District 47 early childhood and kindergarten teachers have helped develop indicators of success for kindergarten students that reflect both experiences and abilities. Parents are encouraged to review this list in determining their child’s readiness for school.

Students that demonstrate success in kindergarten typically have had the following experiences prior to the start of school:

• access to books at home and somebody who reads to/with them
• social and academic group experiences (examples include preschool, neighborhood play dates, play groups, library story time, YMCA or park district programs)

Students who demonstrate success in kindergarten are typically able to:

• listen attentively for 10 minutes (i.e., teacher providing instructions, guest speaker, etc.)
• listen to a story for 8-10 minutes and answer questions about the story
• follow two- to three-step directions
• communicate needs and ideas understandably
• try new things
• respond positively to adults entrusted with her/his care
• speak and recognize her/his full name
• write his/her full name and identify the letters in her/his full name
• recognize and name some letters of the alphabet
• remember address, telephone number and 911
• count and recognize numerals to 10
• recognize basic colors and shapes
• take turns and play appropriately with other children
• share and cooperate
• perform tasks independently or with limited guidance
• interact appropriately in large and small groups
• play and share in a cooperative manner
• clean up play area or study space in an appropriate amount of time
• sort objects by color, size, shape, and type (rocks, shells, etc.)
• properly use of materials like crayons, chalk, pencils, scissors, glue and play dough
• take on responsibilities at home, such as picking up toys
• put on/take off outerwear and tie shoes
• use the bathroom independently

If there are concerns about a child’s kindergarten readiness, parents are encouraged to:

• schedule an appointment with a District 47 kindergarten teacher
• consult with their child’s preschool teacher
• contact the principal at their child’s elementary school