re working on. What about undiagnosed kids? This is how they fall through the cracks. Things like this should come with a side note that if your kid isn’t hitting the milestones, bring it up to their pediatrician and have a therapist evaluate for possible delays – that it just might not be that you didn’t do enough or read enough or practice this or that enough – that they just need a little extra help on their way to success.

     And, on the subject of future success -the real checklist for parents is:

     1. Accept your child for who they are. Learn about them as an individual. They are more than just a child, they’re a future adult who deserves to be recognized and appreciated for what they are, not what you want them to be.

     2. Use their strengths to build confidence and encourage learning and curiosity. If they love animals, buy or borrow lots of books about animals to work on reading skills. Animal puzzles for fine motor. Set up a small fishtank and let them help plant it and care for it and monitor the temperature.

     3. Approach their weaknesses in a way that doesn’t make them feel like they’re not good enough. Show them that mistakes are just a way to try again until you get it right. Let them know there are things YOU are not good at either, and that you have to work hard and that it feels great when you finally do something that was really hard.

     4. Model good social skills with others. If there is a conflict, ask them what they think should be done to make everything better. Introduce the concept of fairness and work on empathy. Encourage them to approach children who seem shy or alone and teach them to introduce themselves. This builds confidence as well as teaches them how to be a good person. When you get frustrated, let them see you handle it appropriately – by deep breathing, counting to ten, whatever works.

     5. Don’t make it seem like their value as a person is entirely tied up in what they can do, because then they’ll be afraid to fail and disappoint you. I say this as someone who skipped two grades entering school, who read at a college level in first grade, took college classes at 15 – nothing sours learning for a child as much as the fear of letting people down when you think that they are only proud of you because of how smart you are. This is especially a word to all those here bragging about how brilliant their kids are. I was that kid. I was your kid. I was burnt out by the time I was a senior in high school at 16. I couldn’t sleep, had stomach problems . . . everything. My mom loved me unconditionally, but I was terrified of failure. I never learned how to handle failure. Never learned that you can be bad at something and just keep chipping away til you get it. I felt like an idiot when I couldn’t quite grasp advanced math. My teachers said things like, “I heard about how smart you are. I know you can do this, you just aren’t trying hard enough.” I kept getting put in advanced classes for math when I shouldn’t have been there. I tried to let people around me know I wasn’t able to do it and needed extra help, and nobody listened.

     I’ve written a novel here, but maybe it’ll help someone else who’s read this and suddenly feels a world of fear at their child entering school. Your child will be okay. Even if they’re lagging behind, if you are there for them every step of the way, they will be okay. They will succeed. All they need is a strong support system at home.

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     1. I love this! And I love your checklist! :) I totally agree that our children teach US as much as we teach THEM. Nothing ever seems to go according to plan when it comes to our kids. But the best thing we can do for them is to love them unconditionally and be their biggest cheerleader and advocate.

        Thanks so much for sharing your heart!

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     2. Bravo and well said! My son is 3 years old and on the spectrum. I am an early child educator, and despite working on these skills every day with NT children I know that I (and anyone else for that matter) is inadequate to assuring that he marks off that monstrous list before he hits kindergarten.

        I put the majority of my attention on social skills, stress management skills, self care skills, and trying as best I can to promote his comfort in public learning environments (he used to be at my center but I moved him to one specifically aimed at integrating SN children, so my control in this sphere is now limited.) It seems so much of it depends on their comfort level in the classroom. There are at least five items up there I see that I would formerly have marked off as “achieved” when he was at my center, but he does NOT do at the new preschool simply because he is not yet COMFORTABLE there.

        I think what I’m getting to in a rambling way is sure this is great, but educators need to meet parents half way here. SN or simply late blooming children aren’t going to respond as well if your first priority is their skill set.

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514. i love this list however it is directed at most kids….. my child has an austim specrtum disorder (ASD) and can only do about 90-95% of those. yes i am sending him on to kindergatrn. he is going to a school run by the district for kids on the spectrum. im happy my kid can do most of these but i feel like a failure cause he cant do the rest. if youre reading this nad your kid is “normal” be thankful. this list is great but again thats if your child is normal

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515. Everyone says well any parent with any amount of time can teach there kids everything they need to know but if everyone had exactly the same life yes I could see that some people are living in Hell everyday just trying to survive with there children! I personally have esrd and have serious health problems I read with my son and love him and spend time with him but life with dialysis and doctors appointment possible life threatening situations everyday don’t leave a ton of time for pounding flash cards at my son! Everyone is so quick to judge but you never know what the family is dealing with so maybe we all don’t have it so easy…..I need the help of the teachers and staff in our school system it’s a lot I know but some families can’t do it all on there own there are days I can’t hardly walk! Just doing the basic things it takes to care for my son is all I can I do because if I don’t watch myself I won’t be there to see my son grow up at all! ! So brag away we all are not lazy horrible parents! You just have the easy life and you don’t even know it!

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516. He’ll it would be nice If high school kids could do 1/2 of this.

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517. As a former preschool teacher, we work on all of this to prepare your child for Kindergarten. It does seem like a lot for a 5/6 year old to know, but it helps them in the long run. Not every child will know all of this, every child learns at their own pace. It does help your child if you take even 10-15 min a day at home to practice letters, numbers, counting etc. This is a great checklist for parents to follow if they are not planning on sending their child to preschool or pre-k before Kindergarten.

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518. I agree with this checklist. I am 14 and I am an assistant in the kindergarten class at a summer camp and it is very sad to see children come in who don’t know much. I think as educators it is our job to try to fill in what the parents don’t do. I think it is so amazing how fast children can learn things through different methods like songs, dances, etc. It is not hard to sit your child down and show them how to color in the lines. I’m not even a real teacher but I care about the children I look after and I think it is really important that parents do their jobs. I was so surprised when I did a lesson today on safety and half of the kids in the class did not know what number to call in an emergency. I think as responsible caregivers we should really step it up and do everything we can to make these children as smart as they can be and teach them everything we can so they can be prepared for life.

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519. While this list is helpful, I would like to assure parents not to stress over them. Jeez, when I entered kindergarten I didn’t know a single thing on this list, I barely even spoke English. However, I had learned everything on this list and reading and writing by the time I entered first grade. And we had play centers, and a 15 minute recess and 30 minute recess respectively. My parents spent lots of time with me yet school stuff was for school and school was my job. I am now about to be a senior and am in all advanced classes; I’m not gifted yet I am not behind either.
     What I mean to say is that all that really matters is your kid’s approach to learning. They’ll go only as far as they want to because it is ultimately your child’s responsibility. And if they have to repeat kindergarten… is that really so terrible? They would only be a year older than their peers and could always catch up later down the road as they mature, they would also even know their material better. I cried because I couldn’t read ‘th’ when I was in kindergarten, yet in second grade I only read chapter books- as in Cornelia Funke, 500 page chapter books.
     So parents, whether your child is a genius at two or a child like I was, if you cared enough to want to see a checklist of where your child ‘needs’ to be, you have not failed your child and they can succeed despite present circumstances. 13 years of education is a long time and where your child was at 4,5,or 6 **does not** determine where they will be as an adult.
     Remember, the future isn’t set in stone, rather it is written in a number two pencil.

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520. This is a fantastic list and I actually feel like most Kindergartners enter kindergarten knowing more than what this list specifies. However, children are on different levels and excel in different areas, so I would not stress out if your child in not doing everything on this list.
     After reading many of the comments above it baffles my mind to see people saying that they are not capable of working with their children or that their teacher should be teaching all of the material. Our job as a parent it to teach our children in every area of life in some regard. Kindergarten is one grade that I (hope) all parents can work with their children…everyone knows the ABC song and can count to 20. It only takes a small amount of time to play with your child or work with your child to ensure that they are learning what they need to know. It does not have to be a flash card, recite after me, kind of experience; have fun with your child.
     Please understand, I am aware that some children have disabilities. I am only referring to the parents that were complaining about teachers not doing anything.

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521. My 3 1/2 year old can’t do a lot of stuff on this list and that’s OK. I have tried to read to him everyday of his life. He doesn’t like it. He screamed as a baby, as a toddler he took the books that I tried to read him while he played out of my hands and put them on the ground, now he will listen to the books. I work with him daily on learning to count and learning his letters and he is struggling. That doesn’t mean I’m a bad mom or he’s a bad kid. He is just focusing on other things in his life. He rides bikes and climbs and runs around. His gross motor is great and he will get the rest of it when he gets it.

     Other moms out there who are feeling insecure because your child isn’t WAY ahead, they don’t need to be and the fact that they’re not doesn’t mean you’re not trying.

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     1. hey Karli
        I was just going to cry after reading this article, but then I read your comment. Thanks a lotttttttt.

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        1. This is what they call “First grade in Kindergarten”. Your child doesn’t “need to know” anything academic (letters or numbers) before going to Kindergarten, and there are a lot of them who never use scissors or liquid glue before Kindergarten.

           This actually looks like the checklist they used to use for graduating from Kindergarten.

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           1. Though a child that has to test into kindergarten because of the age cut offs has to score in the 96% on the tests. They must know all that and be able to cut shapes out. Makes no sense to me.

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           2. If you think that is the list for the end of kindergarten, you are way off base.
              It is a pretty good list, however, many are what I work on with my students at the beginning of kindergarten.

              The most important ones, in my opinion, are those that include self control, listening skills, and social skills with adults and peers. In addition to the above, students who have been read to and talked to a lot come in ready to learn. Students who have never been taught any basics (simple counting, letters in their name, writing their name, colors & basic shapes) will come in behind the eight ball and have to spend time catching up. These are not skills that you teach the month before they start kindergarten, they should just be taught as opportunities arise–It should not be a stressful thing. Teachers love to get students that are excited about learning. We don’t expect them all to know everything.

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           3. I agree with you that it looks like a list AFTER graduating from Kindergarten and SHOULD BE!Unfortunately, it is what our local kindergartens are looking for in Upstate, New York. I teach in a private, Christian Preschool open to all ( I stress Christian only because we are called to teach by our hearts). It is such a fine line to prepare the children for what the schools say they need to be able to do while allowing them to be CHILDREN. We do it with a child-friendly, hands- on- approach and fun way to learning. Our children love the program and always ask to stay longer. I do however have to be their advocate when a certain skill needs to have a bit more time to develop. Skills that they want to see at the screenings often are not yet developmentally correct for these children to have had mastered yet! We are speaking up and educating parents as well to be our children’s voices and not to continue to PUSH them and turn them off to the rest of their educational journey. Each child is unique and should be allowed to grow at their own pace. They are the best teachers if we watch and listen they show us how they best learn and grow and often on their own end up mastering more but IF NOT they need the time to bloom.

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           4. This is a good list I teach Pre-K and that is most of what we learn in my class to have them ready for kindergarten.

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           5. Where we live (Wisconsin) children are expected to know the things on this list entering Kindergarten. By the end of Kindergarten they are expected to be able to read 3 letter words. I’m not saying that is right or wrong—-just saying that is what the expectations are now.

              When I was a kid in the 70s and 80s, the things I learned in First Grade are now the things kids are learning in Kindergarten . It’s just how it is now. That’s why you will find more and more parents waiting until their children are 6 to start Kindergarten. Especially with boys, many of them are not ready at age 5 for the academic rigor that is Kindergarten today.

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     2. I agree, no one should feel insecure for things like this. People looked at me funny because my son wasn’t potty trained by the time he was walking (who said it was a race, anyways?? I’m talking like, 1 year old). He just wasn’t interested at the time. I think he was about three when he decided he was interested, and he took care of business. Same thing with working on his letters. He had his numbers down, and could write them with no help at all whatsoever, but at the time he just wasn’t as interested in his letters. It took some time (and a bit of persistence and creative work on my part, I must say lol) to get him interested in his letters to get him to finally practice them. If a kid isn’t interested, they’re just not interested. Granted we should work to find ways to MAKE them interested, sometimes it just has to be done on their time, not how some stranger on the internet SAYS it should be done. Not to mention differences in development. There are so many variables; I hate it when my friends have come to me saying they feel bad that their child isn’t at a certain point by a certain time. All kids are different.

        As for the list, I think it’s a great list to use as a base. Every child is different, some things may apply and some may not. But it gives you something to look at and ideas on areas that may need focusing on. Sounds good to me.

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        1. Thanks for your positive and constructive comment, Kathleen! Totally agree! :)

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     3. You are right on target mom!! As a preschool teacher for 24 years, most parents worry themselves and their kids into great stress striving to have them “ahead”. What’s wrong with being average. Unless you have reason you think your child has some type of learning difficulty and needs professional intervention, they’ll get what they need by kindergarten. At 3 1/2 its’ learning through play!

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522. As a person with Asperger’s Syndrome, I couldn’t do the majority of the things on this list, and I turned out alright. I think the problem relies upon the way the general society feels people should react versus the necessary way people react all on their own. It’s a matter of functional versus emotional ability, and anything out of the ordinary is something people question and want to fix.

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523. Is there a way I could download this list into a PDF or Word document? I love this list and would to have it for quick access!

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     1. I have a printable (and slightly condensed) version here: https://www.icanteachmychild.com/33-ways-to-prepare-your-child-for-kindergarten/

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524. I just heard the requirements for preschool went up in Ca. I heard that a child needs to know certain words too. Do you know anything about this?

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     1. I haven’t heard this, but I don’t live in California. I will say this: there is no “pre-requisite” for children starting kindergarten at a public school. They will make the modifications necessary so that your child’s needs are met. Thanks for commenting!

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        1. What happened to the days of Kindergarten screenings to see if the child was prepared to start school?

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           1. Kindergarten screenings are still done in most places. However, the answer’s the same for almost every kid: if your child is six years old or will be turning six soon, then they will tell you that you should (or must, depending upon the place) enroll him or her. If your child is barely five, then they will suggest that you wait, because older kids are easier for them. Even if your kid is actually a genius, they will suggest waiting.

              The only difference that the Kindergarten screening seems to make is about special education: if your child’s development is significantly slower than typical, then they’ll see whether special services are needed.

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              1. This comment is actually not true. My child will be BARELY 5 and is still encouraged to start.

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                 1. That’s the difference in locations I guess because here they test but make the expected grade so high they have not had anyone test into kindergarten. So the statement is probably true in her area.

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                 2. We need to all remember that each state has different requirements and what we call cut off dates. Our kindergartens ask that children be 5 years old by Dec. 1st. However, 5miles down the road there are schools who extend that to the 15th of Dec. which I have seen children who really could use the extra year in a preschool be pushed to kindergarten even when socially they are young for what will be expected. Often this happens with our boys, they learn differently than the girls and when they just turned 5 “in time” to be allowed to register they struggle. This is not fair to them, they are developmentally on target just young. Sorry this is so long but I am so passionate about providing the best we can for our children and have seen when pushing them in kindergarten results into problems in 2nd and 3rd grades.

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                    1. Great point Patty. In our school system, kids have to be age 5 by Sept. 1 to enter Kindergarten but many boys especially are not ready for Kindergarten at age 5, especially with all that they are expected to know. So many parents keep their kids out until they are 6. For boys especially that can be a very good thing.

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     2. My best friend is a 3rd grade teacher in Ca. and my daughter is getting ready to start TK cause she wont be old enough for kindergarten she told me to work on these words with her cause by the end of kindergarten she will need to know these words. Fry Sight Word List 1-25 – Fish for Words – Sight …

        https://www.fishforwords.com/docs/fry_sight_word_list_25.pdf

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525. Jenae as it is always, this write-up is also an amazing piece! Appreciate your deep thoughts, helpful for both parents and children; running an awareness program amongst society is really much appreciable. Going to kindergarten is how much painful for us, we know it exactly. Soothing factors are always welcomed. Tips given by you are seemingly more approachable and can make the guardians, children and the teachers feel better, making their job easier – On top of all, getting a child to kindergarten initially a process that should be handled with a great care, much insights and patience, because it is our little buddies who would ever want us to handle them like this; isn’t good enough?

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526. No one cares if your two year old is ready for Kindergarten. Good on ya that they are but this list is for older children that are actually going to school soon. Why is mothering a competition? Why do we have to cut one another down? Why don’t we realize that we are all in this together and help each other out instead of belittling each other? Every child is different, every parent is different, every relationship is different, some parents work, some don’t, some are single parents, some are straight, some are gay, some are dealing with poverty, or addiction or physical or mental illness. No one has a right to make anyone feel belittled and inadequate. You have only walked in your own shoes. EVERYONE you meet is fighting their own fight. You have no idea.
     While my daughter (almost 5) is beautiful and smart and talented and will do just fine in Kinder next year, my family has been up against a lot during her short little life and it’s been way harder than I could ever have imagined. So yeah, life sometimes gets in the way of what we are “supposed” to be doing. Luckily kiddos are resilient and all they need is time and love to thrive! Keep on keepin on mamas! You are doing just fine!

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     1. PS,

        I personally love your site and really appreciate the resources you provide!

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527. My son is only 14 months and he does a few of these things already (knows ABCs, identifies uppercase letters (A, B, C), knows three out of the 10 colours, knows “1” and “2”, can follow simple one-step directions, holds a pencil and can write a “C”, draws , scribbles, and plays pretend, cleans up without direction, and shares well on most days! Makes me feel pretty confident that he will be ready for kindergarten!

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     1. Very interesting, most kids can only say a few words at this age. I am very surprised that your child can say there whole ABCs and more he might be gifted

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     2. Candice, your son is probably gifted. My 17 month old knows how to do most of this (except for cutting, glueing, etc). I had no idea until a friend of mine who teaches gifted students told me she thinks my daughter is gifted. I’m glad someone told me because there are a lot of things to learn about gifted children (they sleep less, are very critical of themselves and others, etc). That is why I’m telling you! Maybe you can read up on it.

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528. I have 3 boys – one in preschool and two in Pre-K and I think that daycare (which we call school) is well worth the investment. It teaches a lot of things on this list. Not to say that moms and dads could not teach all of these things to their children, but I believe it prepares them for kindergarten and the routine of learning early.

     Great list! There are a few things on here I want to work on with my little ones, so I appreciate the ideas. http://www.awesomewriter.com

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529. I found your 71 Things Your Child Needs to Know Before Kindergarten very helpful. I am a stay-at-home mom and have chosen not to send my child to Preschool due to costs. I like to think I am a patient person, and I have enjoyed teaching and going over everything with my children. My daughter will be entering Kindergarten this year and I was looking for a guideline to go over with her. This was perfect! I am very proud of how well she has done. After going over this long list, I feel very comfortable sending her to Kindergarten round-up and then Kindergarten. Thank you for posting this information.

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530. It says in the head of this article that every child is different and learns w either gifted or slower in skills that its just a guideline! Also not to stress as parents!? Lol
     We need to read more haha

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531. I have 3points to make: 1. The people who commented on how each child is different, all learn differently and at different levels, and some have undiagnosed problems like ADHD, passengers, dyslexia,High level autism, emotional immaturity, I feel too we need to teach in schools empathy, understanding, team work, self confidence,amongst students too. Bullying starts early, and is so destructive to a child’s emotional, mental, intellectual well-being. 2, not every child is ready for kindergarten at 5 (even 6), esp. some boys), some are at 3 1/2. Readiness tests I think should be brought back to use. ( pre-kindegarten use to be effective in some districts for those children who don’t pass readiness tests. Emotional, and mental, and intellectual, readiness together. 3. Teach our children at home and teachers in school can instruct children to report bullying to teachers or parents(if is themselves), and teach children to stick up and protect those that are being bullied by reporting as soon as seen. Rules be enforced to those who bully and show and teach them to respect others rights and love each other and that they won’t be accepted by peers if behavior continues.

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532. How about “Plays well with others”. Folks, this is just a guideline.

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533. So first off those who think its a teachers job to teach your child letters..how to write their names are just flat out stupid. Maybe its my preschool teaching background or the fact my 4year old had most of this list mastered by age 1 1/2 and is on YouTube but I’m a working mother and if you start when they are young surely the whole 10minutes a day thing will work but if you wait it might be hard I was raised taught to start at newborn because its giving the children a want and desire to have learning time ..wanting to learn instead of only playing and easier to introduce letters numbers at birth and continued teaching daily with it so “they grow up knowing it” instead of “having to learn it” at age 2 or whoever parents generally start…my sister is 9years old doing reading at 5th grade level and my mom worked with her since birth she passed 100% istep for reading and math! Now, my 7year old is lacking and hates to sit and learn but I was really chill with her learning from birth..my son I changed and did his since birth and the difference is tremendous.. My 9month old can communicate most needs and wants thru cards or signing or words. To those who are starting to teach at age 4-5 just try to incorporate it all the time and for those with babies START NOW!! (= and a teachers job is yo teach but not raise a child..quit being lazy parents get off your butts and show some care and concern you are shaping your child’s future now!!

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     1. I’ve always subscribed to the notion that kids need to enjoy just being kids. There is no way I’d start ‘teaching’ a newborn. There are so many constructive ways to incorporate meaningful learning into daily activities without stressing yourself (and your child) out. To imply that parents are lazy and stupid because they don’t do things the way you do is incredibly ignorant and unfair.

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        1. I can’t speak for the above poster, but i don’t think anyone means to teach a newborn the way you would teach a 4 yo. As a newborn, to me, it just means exposure and talking to your baby. I choose books for my baby that “teach” or expose him to counting, colors, shapes. I describe the things he’s looking at. “Look at the black cat.” etc. I count things out when he’s looking at them. I think most parents do that intuitively and it’s not really conscious teaching.

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534. Mother of five kiddos here and I have to say take the pressure off yourselves moms. While this list can be used as a guide to give an idea of some things you could do at home, it is not the end of the world if your child hasn’t mastered every skill on the list. Really, I have found the most important thing you can instill in your child is confidence and security so when they go into a school environment they are comfortable. Most of you moms who have taken the time to read this list are already loving on your child enough to instill this confidence. All of my kids have known their letters and numbers before they started school and they learned them again when they started school. It’s not the struggle that kids go through to learn their ABC’s that make the job of a teacher difficult, it’s the lack of experience with structured activities or following rules. Just find some activities that your child loves and practice ending the activities when you say, instead of when the child is ready to. Any activity works and this will make the transition into Kindergarten smooth. Relax and enjoy your kids.

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     1. Agreed 100%. Your children are lucky to have you!

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535. Well it would be helpful to all teachers, if children entered kindergarten at least having some concepts developed, like counting to 10, letter recognition, ,matching, sorting, drawing. Some schools with excellent reputations have children copywriting sentences and short paragraphs even before Kindergarten. Matching, color, number and letter recognition are important concepts and it does help if the child learns these concepts, especially if your child has developmental delays as it makes the transition to kindergarten learning much easier on the child. In places like New York, children are getting left back in Kindergarten sometimes for behavior problems, sometimes because the child cannot keep up academically with their peers. Some of the top schools in New York have programs that prepare children as early as pre-k for advanced learning and even college prep programs exist for children at pre-k and K- level. Personally, I am an advocate of programs like these as I was amazed at a few schools I toured a few years back where I viewed pre-k playing instruments such as piano, drums, guitar, flute, keyboard, percussion etc. The children were having fun and really seemed to enjoy it. Their science projects were awesome with realistic space planets, shuttle, astronauts, shooting stars, meteorites, moon phases etc. Their play areas was set up for authentic learning and unmatched from any of the schools I’d visited in the past. What impressed me the most was that I observed these little pre-k children copying almost page long paragraphs and the coup de grace was that 3 of their students were schedule to announce guest speakers at one of the college functions. Needless to say, these children from what I understand have been accepted into some of the top charter schools in New York. I’m of the opinion why limit your child. If your child capably smart, why not achieve brilliance! Statistics when I was younger revealed the U.S. was number #1 leading every other country in Education, sadly we have fallen far down on the list. Today, I believe there are 7 other countries that have now surpassed the U.S. in education. From what many of us have observed, it doesn’t appear that people are getting smarter, but rather dumber. There are more mistakes and errors being made and it may only get worse. Kindergarten teachers are complaining that more children are entering kindergarten with no skills at all. I fail to see why any parent who has their child home for 4 or 5 years could not find time in all of those years to teach their child a few of the fundamental basics such as colors, letters, numbers, potty training, sharing, Behavior Control, even sharing. It’s your child’s future. If you create the foundation, there is no limit to heights where the teacher can take your child from there.

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536. I’ve been a pre-k teacher for over 30 years. I would also include literary skills to your list; are they interested in books, can they turn pages correctly, do they pretend to read a book by themselves, do they have good recall and retell the story. Also I would include the ability to rhyme words verbally. Do they know beginning sounds and can they identify words that end the same. You are pretty accurate with the list you put together. Yes, today’s children need to know much before going to kindergarten. All of this can come through play and attention to them by parents, adult friends nad of course pre-k programs. It has become a very competitive world out there, but children should always learn by having fun!!

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537. I agree with your list! My daycare children can do about 99% of this list (skipping for that length seems a little difficult for them) upon reaching the age of 5. They also have the social aptitude when they interact with others in group play – they know how to enter into another groups play, as well as how to get their stuff back when someone else takes it. Some of my daycare children are even reading level 1 books when they start Kindergarten…

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538. It doesn’t seem to mention Toileting. I think it is important that children who are ready for Kindergarten can use the Toilet and wash hands afterwards. Kindergarten here is 3-4 years of age.

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539. My son turned 4 in May, knows the whole alphabet, upper-case and lower-case, can spell his name off the top of his head and write it on his own. He can also write the alphabet, and spell simple words he can sound out such as DOG, MOM, CAT, FROG. He can count to 20 and write numbers 1-10…. we just started him with 10-20. He knows his colors, yellow, blue, green, red, orange, purple, gray, white, brown, black. He knows his shapes, crescent, square, circle, oval, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, octagon, star, heart. He has a wide vocabulary, always has been very loquacious. He starts preschool in the fall and is very excited to finally start school and make some friends. If this is the list to go into kindergarten, then my son should be good to go :)

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540. This is definitely not an end of Kindergarten list, if you think it is you should check your states department of education website and look at the vast amount of content standards. They are expected to learn a lot more in Kindergarten than you think. This is a good list to work on, but not all students will know all of this information going into Kindergarten. If you check your states website you will also find what the exact requirements are for your state for Kindergarten readiness. I work with my son a lot, but we make play out of everything he learns. He is four, still has another school year before Kindergarten, and can do everything on this list. Every child is different, and learns at a different pace, so don’t stress.

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541. I hope the jumping on one foot 6ft was a mistake haha. If not I’m still not at kindergarten level :D

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     1. Crystal, it’s not one leap of 6 feet. It’s hopping on one foot for a distance of 6 feet. (face in palms)

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542. i am teacher and i intend to own a school. i will love to read more to help me in my career

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544. My husband and I were told by his PreK 4 teacher that we should consider holding him back a year. We were shocked!! He didn’t go to prek 3, but already knew most of his colors, some letters and could count to 12 before going into prek 4. When he was assessed by her before enrolling, she said he tested above average. During the parent/teacher conf., she said he couldn’t identify ALL the colors and shapes, and missed identifying some of the letters of the alphabet, that he could count to 12, but could’ only identify some of the numbers from 1 to 10. She did say that my son was quiet in class and didn’t socialize enough with the other kids and that needed to improve, as well. He will be 5 in April. He’d only been in her class a few months. She said it wasn’t a made decision and was one we’d make together, but in December we’d have to make it official. Why so soon, we’ll still have half the school year left? The fact that this was even being considered on October 15th was so confusing and scary. I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. This teacher taught my nephew eight years ago, and has been my niece’s girl scout troop leader forever. I know she cares about my son very much, and wants the best for him. She said she didn’t want him to advance and then end up getting overwhelmed in kindergarten, because now days, prek 4 is like kinder and kindergarten is like 1st grade!! She said she thought it was too hard on the kids, but they had no control over it. She did also say her son was held back in kindergarten and that she fought it at first, but it ended up being the best thing for him, because it effects their self esteem, and it’s better for them to get a good foundation now than struggle later when they’re older. IT’S PRE K!!!! Also, the first week he started, he was already stressed out because he was “behind” because he couldn’t spell his name and everyone else in the class could. I called her and she said they all learned it in prek 3 and that she had to help hold his hand to spell the letters. I worked with him everyday for a little while and on weekends for 2 weeks until he wanted to write it everywhere!! Found something on youtube that describes the letters like street directions that made it fun for him, around the block, down the street, etc. Please look at this list and try to use as much of it as possible to prepare your child. I worked with my child all the time before preK 4, he has no disabilities , and I’m always being told how smart he is….and here we are. I never would have thought in a million years that a kid who knows most of his numbers, colors, shapes and letters at the beginning of PreK 4 could fail. He’s not even in KINDERGARTEN, yet, and he’s already academically behind??? This had to change. He already comes home with so much homework he doesn’t have time to really relax and play.

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545. My son will be 4 in January—he knows all his letters—upper and lower case and can write every letter without tracing—I can tell him Z and he will write it. He can count to 40 without prompting, knows all colors…etc etc….

     I’m not saying this to pat myself on the back—I’m saying this because if your child is turning 5 in April and doesn’t know all of this stuff or is struggling to master it I’d consider holding him back too.

     Kids are expected to read books by the end of the school year. It’s not like when we were in kindertgarten—kids are expected to come in knowing all the letters, #s, counting etc.

     With that said—I think you should have more time to decide—you can decide in 5 months and see how much you can teach him btwn now and then. Kids are sponges and can learn very quickly.

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546. You can either work with him at home and over the summer and he will eventually catch up or you can leave him for another year and let him take it easy. In some countries they send children to school way later and let kids be kids, they end up doing better academically in those countries compared to here anyway. So don’t stress about it if you decide to give him an extra year. It used to be that school was for learning your abc’s and 123’s but now children are expected to start learning all of that at 3 and some start practicing at 2- 2.5. It’s ridiculous. My brother didn’t go to school or start learning anything until halfway through the second grade and he did just fine, he is getting high grades in his computer science classes now. Don’t stress.

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547. Don’t stress this list! My son couldn’t spell his name or write the alphabet when he started kindergarten. He fought me every step of the way learning it too. He is now a gifted 4th grader at the top of his class. We never held him back and he never felt behind.

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548. I am a Special Education preschool teacher (9-10 who are disabled in some way and 3-4 typically developing peers) and think that a lot of these are appropriate skills for children entering Kindergarten. That being said, I also have experience with Kindergartners and there are several skills on this list that are learned in Kindergarten. (e.g., more detailed sequencing, lowercase letters, pencil grip, scissor grip, etc.) While we certainly work on these skills at preschool, a lot of our focus is getting students ready for the classroom setting and what it looks like to be creative, a learner, a cooperative friend, what it looks like to behave as a student, and how to respect adults. As a SPED teacher, I have to make several accommodations for each one of these skills depending on the abilities of my students, which takes a lot of time, creativity, and patience.

     The school where I teach (and the district I am a part of) has a very prevalent low-income population. This means that there are parents needing to work an all day job or even multiple jobs. Not every students has the privilege to spend time with their parents every day, so I make sure to meet all of my students’ needs the best I can to prepare them for Kindergarten. Don’t underestimate everything that a student learns in Kindergarten! The growth they make from the fall to the spring is incredible.

     All of this being said, as a preschool teacher, I am obviously a big supporter of children attending preschool. Again, many of these are great skills to know how to do before entering Kindergarten, but I find no reason to panic if your child doesn’t achieve every single one.

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549. Amazingly, my child can do these all :).. I’m glad I started teaching her all these things since she was young. I am very proud to say that she already knows her colors, shapes and alphabets since she was 2 years old :). Potty trained when she was not even 2 years old! :).. I am a very proud mama :)

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550. Thanks very helpful, I can use it.

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551. I would love more of these activities. Thank you.

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552. I have committed to homeschooling my child, as I have helped my sister in the past do with her children. I have taught all ages of children in church for the last 10 years and even helped my sister run a daycare. I found a variety of learning styles that don’t necessarily adhere to the list. I personally agree that according to the current standards of mainstream education that this list is accurate. I don’t however, agree that this is good or right for us to put so much pressure on our children to already know. I have explored a more child-lead approach to learning and my 4, almost 5 year old is doing a tremendous job. He has a thirst for knowledge and asks me to do school on a daily basis instead of the other way around. I teach him basics in everyday life and when he wants to do sit down book work we do. I believe in waiting longer to get started allowed him to learn stress free because he was actually ready. He now picks up things so fast its mindboggling. I wish I had had the same opportunities to learn in this fashion because I truly struggled my whole school career until college. It shouldn’t be a constant drudgery but a delight to learn and I am so proud of my son’s progress without him needing to know all of this list by 5, he came into it all on his own.
     I wish the current education guidelines wouldn’t look to what they should know by a certain age as meeting a requirement, but be what they should know naturally by a certain age to determine if there are true developmental delays. The stress and self-esteem of the children tend to go in opposite directions and causes families to wonder why their children aren’t doing what other kids can when they just aren’t ready. Let the children have time to be ready and not overwhelm them.
     I think the list is helpful to know what they can be capable of, but not what they should have to know.

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553. This post is ancient, lol. But I just can NOT believe the people who are complaining about teachers and how it’s too much for them to teach THEIR CHILD(REN)! You have your child for 5-6 years and you can’t manage to teach them that in those 5 or 6 years?! Teachers have no less than 15 kids to teach WAY MORE than what’s above inwhich some kids won’t learn at the same rate, another kid will have a learning disability, another will be abused and fights, a shy one, one will have ADD or ADHD and can’t stop interrupting class and then it’ll be your kid whose shoe laces are untied and they can’t tie them and won’t stop complaining about everything from the yellow sun to the color of the shapes on the wall! I would never fix my mouth to “down” or undermine the most overworked, underpaid and disrespected professionals in the world who are teaching, molding and raising our future leaders, doctors, lawyers, teachers, social workers, engineers and complainers like some of you on this post, etc. They teach 15+ different personalities for 6-7 hrs a day, so the LEAST you can do is teach your 1 child 30 minutes a day! No wonder the world is in shambles; parents don’t want to do their jobs anymore. I would be ashamed to even send my child to school with an “empty helmet”.

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     1. Thank you for your comment! As a teacher, it means the absolute world to be supported by people who know exactly what goes into this profession. The salary we reieve vs. the amount of our own money spent…added with the 12 hour + work days, meetings, calls from parents at 8 pm and again at 6 am, full days of what feels like herding cats (because there are 20+ 5 year olds with various abilities and like you said…ADHD Johnny who interrupts learning or little Sue who is autistic and has no help because her parents haven’t tested her and she screams and throws fits every 5 min.) …. and we do it all for the love of children, in hopes that we can make this new generation better than the last. All to have parents belittle and blame us…. so thank you for acknowledging what goes into our day! :)

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554. We should not say parents aren’t responsible for raising and teaching heir children; but consider what they, themselves, know and don’t know about learning. I does no good to blame people for their ignorance, when it was willfully created by a system over which the worst-effected have very little control. I teach teacher-education, and I can relate to all of these comments. We need to de-entrench the 1% who create and maintain the systems that keep a two-tiered labor structure in place. If we really must teach parenting, then let’s do so, spend a couple tens of billions, and then let teachers get back to having classrooms full of functional kids–not the ‘at risk due to cultural (aka parental) deficit’ kids that we’re seeing now.

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555. thanks you for sharing this with us…

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557. In regards to “Boops” comments….WOW. I am a teacher and the response to what else is there for us to do…. we enrich the basic skills that should’ve been taught the previous five years of a child’s life. We teach concepts needed for success in this new generation. We reinforce or teach character and ethical skills needed to become a successful adult. We do all of those things for 20 plus kids on every varying level imaginable…from non readers in kinder to kinders who can read above a third grade level. We also teach kids with specials needs with no help because they haven’t been helped or identified by their parents. All for an average salary of 50k a year. Add the parents who blame the teacher for their child’s inappropriate behavior or lack of respect….or inability to pay attention, yet the kid tells you how much they play video games and watch tv and their afternoon snack is 2 fruti by the foot rolls and a bag of cheetos. These are all skills that need to be taught to children prior to the age of 5. AND if you don’t have the time to teach and reinforce these basic skills….don’t have children because you are doing them a great disservice. You should be ashamed of yourself if you can’t take the time to cut, paste, count, sing and identify letters and sounds to prepare your child for reading and life.

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558. For the most part, these seemed fairly reasonable. One I don’t understand is jumping six feet with one foot. That’s pretty far for one hop. I don’t think any adult I know can do that, much less their children.

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559. All 4 of my kids could do all of this before Kindergarten. My oldest wasn’t the most physical, but what she lacked in that she made up for in brains. Now that all of mine are in school I volunteer at the school one day a week in my youngest sons class. It is so sad to me to see the kids that weren’t taught by their parents. Even having on PBS with Sesame Street and shows like that will teach your child alot. We always talked to them like adults, no baby talk and I believe that helped. Yes, we explained things as simple as possible, but they are able to understand more than people think. My youngest used to ask me how the van ran. Well, I don’t know all the details but I told him all I knew and he was happy and told Dad about it later. It is half way through the school year and at least 3 of the children in his class don’t recognize their letters or sounds. I try to work with them the best I can when I am asked to. The same kids can’t sit still longer than 3 min. Granted I am a stay at home mom and had the whole day with my kids, but even a few hours after work or dinner just playing games, reading or talking to them would teach them. Also half of the kids walk around with their shoes untied all day. It isn’t up to the teacher to tie them or that is all she would get done. I will teach my son by first grade but for now we use velcro. I am a sucker for kids though so when I am there I do tie their shoes or zip their coats if they ask, but we as parents need to teach those basic skills at home these days. Teachers have to much work on their hands teaching math, how to read and science (yes my kids do science projects in Kindergarten). I remember being in Kindergarten and we just played and colored and when home before lunch. Unfortunately those days are long gone.

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     1. Those are things that children love to do whether with parents or teachers if you do them in a fun way without too much pressure.

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560. Pingback: Kindergarten Readiness Checklist - Canadian Mom Blog

561. I am glad I found this site. You have a lot of very important information to assist my grandchild. I have raised my children and I’m sure there was information available when they were younger. I’ll admit, I did not look. I have 3 grandchildren. However, one of them does not have any interest in learning anything other than his dinosaurs. He can recite them perfectly but when it comes to class work. He has no interest. I will be investing in your book as well. Thank you so much for this blog.

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562. It really helped when you said kids need to have reading and comprehension skills before kindergartner. My sister’s worried about having her daughter joining a kindergartner next year. She’s not sure if she’s ready for it, so I think this article will definitely help her out. I believe that it’s super important for a child to learn how to read from an early age, so I’ll be sure to tell my sister about that too. Thanks for your tips about what your kid needs to know before starting their school education.

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563. We shouldn’t claim that parents aren’t responsible for raising and educating their children; nevertheless, we should examine what they know and don’t know about learning. It’s pointless to criticize individuals for their ignorance when the ignorance was purposefully generated by a system over which the most vulnerable have little influence. The 1% who develop and maintain the institutions that keep a two-tiered labor structure in existence must be disenfranchised. If we truly need to educate parenting, let’s do it, invest a few tens of billions, and then let instructors get back to teaching functioning kids, not the “at risk due to cultural deficiency” kids we’re seeing now.

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564. Awesome content and guide that every parents can follow through for their kids learning needs,

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