On the first day of kindergarten, academic skills are typically at the very early stages of development. While students come from diverse backgrounds and different experiences, there are some key academic concepts and skills that can help them ease into the school environment. Here is What Kindergartners Should Already Know on the First Day of School.
Alphabet Recognition
When I ask if a student knows the alphabet, most adults will emphatically respond with a “YES.” However, simply knowing the ABC song is NOT the same as truly knowing the alphabet! Knowing the Alphabet means recognizing both uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as the sounds that each letter represents (for instance, “A” produces the “ah” sound, while “B” creates the “buh” sound). Many students might not have mastered this academic skill yet, and that’s perfectly fine. We will focus on this throughout the year. However, your student will have an advantage and be better prepared for school if they can identify letters, understand that they correspond to sounds, and visually recognize them.
Number Recognition
It is essential for beginning kindergarteners to understand the significance of numbers and how they represent quantities. Visually recognizing numbers from 1 to 10 serves as a vital foundation for their education. Your little learners should practice counting objects up to 10, such as touching each block while reciting the number. Although we will continue to focus on number recognition throughout the school year, having this knowledge before kindergarten begins will give them a solid start.
Basic Shapes and Colors
Your starting kindergartener should be able to recognize basic shapes such as circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, and ovals. While we will be learning and practicing these shapes, along with many others, having your child identify these fundamental shapes will establish a strong foundation for further academic skills. Additionally, students should be able to recognize and name common colors, including red, blue, green, yellow, and more. (Check out Amazon for fun activities)
Early Literacy Skills
Most kindergartners should be able to recognize and potentially write their full name, not just their nicknames. This foundational skill will be one of our initial focuses, and your child will benefit greatly if they can identify their desk and supplies by recognizing and reading their own name.
It is essential for them to understand that print conveys meaning. They need to recognize that words on a page are read from left to right, and that text carries significance. Additionally, they should know that books have front and back covers and that we read from left to right and top to bottom. They should start to grasp the basic structure of a story (beginning, middle, end), even if they cannot articulate it completely yet. Phonemic awareness is also important; they should be able to hear and identify individual sounds in words (for example, the first sound in “cat” is /k/). Furthermore, they should be able to recognize simple rhymes in stories or songs (such as “cat” and “hat”).
Understanding Time
Your incoming kindergartener should be familiar with daily routines such as lunchtime, storytime, and recess. Additionally, they should grasp concepts like “morning,” “afternoon,” “today,” “tomorrow,” and “yesterday.”
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Read together: Reading picture books helps develop literacy skills and an understanding of how stories work.
Practice counting: Counting everyday objects (like snacks, toys, or stairs) helps reinforce number recognition.
Play simple games: Games like “I Spy” or matching games help build color, shape, and sorting recognition.
Encourage writing: Even if it’s just drawing or making letters, any writing activity helps with fine motor skills.
While it is beneficial for your little learners to have mastered the skills mentioned above before joining our kindergarten classrooms, it’s perfectly fine if they aren’t completely prepared in every aspect. All of these academic skills will be taught and practiced throughout the school year.
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