Ready for Kindergarten: Social-emotional milestones
Skills
4 ways to tell if your child is socially & emotionally ready for the next step.
Kindergarten is a resting and regrouping point after a long uphill climb in development. In kindergarten, the information gathered during previous years is integrated and children are focused on mastery. Many kids seem cool and calm compared to just a year prior.
To understand whether your child is socially and emotionally ready for kindergarten, assess how your child compares to the following statements in 4 key areas.
Self-care
- I can dress myself and put on my own shoes.
- I take responsibility for my own belongings (lunch, coat, etc.).
- I can follow a routine for brushing my teeth, eating meals and going to bed.
Making friends
- I use words appropriately to solve problems.
- I can share and be polite when playing with other children.
- I know what it feels like to have my feelings hurt and I usually don’t want to hurt the feelings of others.
Persistence
- I don’t give up easily, even when a task is challenging.
- I can usually finish my projects.
- I can ignore many distractions, for a short period of time, if my mind is set on a task.
Asking for help & following rules
- I can follow multi-step instructions and ask for help when needed.
- I know that there are rules at home and rules at school.
- I ask permission before I do something I want to do.
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Answer these simple questions to see whether your child is socially & emotionally prepared.