What should a kindergartener know?

[Noreen Claire]

What non-academic things should a child know and be able to do at the end of kindergarten? I'm thinking along the lines of: know their phone number, tie their shoes, make a sandwich, etc. What else? 

[Guest]

Safety wise I'd say, phone numbers (usually now days there are more than one), full address, parents' full names, their full name (I've been a bit surprised by how many kids don't know this), neighbors' names if applicable and how to call 911. Then we go into things about strangers, and how even nice people are still strangers. I do role playing with my kids on this stuff. They think it's a blast. 

 

Around the house I'm having more trouble thinking of things. My kids pick up toys, feed animals and pets, put away clothes, stuff like that, but I am still chief cook and everything else on that part. Shoe tying hasn't happened here yet. 

[lovinmyboys]

I would add that they should be able to swim (at least well enough to float or tread water or swim to the side of the pool).

[SKL]

Swimming and water safety.

How to make a phone call on parent's and on someone else's phone.

Basic safety around the house and neighborhood.

How to swing self on swings.

Self care of all types.

Basic food prep that doesn't require following a written recipe.

I still think tying one's shoes and riding a bike are KG skills, but I may be in the minority on that.

Following multi-step directions from a diagram / list, such as assembling a simple toy / lego set.

Lots more depending on the what the child is exposed to.

[Crimson Wife]

If you Google "adaptive skills list by age" there are a number of good checklists. Here is an example.

[Zinnia]

I have two that I consider average and 2 with this dyslexia that seems to impact a lot of things.

 

I think that KG should be able to tie shoes (but 2 of mine didn't), swim, ride a bike, know their phone number (but 2 didn't), full name, parents name, make phone calls, make a sandwich, serve themselves simple food (cereal, yogurt, applesauce, fruit), pour water from a pitcher, set the table.

 

For chores, fold simple things, match socks, tidy, vacuum, take out trash and recycling, unload a dishwasher, scrub a toilet, clean a sink, wipe down tables, etc.

[Elizabeth86]

Good question. My dh is annoyed ds doesnt tie his own shoes yet. I figure he will ask when he is ready. Currently he doesnt want to learn so im not pushing him. I have spent the year stressed about his education and not really thinking about things like thism. i suppose i should. i think i baby him a bit much. a horrible trait the women in my family have.

[madteaparty]

Oh man I am so behind!

[Elizabeth86]

Oh man I am so behind!

glad i'm not alone

[MotherGoose]

Yes my children couldn't do many of these things at the end of K. I thought the whole point (one of the ) of homeschooling was to go with your kids needs.

[Ellie]

What non-academic things should a child know and be able to do at the end of kindergarten? I'm thinking along the lines of: know their phone number, tie their shoes, make a sandwich, etc. What else? 

 

I would expect a just-turned-six-year-old child to be able to write his own name (first and last) legibly; to know his address and phone #; to know his parents' names; to be familiar with books (not necessarily reading, but to have spent time with books so that he knows how to hold them and to open them and whatnot); to get himself ready for bed at night and to be able to get himself ready in the morning; to be able to count to 100; to have decent table manners; to know how to be safe in a parking lot; to be working on counting actual money. Probably some other stuff, but it's been a heckalong time since I had little persons that young in my house, lol.

[Elizabeth86]

I would expect a just-turned-six-year-old child to be able to write his own name (first and last) legibly; to know his address and phone #; to know his parents' names; to be familiar with books (not necessarily reading, but to have spent time with books so that he knows how to hold them and to open them and whatnot); to get himself ready for bed at night and to be able to get himself ready in the morning; to be able to count to 100; to have decent table manners; to know how to be safe in a parking lot; to be working on counting actual money. Probably some other stuff, but it's been a heckalong time since I had little persons that young in my house, lol.

My son does all these except get ready. He is particularly lazy with this. The baby hoestly dresses herself more often than he does.

[Tanaqui]

According to this list, it's certainly not necessary that they should already write their letters and numbers from memory (trying to copy them is enough), but they really should be able to walk the six blocks to school alone.

 

Seems reasonable to me.

[scoutingmom]

According to this list, it's certainly not necessary that they should already write their letters and numbers from memory (trying to copy them is enough), but they really should be able to walk the six blocks to school alone.

 

Seems reasonable to me.

People on here never seem to believe me when I say I walked to school on my own as a K student. It was normal.

 

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[lovinmyboys]

According to this list, it's certainly not necessary that they should already write their letters and numbers from memory (trying to copy them is enough), but they really should be able to walk the six blocks to school alone.

 

Seems reasonable to me.

I like the list, except the teeth thing. I can't imagine what permanent teeth have to do with first grade readiness.

[SKL]

I like the list, except the teeth thing. I can't imagine what permanent teeth have to do with first grade readiness.

 

I agree with you on the teeth - but thankfully you only need to meet 10 of the 12 criteria, LOL.  I was in 3rd when I lost my first tooth.  :P

 

I might not have been ready by that criteria because I also wasn't 6.5 and had trouble with left/right (still do!).  But many of the criteria are interesting - they aren't academic for the most part.  I don't believe I ever tested my kids on most of them at any age.  :)

[SKL]

My son does all these except get ready. He is particularly lazy with this. The baby hoestly dresses herself more often than he does.

 

I have observed this with other boy/girl siblings.  Not sure what that's about.  :P  Maybe we should have a separate list for boys and girls?

 

[SKL]

There's really no one thing that all "normal" kids are able to do at any age.  I have one who was ahead on almost everything, but when it comes to butt wiping ... really disappointing, LOL.  Good thing that wasn't on the entrance test.  ....

[Farrar]

I love those old Your ___ Year Old books... except for the weird body typing content. I can only assume the teeth thing is related to that.

 

I'll chip in be able to open and close slightly stuck doors, be able to use a key, be able to blow your nose, be able to get yourself out of the tree you climbed into... just because I remember those were all things my own kids struggled with at that age.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

People on here never seem to believe me when I say I walked to school on my own as a K student. It was normal.

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Me, too. All the kids in town, actually...this was in a small town, Midwestern farming community, late 70s.

 

This sort of thing could be normal and safe again, in many communities, but only if everybody did it (because that's what makes it safe).

 

While I'm rabbit trailing and recycling old wtm forum topics, if you want to know what 5yos can do, consult Eloise Wilkin. "Busy Timmy" could tie his own bib and put himself to bed, didn't even need a mother.

[JustEm]

People on here never seem to believe me when I say I walked to school on my own as a K student. It was normal.

 

I believe you! I used to walk a mile to school by myself in K. Well I'd walk to school with my brother who was in first grade. But I'd walk home by myself because I had half day K.

 

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[MyLife]

While tying shoes and riding bikes may be the "ideal," please do not stress if your child is unable to by the end of K.

[Crimson Wife]

 

This sort of thing could be normal and safe again, in many communities, but only if everybody did it (because that's what makes it safe).

 

It would take a return to having nearly every house having a SAHM there to look out for the neighborhood kids. I might have been out of view of my OWN mom walking to school in K, but I was within eyesight of SOMEBODY'S mom. If I'd gotten into trouble, I could've knocked on any door in the neighborhood and found one of the moms to help me. That is no longer the case.

 

 

[SKL]

It would take a return to having nearly every house having a SAHM there to look out for the neighborhood kids. I might have been out of view of my OWN mom walking to school in K, but I was within eyesight of SOMEBODY'S mom. If I'd gotten into trouble, I could've knocked on any door in the neighborhood and found one of the moms to help me. That is no longer the case.

 

 

 

Hmm, most of my walk was not past homes where kids/moms lived.  Actually there was only one house on my route that fit that description (our next-door neighbor - and we never knocked on that door for an emergency).  My own mom was a working mom and usually left for work (on a city bus) before we left for school.

 

The one time something happened (my brother fell on ice and broke his arm), he went back home and called the person we were instructed to call in an "emergency."  (A friend of the family who had more access to a phone than my parents did.)  He in turn contacted our dad, who drove home and took care of the situation.

 

In my current neighborhood and in the one where my kids go to school, most of the homes are owned by older people without kids.  Some are home, some are at work.  If anything horrible happened, chances are there would be someone who could call 911.  More likely nowadays, one of the kids on the way to school could call 911.  If it was less of an emergency, one of the kids could run to the school and tell the office something happened.

 

I do agree that it's difficult to get just one small kid walking to school when nobody else is doing it.  For one thing, there are now so many cars on school grounds just before & after, the risk of being hit by a car is greater.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

We had ever fewer SAHMs, but there were still full time housewives and elderly persons at home. Plus in our neighborhood, nobody had air conditioning, so everybody was outdoors more. There were lots of people around.

[Sherry in OH]

While tying shoes and riding bikes may be the "ideal," please do not stress if your child is unable to by the end of K.

 

 

:iagree: I have tied shoelaces for many first and second grade boys. By third grade, most can manage on their own.  

Bicycling skills depend on factors beyond gross motor skills - access to a bicycle, a safe place to ride, someone to help child learn ...

[scoutingmom]

While tying shoes and riding bikes may be the "ideal," please do not stress if your child is unable to by the end of K.

This was also the days before velcro. Kids were motivated to tie their shoes and parents were motivated to teach them because they had to be tied several.... times..... a...... day!

 

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[scoutingmom]

There has been a supposed correlation between when a child is developmentally ready to learn to read and when they lose their first teeth. There are a bunch of studies etc.

 

As someone that taught herself to read at age 3, I have a hard time imagining it is true.... but it could be true usually.

 

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[Elizabeth86]

I have observed this with other boy/girl siblings. Not sure what that's about. :P Maybe we should have a separate list for boys and girls?

 

I've also noticed with each child they are more independent than the one before. My first born just seems so helpless. Really my 19 month old can put he shoes on and my 5 year old sticks his toes in his shoes and wails that he cant get them on.

[SKL]

There has been a supposed correlation between when a child is developmentally ready to learn to read and when they lose their first teeth. There are a bunch of studies etc.

 

As someone that taught herself to read at age 3, I have a hard time imagining it is true.... but it could be true usually.

 

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When I was 17, I was a volunteer tutor in a 1st / 2nd grade remedial reading room.  I recall the teacher telling me to notice how many of the 1st graders still had their front baby teeth.  She had read it made a difference.  Well, I think that if there is any correlation, it's simply age.  Those kids with all their baby teeth also happened to be on the young side in the class, not surprisingly.  :P  But these kids also had other issues such as having parents who were not bright and didn't read to them at all.  Or mental retardation, or sickle cell anemia.  A couple eventually tested dyslexic.  The littlest girl couldn't remember how to spell her last name; come to find out her mom had remarried and changed her last name.  That would confuse me too!  :P

[busymama7]

There has been a supposed correlation between when a child is developmentally ready to learn to read and when they lose their first teeth. There are a bunch of studies etc.

 

As someone that taught herself to read at age 3, I have a hard time imagining it is true.... but it could be true usually.

 

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That is interesting. I also taught myself to read at 3 and didn't lose any teeth until 7 1/2. I also have a son who didn't lose any teeth until age 10. Nothing was wrong. He has normal adult teeth but at 15 is still loosing some. He read fluently about age 8. Later than some but has mild dyslexia.

[SKL]

I've also noticed with each child they are more independent than the one before. My first born just seems so helpless. Really my 19 month old can put he shoes on and my 5 year old sticks his toes in his shoes and wails that he cant get them on.

 

I remember babysitting in a family where there were two boys, age 2 and 3, and a wee baby girl, probably under a year old.  When I dressed the baby girl, she'd lift up each arm as I went to put on her sleeves, and each foot as I went to put on her pants.  The boys would just lie there like lumps.  :P  Oh well, at least they didn't fight me like some kids do when you dress them.

[heartlikealion]

Wow big momfail for me. But memorizing a stream of numbers seems extra difficult for some of us (dyscalculia or working memory issues). Walk six blocks to school?! I would have never been able to have ds do that. Like even now probably not. But I don't think he's NT.

[fairfarmhand]

They should be able to care for theor own needs in the bathroom; full name and phone and address. Simple tasks like getting a drink of water or make a simple sandwich. Put on a coat and mittens

 

 

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[madteaparty]

That is interesting. I also taught myself to read at 3 and didn't lose any teeth until 7 1/2. I also have a son who didn't lose any teeth until age 10. Nothing was wrong. He has normal adult teeth but at 15 is still loosing some. He read fluently about age 8. Later than some but has mild dyslexia.

My DD (just turned 6) has yet to lose a single tooth. Her dad's baby teeth had to be removed, they never came out. He eeked out an education and life for himself. Lol😂

[vonfirmath]

There has been a supposed correlation between when a child is developmentally ready to learn to read and when they lose their first teeth. There are a bunch of studies etc.

 

As someone that taught herself to read at age 3, I have a hard time imagining it is true.... but it could be true usually.

 

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Yeah... Both of my kids have learned how to read before losing their first tooth. (my son pretty much taught himself. I didn't want to "push" him so just read to him a lot. But he asked what letters were, so I told him. And he surprised me one day by taking the book out of my hand and reading it. I figured he had just memorized it and was repeating from memory.  Until a few weeks later, he read a word off a box sitting in our house -- we had NOT been reading that box to him so suddenly I realized he was actually reading on his own, not just a REALLY good memorizer!  He was 3 years old.  He was reading Cat in the Hat books for months before he ever started Kindergarten.  And in Kindergarten, would read the parent newsletters that were sent home.

 

It wasn't until my second child I realized this was unusual. I just figured they wrote those newsletters to be read by the kids as well as the parents.

 

OTOH, I did not read to my daughter as much as my son -- with two kids there seemed to be less time to just sit and read.  But now she's almost 6 and reading quite well (including quite a few Dr. Seuss books. Her favorite, though, is One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.)  She hasn't yet lost a single tooth though.  My son did lose some teeth in Kindergarten.

[Zinnia]

We had ever fewer SAHMs, but there were still full time housewives and elderly persons at home. Plus in our neighborhood, nobody had air conditioning, so everybody was outdoors more. There were lots of people around.

I thank God that I was not born before the days of AC. :D

[Zinnia]

Oh, and my just finished kindergartener has lost a lot of teeth. And still struggles to write his last name. He is no where near reading.

 

His almost 9 year old brother has lost almost all of his teeth (the oldest was done by 10.25), and he can't read more than CVC words yet.

 

In our house, teeth and reading don't correlate at all.

[MotherGoose]

My oldest child decided to start walking (truly, it was a decision, because you couldn't persuade her to take a step until she was good and ready to take her first steps by walking across an entire room) when she was nearly 18 months old. She started reading at barely 4, and finally decided she wanted to pump herself on a swing at nearly 11. I didn't push her to do any of those things, although I provided encouragement and opportunity (and refused to continue pushing her on the swing after her three-year-younger sister began swinging herself on the swing. Learning multiplication facts and writing legibly: I push her on that! :). Oh, and she lost her first tooth nearly two years after she started reading.

Edited June 5, 2017 by MotherGoose

[Noreen Claire]

Thanks, all. I'm making my goals for my 5yr old for kindergarten next year and wanted to make sure that I wasn't just focusing on academic stuff. Of course, I'm not going to be upset if he can't tie his shoes or spell his last name by the end of K, but I need things to aim for or he will just play Legos all year!