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A guide for the next beginning

Kindergarten readiness checklist

Notice the skills your child is building, and find small ways to help them grow.

From Dr. Michelle Peterson, Ed.D.

Look at the whole child.

Readiness includes relationships, language, early math, movement and everyday independence. These skills develop together, at different rates.

Use this checklist to start a conversation with your child’s teacher. It is a guide to skills in progress, not a test or a list of requirements for admission.

Six areas to notice.

Start with what you see in everyday play. Open each area for the full skill list.

01 / Social & emotional

Connecting with others

Taking turns, naming feelings and recovering from frustration with adult support.

See the 7 skills
  • Separate from a parent or caregiver without prolonged distress
  • Show interest in playing with other children
  • Take turns and share — even imperfectly
  • Use words to identify and express emotions (happy, sad, frustrated, scared)
  • Recover from frustration or disappointment with adult support
  • Follow two- or three-step directions from an adult
  • Stay focused on a task or activity for at least five minutes
02 / Language & literacy

Sharing words and stories

Talking about an idea, enjoying a book and noticing letters in their name.

See the 7 skills
  • Speak in complete sentences of four to six words
  • Be understood by unfamiliar adults most of the time
  • Say their first and last name
  • Recognize most letters of the alphabet, especially in their own name
  • Rhyme simple words (cat/hat, big/dig)
  • Retell a simple story with at least two events in order
  • Show interest in books and printed words
03 / Math & thinking

Noticing numbers and patterns

Counting real objects, sorting a collection and exploring shapes.

See the 6 skills
  • Count to ten (or higher) with one-to-one correspondence
  • Recognize written numerals 1 through 10
  • Sort objects by color, shape, or size
  • Understand positional words: in/out, over/under, first/last, more/less
  • Recognize and extend simple patterns (red-blue-red-blue)
  • Name basic shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle
04 / Fine motor

Using small hands

Drawing, cutting, building and working with everyday fasteners.

See the 6 skills
  • Hold a pencil or crayon using a three-finger grip
  • Cut along a straight or curved line with child-safe scissors
  • Color roughly within the lines of a large shape
  • Copy simple shapes (circle, cross, square)
  • Build a tower of six or more blocks
  • Manage buttons, zippers, and snaps on clothing
05 / Gross motor

Moving with confidence

Running, climbing, balancing and playing with a ball.

See the 5 skills
  • Hop on one foot
  • Run, jump, and climb with coordination
  • Throw and catch a ball
  • Pump on a swing independently
  • Walk up and down stairs alternating feet
06 / Self-care

Doing more for themselves

Managing the bathroom, opening a backpack and asking for help.

See the 5 skills
  • Use the bathroom independently and wash their hands
  • Dress and undress without assistance (including shoes)
  • Open and close their own lunch box and backpack
  • Say their full name, age, and a parent’s first name
  • Communicate when they are hungry, tired, hurt, or need help

Readiness grows with practice.

Your child does not need to have mastered every item. Notice their progress, the support that helps and the skills you can practice together.

If you have concerns about development, talk with your pediatrician or an early childhood educator. A checklist cannot tell the whole story of your child.

Explore Kindergarten Prep →

Small moments build useful skills.

At Spark, the Purposeful Play Framework connects hands-on experiences with intentional learning.

Build together.

Blocks invite counting, planning, small-hand coordination and taking turns.

Tell a story.

Books and pretend play make room for new words, ideas and conversations.

Try it yourself.

Snack, outdoor play and classroom routines offer everyday practice in independence.

A note on the research

A 2022 review by Skene and colleagues found that guided play benefited some early math and thinking skills compared with direct instruction. Results varied by outcome; play is not a guarantee of every developmental skill.

Duncan and colleagues’ study of school readiness found that early math, reading and attention predicted later academic achievement. That does not make relationships or emotional development unimportant. This guide considers the whole child.

Questions families ask.

What age should a child be to start kindergarten?

Most states require children to turn five by a specific cutoff date — typically September 1st. Illinois public schools use this September cutoff. Spark Academy’s Kindergarten Prep program uses a November 30th cutoff, giving families with fall birthdays an additional option for a strong preparatory year.

What if my child isn’t ready for all the skills on this checklist?

That is completely normal. This checklist represents a full developmental picture — very few children will check every item. What matters is the trajectory: is your child making progress across these areas? If you have specific concerns, talk with your pediatrician or schedule a conversation with an early childhood educator who can offer a professional perspective.

Is academic knowledge more important than social skills for kindergarten?

Both matter. Early math, reading and attention skills are linked with later academic achievement. Social and emotional skills also help children take part in classroom life. Support the whole child: read and explore numbers together while practicing communication, cooperation and managing feelings.

What is “redshirting” and should I hold my child back a year?

Redshirting means delaying kindergarten entry by a year, usually for children with summer or fall birthdays. The research on its benefits is mixed — some children benefit from the extra year, while others are ready and would be better served by starting on time. The decision should be based on your child’s individual development, not their birthday alone. A Kindergarten Prep program can give your child a rigorous preparatory year if you’re considering waiting.

How does play-based preschool prepare children for kindergarten?

Purposeful play gives children opportunities to explore language, numbers, movement and relationships with teacher guidance. A 2022 research review found advantages for guided play over direct instruction in some areas, including early math, shape knowledge and task switching; it did not find an advantage in every area. At Spark Academy, the Purposeful Play Framework connects playful experiences with learning goals.

What do kindergarten teachers say they most want children to know?

Useful classroom skills include communicating needs, following directions, taking turns, trying a task independently and managing everyday routines. Early language and math matter too. Ask your child’s future teacher about the routines and skills that will help with that particular classroom.

What is a kindergarten readiness screening and what does it test?

A kindergarten readiness screening is a brief assessment — usually fifteen to thirty minutes — administered by a school district before or just after kindergarten begins. It typically covers letter and number recognition, fine motor tasks (holding a pencil, cutting), following directions, and basic social interaction. The screening is not a pass/fail test; it helps teachers understand where each child is starting so they can differentiate instruction from day one.

Find their next step.

See how your child could learn, play and belong at Spark.

Book a tourExplore Kindergarten →

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