Kindergarten Readiness Assessment: How To Know If Your Child Is Ready To Go

This kindergarten readiness assessment test is a great way to see if your preschooler is ready to start kindergarten! Print this kindergarten preparedness test PDF at try it with your child at home.

It’s time for kindergarten!

MJ is getting ready to head to kindergarten next month! I know he’s ready to go, he is eager and can’t wait, but I don’t know if I am ready to let my baby go.

Maybe this is out of pure selfishness, but I just know that time has flown way too fast and before I know it, he’s going to be leaving the nest and heading off to college. Yes, I will be that blubbering mom that everyone hates every time he starts a new journey. Hey, he’s my BABY!

How to know if your child is ready for kindergarten

The first day of school is always an exciting day to look forward to. One thing that we want to be sure about is that our son is mentally, socially, and emotionally ready to start kindergarten. He is 5 years old, which is the correct age, but we are more interested in his kindergarten readiness skills.

So, how can you tell if your child is ready to move on from preschool to kindergarten? Many parents have this question, I was one of them! I did a little research and came up with a kindergarten readiness checklist. How does your child compare?

What skills should my child have before kindergarten?

To find out if MJ is ready for primary school, we created this kindergarten assessment test. If you are also wondering if your child is ready to start kindergarten, here’s a kindergarten readiness checklist to review:

Ready for reading: Child shows an interest in books and tries reading select words or create a story based upon the pictures. Can read some common sight words (to, is, me, yes, of, I, you, etc).
Basic letter and number recognition: Child has the ability to recognize numbers, letters, shapes, and colors, and can recite the alphabet. Rhymes sounds and words.
Kindergarten motor skills: Child can handle pencils, scissors, markers, etc, tracing and coloring within the lines with ease. Writing and classroom projects require this.
Language and listening: Child can speak in full sentences, listen to instructions, and is able to follow them. Also, responds to authority in a positive manner and can pay attention for short periods of time without interruption.
Independence: Child can use the restroom by themselves and can voice when they need to ‘go’. Also, basic actions such as putting on a coat, shoes, snap buttons, and straw in the juice box on their own are necessary.
Social readiness for kindergarten: Child is able to get along well with other kids, can work together in groups, take turns, and has the ability to compromise with others. Can control self in various situations.
General drive: Child is eager to learn, curious, imaginative, and generally interested in seeing and learning new things.

What kindergarten teachers look for

According to Scholastic, 5 veteran teachers tell all about the skills that they look for in each child when entering kindergarten. Each of them has put in 20+ years of work, knowing what it takes to be successful here’s what they had to say:

Enthusiasm Toward Learning
Solid Oral-Language Skills
The Ability to Listen
The Desire to Be Independent
The Ability to Play Well with Others
Strong Fine-Motor Skills
Basic Letter and Number Recognition

Hmmm… do these sound familiar?

Give your child the kindergarten readiness assessment test!

I decided to make a simple test for my son to see how ready for kindergarten he is. Apparently, he faired quite well, answering all of the questions and following the verbal instructions correctly!

Have your child complete this test, which has one question derived from each of the 7 points on the kindergarten readiness checklist above. You will likely have to read the instructions to this kindergarten readiness test to your child so they know how to complete each question.

How do I know if my child is NOT ready for kindergarten?

If your child does not get the majority of these kindergarten activities right, you may want to look into a transitional class or another year of preschool. Please discuss this with professionals at your local school district.

Enjoy your child’s first year of elementary school!

Your child will not learn and thrive properly in kindergarten if they are not ready, so be sure to make the best decision for your child and contact schools and educators in your area to verify. Download the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Test (PDF). Print IN COLOR and enjoy!

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Disclosure: I am not an educator, but these kindergarten readiness skills came from teachers and learning specialists. I have added some of my own ideas that my son demonstrates, which I feel fit well in each category. *Kindergarten readiness info from BabyCenter and some of my own ideas.