The year of ECFE is coming to a close, and our Kaleidoscope preschool will be ending the school year program at the end of May. This serves as a reminder to be sure to get your registration in for next year’s programing–the earlier you register the more likely you are to get your first choice class. However, there will be a large number of “graduates” from the early childhood program in May. These children will be anticipating a year of kindergarten when the long summer days shift into frosty autumn mornings. As parents we look forward to this big milestone–there is so much about starting school to be excited about! We also want to be sure that our children are prepared to meet the expectations of the school system. The Early Childhood School Readiness Team for Hopkins Schools shared some of the basic skills–academic, social and emotional–that students should come prepared with when they first walk into the school with their backpacks, new crayons and pencils, and likely a quickly beating heart. Knowing what the teachers will be looking for ahead of time, parents can work with their children over the summer to help them meet these goals. That first day of school, we can then be sure that we have given them all we can to help ensure their success: a huge hug, a confident smile, and the early foundational skills they will need to feel at home in their new kindergarten classroom.
Letter Skills:
- Write name using upper case first letter and lower case letters for the rest of the name
- Know letters and the sounds of those letters–don’t need to know every letter, but should know letters of own name
- Recognize some common “environment” words: Stop, In, Out
- Draw simple shapes (circle, square, straight and curvy lines)
- Name and draw simple shapes
- Count objects up to 10
- Recognize numbers up to 10
- Understand “same”, “less” and “more”
- Sort objects by color or shape
- Make and describe a simple pattern (A,B,A,B,A,__)
- Have practice cutting with scissors
- Have practice coloring with crayons
- Have practice painting
- Have practice using a pencil—free hand drawing as well as copying letters
- Be familiar with stories and books
- Understand that print is read from left to right
- Tell and listen to stories for 5-10 minutes
- Speak in 5-6 word sentences
- Sing songs and recite rhymes
- Be comfortable being away from parent in a new setting
- Have experience in group settings–both structured and unstructured
- Be able to follow directions
- Be able to ask for help
- Be able to dress self, including zippers
- Be able to complete toileting tasks
- Maintain attention for 10-15 minutes
- Be able to understand routine, and adjust to changes
- Be able to take turns
- Be able to “enter” play with others
- Be able to share
- Show self-control and be able to wait
- Be able to solve problems
- Be able to keep self occupied with tasks
Filed under: Early Childhood |
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