Checklist: When is a child ready for kindergarten?
Kindergarten isn't what it used to be. There are rarely naps, and that half-day thing is nearly extinct. It's important parents find out if their kids are ready to tackle a long day.
But before we start, let's get this out of the way: every child is different. There is no perfect formula that will give the green light for a child to enter kindergarten.
PHOTOS: Shack hangs out with Kindergarteners
However, St. Pius X School Principal Lisa Beardshear says there are several ways to gage a child's academic, social and emotional readiness for school.
Ask yourself the following:
Academically:
1. Do they know their letters and numbers?
2. Can they hold a pencil and scissors correctly?
3. Do they know their full name, address, and phone number?
Socially/Emotionally:
1. Are they ready to be away from mom and dad?
2. Can they handle a long day without a nap?
3. Can they sit for 10 minutes without distraction?
4. Can the child follow a one- or two-step direction?
5. Can they communicate needs to a teacher (i.e., they are hungry, tired, injured)?
Lastly, Beardshear suggests that if parents decide to hold their child back a year from starting school, they should come up with a pre-school back-up plan.
"Sitting at home with mom and dad or a babysitter watching TV is not going to help them," said Beardshear. "They'd be better off in school."
St. Pius X School is offering kindergarten readiness testing Saturday, January 26 and Saturday, February 2. The FREE testing, valued at $50, is available by appointment. Call (918) 627-5367. St. Pius X School is located at 1717 S. 75th East Avenue, Tulsa, OK, 74112.
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
