Is your child ready for kindergarten?

If you’re wondering whether your child is ready for kindergarten, here’s what you should know.

The basics
Children should have certain physical, social, and cognitive skills before starting kindergarten. For instance, they should be able to:

• Wait their turn
• Play and share with others
• Put on and remove their clothes
• Go up and downstairs
• Recognize a few letters from the alphabet
• Follow directions
• Hold a pencil
• Use the washroom

There are many ways you can foster the development of these skills. You can, for example, encourage them to form connections with other children their age, progressively let them get dressed on their own, and encourage them to express their emotions in constructive and non-disruptive ways.

If you feel your child isn’t quite ready when the time comes, ask the school to put you in contact with someone who can help, such as a psychologist or special educator. They’ll be able to provide advice, evaluate your child’s needs, and devise a plan to address concerns.