Is my child ready for Kindergarten?
A CHECKLIST FOR PARENTS
TO HELP IN APPRAISING READINESS FOR SCHOOL
GROWTH AND AGE YES NO
1. Will your child be 5 years 6 months or older
when he/she begins kindergarten? ____ ____
2. Is your child at or better than the following
norms of average in weight and height?
Boys Girls
Weight: 40 lbs. Weight: 37 lbs. ____ ____
Height: 43 inches Height: 42 inches ____ ____
3. Can strangers easily understand your child’s
speech? ____ ____
GENERAL ACTIVITY RELATED TO GROWTH
Can you child:
4. Pay attention to a short story when it is read
and answer simple questions about it? ____ ____
5. Draw and color, beyond a simple scribble? ____ ____
6. Tie his/her own shoestrings? ____ ____
7. Zip or button up a coat? ____ ____
8. Walk backward for a distance of 5 or 6 feet? ____ ____
9. Stand on one foot for 5 to 10 seconds? ____ ____
10. Alternate feet walking down stairs? ____ ____
11. Walk a straight line? ____ ____
12. Fasten buttons he/she can see? ____ ____
13. Tell left hand from right hand? ____ ____
PRACTICE SKILLS: Can your child:
14. Use a knife for spreading jam or butter? ____ ____
15. Take care of his/her toilet needs by himself? ____ ____
16. Travel alone in neighborhood playground or
to a friend’s home? ____ ____
17. Be away from you 2-3 hours without being upset? ____ ____
18. Cross a residential street safely? ____ ____
REMEMBERING: Can your child:
19. Repeat a series of 4 numbers without practice
such as, “say after me 0-7-1-4?” ____ ____
20. Repeat 8 to 10 word sentences if you say it once,
“The boy ran all the way home from the store.”? ____ ____
UNDERSTANDING: Can you child:
21. Tell the meaning of simple words like bicycle,
apple, shoe, hammer, water, shirt, horses? ____ ____
22. Count 4 objects? ____ ____
23. Supply the missing word to all of the following
statements: ____ ____
Mother is a woman; Father is a ________.
A fire is hot; an ice cube is _______.
A plane goes fast; a turtle goes _______.
24. Put together a simple puzzle of 3 to 6 pieces? ____ ____
25. Tell what parts are missing if you draw a stick
person and omit a leg or an arm? ____ ____
26. Draw a copy of this square: ____ ____
27. Name correctly these drawings: ____ ____
a cross a square a circle
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Can you child tell you:
28. How many feet he/she has? ____ ____
29. How many ears a dog has? ____ ____
30. Which goes faster, a motorcycle or a bike? ____ ____
31. What or where meat comes from? ____ ____
32. What things are made of like cars, chairs, shoes? ____ ____
33. What a key is for? ____ ____
34. What his/her eyes are used for? ____ ____
35. What his/her ears are used for? ____ ____
36. The names of 3 or 4 colors that you point out? ____ ____
37. Tell in what way a sweater, shoe, and hat are
the same? ____ ____
38. Is your child unafraid of going to school? ____ ____
39. Do you have books, magazines, and newspapers
in your home that your child looks at? ____ ____
40. Does your child ask often when he will go to school? ____ ____
41. Does your child pretend to read? ____ ____
42. Have you attempted to create in your child the idea
of looking forward to school experiences rather than
fear of school? ____ ____
COUNT THE NUMBER OF ITEMS YOU WERE ABLE TO ANSWER WITH A “YES” and “NO” RESPONSE.
Total “Yes” _______ Total “No” ______
Consult the table below for information relative to state of readiness for school.
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Number of Items Approximate Possible
Answered “Yes” State of Readiness Action
For School
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40 to 43 Readiness Reasonably Assured School Entrance
35 to 39 Readiness Very Probably School Entrance
31 to 34 Readiness Questionable Consultation with
School Administration
Desirable
26 to 30 Readiness Doubtful Consultation with
School Administration
Highly Recommended
25 or Below Readiness Unlikely Consultation with
School Personnel,
Physician,
Psychologist
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