Kindergarten is supposed to be fun and educational, allowing children an
opportunity to blossom. It is usually the first time the tykes are away
from their parents for any significant amount of time.
And while most kindergartens don’t exactly have GPA requirements, for
children to succeed there are a few milestones that should be reached
before they toddle through the door, says Alise McGregor, founder of Little
Newtons (littlenewtons.com), an early education center with locations in
Minnesota and Illinois.
“New parents especially can have a hard time understanding that there are
actually things their child should know prior to kindergarten,” McGregor
says. “But if they take time to make sure their child knows some basics, it
will make kindergarten a better experience.”
McGregor says the typical things a child should know prior to entering
kindergarten are:
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Basic shapes.
The child should have learned basic shapes like the square, circle,
rectangle and triangle in preschool. If not, parents should teach
them. In kindergarten, they will probably be introduced to the
hexagon, star, heart and octagon.
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The letters of the child’s name.
They should at least be able to recognize the letters of their
name. In kindergarten, they will learn their uppercase letters and
begin learning lowercase letters. They will also begin to learn how
to write freehand without tracing.
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Numbers 1 to 10.
Although some children will be able to count to 100 by the time
they reach kindergarten, all should be able to at least count to
10. Numbers will be used starting on the first day of kindergarten,
so the children need to at least understand and recognize numbers.
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Social skills
– The child should be able to follow directions, be separated from
the caregiver and be able to use the restroom independently.
Children who scream and cry when they are separated from caregivers
disrupt the rest of the class. Teachers simply do not have the time
to supervise individual students who cannot independently use the
restroom.
McGregor says that it is important for children to get off on the right
foot early in school. By teaching children these skills prior to attending
kindergarten, it should make it easier for them to succeed.
About Alise McGregor
Alise McGregor is the founder of Little Newton’s (littlenewtons.com), a
child care center focused on early childhood education in four locations in
Minnesota and one in Illinois. She is the author of an upcoming book, ” Creating Brilliance.” Also a nurse, she has a B.S. in Exercise
Physiology with a cardiac rehabilitation emphasis.
