occupational therapist & child development specialist

Tag: Kindergarten Readiness

How to Get Ready for Kindergarten

Parents frequently ask me what their child needs to do to get ready for kindergarten. I like to share this list of 25 “readiness” skills that kindergarten teachers have told me are important for a child to be successful in the kindergarten classroom.

Kindergarten Readiness Checklist

1)    Speaks in complete sentences

2)    Listens without interrupting

3)    Follows two-step directions

4)    Begins to share with others

5)    Is able to recognize authority

6)    Understands concepts such as “top,” “bottom,” “big,” “little,” “more,” “less”

7)    Able to follow basic rules

8)    Recognizes rhyming words

9)    Identifies some alphabet letters

10) Bathrooms independently

11) Button shirts, pants, coats, and zips up zippers

12) Can sort objects that are the same shape, color, or size

13) Recognizes and names at least 5 colors

14) Recognizes own first name in print

15) Recognizes letters in own first and last name

16) Begins to write some of the letters in own first name

17) Cuts with scissors

18) Trace basic shapes

19) Draws a line, circle, X and +

20) Works simple puzzles

21) Counts from 1 to 10 in correct order

22) Identifies the beginning sound of some words (C is for cat)

23) Runs, jumps, hops, throws, catches, and bounces a ball

24) Knows first and last name of parents

25) Adjust to new situations without parents being there

So get ready for kindergarten by practicing these skills with your preschooler and your little one will have a much smoother transition into school!

Handwriting Without Tears is a Great Program for Handwriting Instruction

Handwriting Without Tears is a wonderful multisensory writing program for children with special learning needs. This post will share some information about the program and the specific products that I use as a pediatric occupational therapist with my students in the school system.

Workbooks 

The Handwriting Without Tears workbook that you will want to use with preschool and kindergarten students is the “Get Set for School” workbook. It’s great because it uses music, movement, building, coloring, and other activities to help children develop color and shape awareness, fine and gross motor control, letter and number recognition and counting skills.For kindergarten students, the “Letters and Numbers for Me” workbook is a must! This workbook teachers correct upper and lower case letter formation as well as number formation. First grade students will move on to “My Printing Book”, and second graders should use “Printing Power”. Finally, there is a cursive handwriting workbook for third graders that is excellent. For more information  on the program visit their site, and to learn more about fine motor skills and handwriting, visit my blog @ http://drzachryspedsottips.blogspot.com/.

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