Kindergarten Readiness Skills

[Sheryl]

Almost all of the kids in my preschool class at daycare will be in kindergarten next year. What skills do you think are really beneficial before stepping into the kindergarten classroom. I've been working on alphabet recognition, writing letters and their name, tying shoes, self help skills, following simple directions, listening skills, cutting, how to use glue (raindrops not oceans), etc. What would be in your top 5? I'm just curious...

[AnnW]

Our school wants the kids to know their name, address, telephone #, birthday, and parents' names...be able to tie thier shoes. They want them to be able to recognize upper and lower case alphabet, count by rote to 20, and recognize the numbers to 20.

[kat]

Sheryl, sounds like you've done a great job. They sound more than ready to me. Your curriculum sounds like mine. My kids have begun reading since the first of January. We have begun our 3rd little reader. Of course there are still a few who need more practice with letters and sounds.
One little one, bless her heart, started out in my class then had to move to Whyoming where she only attended kdg. for 2 hours a day, then rejoined my class just as we started our first reader. It is amazing the range of kindergartens across the U.S.
My top 2 picks would be listening and being able to pay attention for 15 minutes of instruction time. It is also amazing to me that I get many kids each year who have never had crayons or scissors to use in the home. Loved your comment about "raindrops" of glue not "oceans". Hope you don't mind if I borrow that one. Thanks for all your prep-work! :)

[Sheryl]

I pulled out paint with water books one day, the kids were so confused. I couldn't believe that they had NEVER heard or done them before. What an experience. You should have seen the look on their faces when the colors appeared from just water. Talk about a Kodak moment!

[MK]

How about zipping up their own jackets and pants? Also my son (age 5)is in Head Start and they are really focusing on social skills such as anger management/temper control, following rules.