23/11/2016
At a glance:
Kindergarteners are very active, they typically hop, skip, jump, sing and dance and many more.
Kindergarten is a big year for learning to do new things. get an idea of what to expect by checking out these developmental milestones:
PHYSICAL MILESTONES:
Kids tend to be fairly active at this age and can run, hop, skip and jump without tripping over their own feet. Most kids learn to do these things:
Gross Motor Skills
Walk on tiptoes and heel-to-toe like on a balance beam
Jump rope and pump legs to swing alone
Stand and hop on each foot
Catch a ball the size of a softball
Start to move in different ways at the same time to do things like swim, dribble a basketball or dance
Fine Motor Skills
Use one hand more than the other (known as “hand dominance”)
Hold a pencil using a tripod grip (two fingers and a thumb)
Cut out basic shapes with scissors; may be able to cut a straight line
Use a fork, spoon and knife easily
Be able to wipe and wash after using the bathroom
COGNITIVE MILESTONES:
Kindergartners learn facts and begin to grasp some basic concepts. By the end of kindergarten, many children can do things like these:
Recognise and name colours and basic shapes
Know the letters of the alphabet and letter sounds
Recite their name, address and phone number
Understand basic concepts about print (such as knowing which way the pages go and how words are read left to right and top to bottom)
Know that stories have a beginning, middle and end
Count groups of objects up to 10 and recite numbers to 20
Stick with an activity for 15 minutes and finish a short project
Make plans about how to play, what to build or what to draw
Language Milestones
In kindergarten, most kids understand and can use thousands of words, usually in sentences five to eight words long. Many kids have the language development needed to:
Use words to argue and try to reason with people; because is an oft-used word
Use most plurals, pronouns and tenses correctly
Tell stories, jokes and riddles; may understand simple puns
Use language to talk about opposites and compare things (“That black cat is smaller than the white one.”)
Talk about things that are going to happen as well as things that have already happened
Follow simple multi-step directions
By the end of kindergarten, most children can recognise common words, such as the and me, and they can begin reading three-letter words, like hat.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL MILESTONES:
During the kindergarten school year, children’s social and emotional development tends to go beyond making friends and expressing feelings. They start understanding more complicated things like right and wrong. Many kids are also likely to do these things:
Have an interest in behaving like their friends and wanting their approval
Begin to prefer same-gender friendships; become jealous of other people spending time with “their” friends
Follow the rules most of the time; may criticise
kids who don’t follow the rules
Enjoy being on display; will sing, dance or be silly to get attention
Want your approval and to be taken seriously; may throw a tantrum or get angry if they thinks they’re not being listened to
Start to see why it’s helpful to share and get along with other kids.
Keep in mind that kids develop at their own pace and that your child may have skills that aren’t on this list.
