Are you in the Getting Ready for Kindergarten mode? That was me all summer with my daughter. I really took some time to see what she needed to know and how prepared she should be for the start of school. It’s something that I’m happy to share along with you because I asked teachers and administrators to give me their best advice and came up with 30 Things Every Child Should Know Before Kindergarten.

Getting Ready for Kindergarten

Victoria started Kindergarten this year. Getting Ready for Kindergarten has been something very top of mind for me (for her). I have to take a second to actually take that in… my last baby (my 5th baby!) will start Kindergarten next month. I simply cannot believe it. I feel like she was just born and now I’m preparing her for a new adventure – SCHOOL!

She did great this year in preschool, she loved being part of the class and her teachers were fantastic. I definitely feel like she’ll be fine with the separation part, she did full day all last year from 9-3PM… so she seems to have that piece down. I just want her to be as prepared as she can be for Kindergarten.

This isn’t my 1st rodeo with Kindergarten and even Getting Ready for Kindergarten, it’s my 5th… so I do know what to expect and what not to worry about so much. When William went off – my oldest – I was a nervous wreck! I wanted to make sure he knew everything! I went way overboard and now I know that’s not necessary. Kids are kids and they all adapt and they all have fun and they all have their own time tables on things.

There are things that I want Victoria to go off to Kindergarten knowing and feeling confident about in herself. Things have definitely changed throughout the years. When I was in Kindergarten I feel like it was just all about PLAY. As I’ve seen my 4 sons go through school, it’s definitely become more structured – which is a good thing, yes.

I’ve been reading a bunch of articles about education lately – mostly for my older sons, but I have had my eye on some interesting reads for elementary school kids. This stuff always fascinates me, it’s enjoyable for me to read. There definitely seem to be Things Every Child Should Know Before Kindergarten, which I’m happy to share with you. This list is from me and my own research and crowdsourcing. I’m not a teacher. I’m not a reading specialist. I’m a mom who just wants to make sure my daughter knows as much as she should for the big Kindergarten journey in her life!

Getting Ready for Kindergarten: 30 Things Every Child Should Know Before Kindergarten:

Know their first and last name
Know what street they live on
Know their birthday
Know the name of their school
Know their parents first names
Know how to sing/recite the alphabet
Know how to count to 20
Knows how to get dressed on their own (might not match and might be inside out, but they’re dressed!)
Use the restroom independently
Knows how to listen to directions from a teacher
Knows basic shapes
Knows how to put on a backpack
Knows how to unpack their lunch on their own
Knows that they must clean up after making a mess or after play
Knows how to open a juice box
Knows the colors of the rainbow
Knows how to trace letters
Knows how to sort things by colors and shapes and sizes
Knows that when reading a book you start from the beginning and read to the end
Knows how to use utensils
Knows how to drink out of a “big kid” cup
Knows how to tell a story on their own (as funny and as outlandish as can be!)
Knows that they need to wash hands after using the restroom
Knows how to recognize numbers 1-10
Knows to cough in their elbow and use a tissue after sneezing
Knows how to stand in a line
Use a tissue after sneezing
Knows how to hold a pencil or a crayon
Knows how to put on their shoes (not necessarily tie them yet!)
Knows how to say Thank You and Please

DOWNLOAD THIS PRINTABLE HERE. I really wanted this list to be something that was helpful and insightful. I think we’re all worried about our kids on some level making sure they know enough. I love being able to share these ideas because they’re tangible and solid things for kids to know. They make sense and they’re helpful to use as gauge.

Getting Ready for Kindergarten – this is a full printable. Make sure to pop this on a bulletin board at home or in a folder for you to keep it and check things off as you go! Don’t worry if they don’t know everything on this list. Victoria didn’t know everything! It’s just a really good way to start teaching your little one things that could be helpful!

Love for you to take some time to check out our personal YouTube Channel, too. We’re over at YouTube.com/MomGenerations I love sharing a bit more about our life there and showcasing everything that we do and everything that we love!

Also see some other content I’ve worked on for Getting Ready for Kindergarten, too!

Preparing for Kindergarten as a Parent

Cue the Tears for Kindergarten

10 Best Books for Kindergarteners