Kindergarten
Kindergarten Readiness
Kindergarten readiness encompasses the knowledge, skills and behaviors that enable children to participate and succeed when they begin school. This sets the stage for future learning and overall success. There are many different skills and behaviors your child learns during the preschool years that help a child to be ready for success in kindergarten. These skills and behaviors are categorized into learning domains, all of which are taught and assessed in school.
Language and Literacy: Talking and listening to adults and other children. Speaking clearly. Retelling or answering questions about stories. Identifying some letters, letter sounds and rhyming words. Recognizing/writing name. To learn more about the Kindergarten Literacy program please visit the AACPS Elementary Literacy Page.
Mathematics: Counting. Comparing amounts of objects. Understanding numbers and their value. Sorting things by color, shape or size. Solving problems. Recognizing shapes and their properties. To learn more about the Kindergarten Math program please visit the AACPS Elementary Math Page.
Physical Well-Being and Motor Development: Running, jumping, climbing and playing ball. Buttoning a shirt or zipping a jacket. Using scissors. Drawing. Writing numbers and letters. Practicing safe and healthy behaviors.
Scientific Thinking: Using senses to observe things. Making predictions. Asking questions. Recognizing cause and effect. To learn more about the Kindergarten Science program please visit the AACPS Elementary Science Page.
Social Foundations: Getting along with others. Following rules, routines and multi-step directions. Recognizing and dealing with emotions. Taking risks. Being persistent. Staying on task.
Social Studies: Learning about self and family. Cooperating with others. Understanding roles and responsibilities. Decision making. Exploring the community.
The Arts: Playing, dancing and moving creatively. Experimenting with different tools, props and materials. Families are their children's first teachers. Before kindergarten there are many things families can do to support their child's transition to school.
The year before Kindergarten is a great time to develop school readiness! These resources provide families with suggestions for simple activities that families and children can do together to develop children's skills.
Simple Parent Child Activities that families and children can do together to develop children's oral language and foundational reading skills.
Ready at Five Materials to promote school readiness
Anne Arundel County Public Library: Early Literacy
Helping Your Child Become a Reader: Ideas families may use at home to support their child's growth as a reader
Helping Your Child Learn Math: Ideas families can use at home to support the development of their child's math skills