Kindergarten is an exciting time for both parents and children. It is the beginning of a new chapter in your child’s life, and it is important to make sure they are prepared for the challenges ahead. Here is a list of skills that children typically have mastered by the time they enter kindergarten!
If your child struggles with these skills, we encourage you to start a conversation with your pediatrician about your child’s development or give our office a call to learn more about how occupational, physical or speech therapy can help.
Gross Motor Skills
- Completes somersault with chin tuck and without turning to side
- Gallops 10 feet with weight transferred smoothly and evenly; arms move freely in opposition to legs
- Jumps and turns so feet land in opposite direction (180 degrees)
- Hops 8 consecutive times on one foot followed by 8 hops on the other foot
- Skips 8 steps using opposing arm and leg movements and using alternating feet while maintaining balance
- Hits a target with tennis ball 12 feet away using overhead throw
- Catches tennis ball with hands only from 5 feet away
- Runs while pumping arms
- Stand on one foot for 10 seconds
Fine Motor & Pre-Writing Skills
- Uses a refined and fluid grasp on crayons/pencil (3 finger grasp)
- Imitates triangle
- Prints own name
- Prints letters of alphabet
- Draws picture with 3 objects
- Uses one hand consistently to hold pencil
- Uses non-dominant hand to secure object while manipulating it with the other hand
- Cut out a circle
- Draws a person with at least 6 parts
Self-Care Skills
- Dress and undress self
- Manages fasteners such as zippers, buttons, snaps
- Manages toileting including wiping and washing hands
- Take care of own belongings
Social Skills
- Follows 2-3 step instructions
- Play cooperatively with friends
- Manage frustrations and avoids tantrums
- Transitions between tasks
Speech and Communication
- Can answer simple wh- questions (who, what, where)
- Can say most of their speech sounds with the exception of “th” and “r”
- Uses connecting words such as ‘but’ and ‘when’
- Uses a variety of word endings (ex. big, bigger, biggest)
- Follows 2-3 step directions
- Takes turns in conversations
- Uses and understands prepositions (ex. in, on, under, over, etc.)
- Understands basic concepts (ex. empty vs. full, big vs. little, hard vs. soft)
- Understands words for word order (ex. first, then, last)