Kindergarten Readiness
Kindergarten Readiness
(Courtesy of LeAnn’s Learning Library)
We’ll jump right into it, what does your child need to know before Kindergarten? Schools are not looking for perfection or little rocket scientists. But there are 10 major academic skills that all children should know going into kindergarten. These 10 skills will help set your child up for growth and success in their educational future.
At Wild Wonders Daycare, we support these milestones daily through curiosity-driven play and personalized attention. But the real magic happens when learning is reinforced at home too.
Top 10 Kindergarten-Ready Academic Skills
Hold writing utensils properly & use scissors safely
Write and recognize their first name
Identify basic shapes and colors
Sort objects by size, shape, and color
Identify the parts of a book
Rote count (out loud) to 20
Identify numbers up to 10
Touch count (one-to-one) objects up to 10
Sing the ABCs
Identify most upper- and lowercase letters (especially in their name)
3 Simple Ways You Can Support Kindergarten Readiness at Home
1. Practice through playful repetition.
Many of the skills above (like rote counting, letter recognition, and touch counting) come through repetition. But that doesn’t mean flashcards at the dinner table. Try singing while setting the table:
🗣 “Let’s count the forks together!”
🎵 “A-B-C-D…” during bath time.
2. Make literacy part of your routine.
Help your child learn parts of a book by letting them “read” to you—even if they’re making it up! Point out the title, author, and page numbers. Keep a mini bookshelf at eye-level to invite independent exploration.
3. Build fine motor skills through creative activities.
Handwriting and cutting don’t need worksheets. Let your child draw with chalk, use tongs to sort pom-poms by color, or snip safe materials like playdough or construction paper. These hands-on moments build coordination and confidence.
Final Thoughts
Starting kindergarten with strong academic foundations helps children feel capable and curious—two things we nurture every day at Wild Wonders.
Remember: Readiness isn’t about perfection—it’s about exposure, practice, and patience.
