School will be starting soon for many young people, but there is still one group remaining that gets little attention: the four-year-olds who will join the ranks of kindergarten next year.
Most educators agree that children should master certain important physical, mental, and social skills before they start kindergarten.
Check these skills. Ask yourself, can your child:
- Stand on one foot for at least 10 seconds without losing balance?
- Hop and turn somersaults?
- Swing and climb on a swing set or jungle gym?
- Copy a triangle with a pencil or crayon?
- Draw a person with a body?
- Print a few letters?
- Get dressed without much help?
- Use the rest facilities alone?
- Eat with a fork and spoon?
- Remember part of a story?
- Use five words in a sentence?
- Understand past, present, future tenses, and the differences among them?
- Say his or her name and address when asked?
- Count 10 or more objects?
- Name at least four colors?
These are important skills to work on in the year before kindergarten, to help make sure your child is ready for school.
