A Parents' Guide to Kindergarten Readiness

You are Your Child's First Teacher

During the first months of life, your baby's brain is developing the foundation for lifelong learning. When parents touch, talk, read, and play with their infants and toddlers, they help to strengthen early brain development.

A kindergarten-ready child has a strong foundation in Language & Literacy, Thinking Skills, Self-Control, and Self-Confidence. Positive early experiences, beginning at birth, strengthen these four kindergarten readiness skills.

Language & Literacy: When babies hear words, they learn about language. A growing vocabulary strengthens a child's readiness for reading.

Thinking Skills: Children are natural scientists. Their first experiments teach them about the world and help them get ready for math and science.

Self-Control: A child who is socialized to solve problems through words, take turns, and pay attention is ready to be a good classroom citizen.

Self-Confidence: Confident children are ready to learn. They follow their curiosity and are quick to recover from mistakes.

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Ready for Kindergarten?

Table of Contents

Ready for Kindergarten?Ready for Kindergarten?

What skills should your child have when she enters kindergarten?

10 Important Experiences for Children10 Important Experiences for Children

10 easy things you should do with your child before they reach kindergarten.

First Year, 0-12 MonthsFirst Year, 0-12 Months

During the first year of a child’s life, his brain will double in size.

Second Year, 13-24 MonthsSecond Year, 13-24 Months

Between your child’s first and second birthdays he will begin to use more words.

Third Year, 25-36 MonthsThird Year, 25-36 Months

By age three, your child is putting together longer sentences, and using more words.

Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources

These are some additional resources to help you make the most of your child's first years of life.