Ready or Not?
Determining Your Child’s Kindergarten Readiness

By Jacquie McTaggart

In the not-too-distant past, kindergarten (half-day or every other day) was the child’s first school experience and the focus was on social adjustment to school. The curriculum and activities were separate from the rest of the school and its purpose was to prepare the child for first grade and “real” learning. That is no longer the case.

According to a study released by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, sixty-three percent of American schools currently have full day kindergarten programs. Regardless of whether your school’s kindergarten is half or full day, the program is now an integral part of the Primary curriculum. The focus has shifted from being primarily social to one that is both social and academic. Although many five-year olds are socially, emotionally and academically ready for a regular kindergarten placement, some are not.

If your child is competent in most of the following areas he is ready for kindergarten.  If not, you may want to consider pre-kindergarten or an additional year of pre-school.

Does your child...

• Recognize and name colors
• Sort items by color and shape
• Understand and use words such as in, out, under, over
• Know his body parts (not those body parts) – I mean head, neck, knee, etc.)
• Include a head, body, arms and legs in his drawing of a person

Does your child...

• Put puzzles together
• Cut with scissors
• Attempt to tie his shoes
• Hold a pencil, crayon, or marker
• Ride any three-wheeled “vehicle”
• Bounce a ball

Does your child...

• Arrange items in a group according to size, shape and color
• Use words like bigger, smaller, more...
• Count from four to ten objects (This is more difficult and far more valuable than simply saying the numbers from 1 to 10 in order.)

Does your child...

• Talk in sentences
• Sing or say nursery rhymes
• Pretend to read
• Tell fantasy stories as though they’re true
• Ask “why” and “how” questions (Stop groaning – that’s how kids learn)

Does your child...

• Enjoy being read to
• Look at books
• Recognize his name in print
• Recognize familiar print such as Pizza Hut, Wal Mart, Toys R Us

The child who has reached most, but not all of these mileposts by age five may still have a successful kindergarten experience. If a child enters school already knowing how to interact with others, how to follow routines, and how to listen to and follow directions, he is ready to begin academic development. A child who is adept in these areas will most likely pick up the readiness skills that he may have missed along the way.

If, however, your youngster struggles with social interaction, does not follow directions, and has not reached several five-year-old milestones, you may want to consider a one-year placement other than kindergarten.  

Occasionally a parent allows circumstances unrelated to the child’s readiness determine his decision regarding kindergarten enrollment. He considers the child’s birth date as it relates to the enrollment cutoff date, size, grandparents’ expectations, “falling behind” same-age neighbors, and childcare expenses. All of these reasons are understandable; some have merit and others do not.

A child’s birth date and size are legitimate factors to consider.

• Boys mature later than girls. If a boy turns five anytime within three months prior to the kindergarten cutoff date, seriously consider an option other than regular kindergarten.
  
• A particularly small child may lag slightly behind in learning, and can often profit from a one-year program other than traditional kindergarten. Conversely, an unusually large child (either in height or weight) might feel different and out-of-place if held out of school an extra year. A large child is often served best by entering kindergarten at age five.
  
• Early childhood development (birth to age 3) is closely tied to school readiness. If a child has been late to sit, crawl, walk, and talk, he is perhaps a “late bloomer.” He will probably do best if he enters kindergarten at age six. Of course the opposite is true for the infant/toddler who has met all milestones at, or before the expected age.

Grandparent expectations such as, “He’s five years old and should be in kindergarten” are irrelevant and should not be a part of the decision-making process. End of discussion.

I understand why parents hesitate to hold their child out of kindergarten for an extra year when their same-age cousins or playmates will be trudging off to school in the fall. You don’t want your little one to feel left out or lose his playmates. When this situation occurs you need to put on your farsighted glasses and decide which choice will be the most beneficial over the long haul. Today’s fun could lead to tomorrow’s folly.

And that brings us to the big one - MONEY!  Many parents struggle to pay for adequate childcare and they want to eliminate this expenditure as soon as possible. This desire is understandable, but it should not be the deciding factor. One more year of stretching a tight budget is a small price to pay for something that can affect your child’s entire life.

If you think that last statement is melodramatic, hear me out. A child learns to love (or hate) school in kindergarten and first grade. During this time he forms attitudes about his own value as a person and his worth as a learner. These attitudes accompany him all the way through school and into adulthood. If he feels good about himself as a learner he will continue to soar higher and he will enjoy the flight. If he has to struggle to keep up or to avoid being held back, he will think of his educational trip as being a painful, never ending journey.

An extra year of alternative programming for the not-yet-ready five year old does not insure a wonderful academic experience, but it does increase the odds. If in doubt, err on the side of caution. The chance of causing harm to your child by holding him out of a traditional kindergarten for a year is small; the damage that can occur by sending him to kindergarten before he is ready is huge.

If you have considered all the angles and are still unsure about your child’s readiness for school, discuss the situation with an experienced kindergarten teacher. She has “walked the walk” and will be happy to “talk the talk” with you. After all, five-year-olds are her business. She is the expert. And what’s more, she’ll offer her opinion for free!

Jacquie McTaggart taught lower elementary children in Minnesota and Iowa public schools for more than four decades. Her humor-filled book, From the Teacher’s Desk, suggests practices parents can use to help their child succeed in school. You can find more academic, social and emotional parenting tips at her website, www.theteachersdesk.com.

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