The first step to Kindergarten is reading aloud to your child.

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Language and Reading Readiness Skills

Coming to the Library is the best place to start. We have TONS of great books so we are sure to find favorites for your child for years to come. Listening skills learned at storytime are a sure head start for kindergarten.

Language/Reading:  Below are a list of skills that your child should know/be familiar with upon entering Kindergarten to ensure their success.

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• Answer general questions about books that are read to them
  
• Retell familiar stories (The Three Little Pigs, Nursery Rhymes)
  
• Be familiar with a variety of books (Nursery Rhymes, Dr. Seuss books, Eric Carle, Books with repetition, etc..)
  
• Know that the author write the book and an illustrator draws the pictures
  
• Be familiar with the parts of a book (front cover, back cover, etc...)
  
• Recognize the difference between uppercase and lowercase letters
  
• Can write their name (Beginning with a capital letter and spelled correctly)
  
• Know that you read from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page
  
• Understand that letters make words and words make sentences separated by spaces
  
• Know that each letter makes a different sound
  
• Recognizes rhyming word
  
• Match and tell names of shapes
  
• Recognize common sight words (the, a, I, am)
  
• Sing the ABC’s
  

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Check out these helpful checklists for readiness skills.  

Self Help Skills

• Go the bathroom independently
• Puts on coats, hat, etc.
  
• Take shoes on and off
• Button/snap pant fasteners
  
• Use buttons, zippers
  
• Uses a tissue properly
  
• Communicates their needs
  
• Recognize their first and last name (not nickname)

Social Skills

• Complete 2 step directions
  
• Sit and listen to someone read for 5-10 minutes
  
• Play a game and accept losing
  
• Take turns while playing
  
• Complete short tasks without an adult's help
  
• Solves conflicts in an acceptable manner
  

STEM Skills

• Count orally through 10
• Count objects in one-to-one correspondence
• Understands more and less, big and little, long and short, empty and full
• Understands position and directions (up and down, in and out, front and back, over and under)
• Match objects based on size
• Sort objects by color, shape, size
  
• Build with blocks
  
• Identify animals
  
• Guessing what happens next
  

Fine Motor Skills

• Hold pencil
• Write first name
• Use scissors to cut basic shapes
• Trace lines and shapes
• Color or draw a picture
• Works puzzles with 8-10 pieces
• Turns pages of a book correctly
• Clap hands
  
• Touches fingers
• Can paste objects

Gross Motor Skills

• Can hop
  
• Can walk in a straight line
  
• Can skip
  
• Can alternate feet walking downstairs
  
• Stand on one foot for 5-10 seconds
  
• Walk backwards for 5ft.
  
• Knows basic body parts