Getting Ready For Kindergarten

Please work with your child on these skills ...

  • Saying their first AND last name clearly + confidently

  • Recognizing their first name in lower case printing (e.g. Anthony vs. ANTHONY)

  • Stating their birthdate and current age (e.g. My Birthday is on July 16th, I am 5 years old)

  • Start practicing their phone number and address - working towards memorization

  • How to twist open a glue stick lid. Twist up the glue and twist it down and put the lid back on.

  • How to place fingers into the holes on a pair of scissors. How to cut with the thumb on top.

  • How to hold a pencil, marker or crayon with a strong tripod grasp.

  • How to stay organized and keep track of their personal belongings.

Before School Starts

  • Set up a consistent bedtime routine/time, even through the summer - 7:00pm-7:00am is ideal

  • Two weeks before school begins make a big effort to stick to this sleep and wake time in preparation for starting school.

  • Read to your child every night as part of the bedtime routine to help foster a love of literature.

  • Keep screen time to a minimum (The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends NO more than 1 hour per day and NO screens at least 2 hours before bedtime)

  • Practice opening and closing their lunch box and all snacks - pouch lids, yogurt tubes, applesauce cups, granola bar wrappers - and practice eating within a 20 minute time frame - with good table manners (e.g. tummy to table, chew with mouth closed, feet on the floor, wipe up crumbs/wipe face after eating.)

Screen Time

Limit Screen time to 1 hour or less per day of HIGH-QUALITY programming that is AGE APPROPRIATE and thoughtfully selected to enhance your child's development.

PG 14 or adult content is not appropriate for kindergarten-age children to see or hear, even if it is "just in the background". We often have students in class who complain of nightmares or difficulty sleeping due to being exposed to adult movies or video games that they cannot fully process or understand.

For help selecting age-appropriate content, you can visit Common Sense Media- https://www.commonsensemedia.org/social-media-social-life-infographic

Printing - Lowercase


Printing Guidelines


Printing Workout


Fine Motor Milestones

Between the ages of 3-4 years, your child will:

  • Build a tower of 9-10 small blocks

  • Use playdough to make balls, snakes, cookies, etc.

  • Build things with large linking blocks, such as Megablocks or Duplo

  • Draw a circle by herself

  • Copy a cross (+)

  • Imitate you drawing a square

  • Start to hold a crayon or pencil with a mature grasp (like an adult)

  • Cut across a piece of paper

  • Start to cut along a straight line

  • Manage buttons

  • Put on most items of clothing by herself, but may still need help with shirts and jackets

  • Feed himself well with a spoon and fork

Red Flags for Fine Motor Development (4 years)

If you notice some of the following things about your child by the time he is 4 years old, you may want to talk to your doctor, or to another health professional such as an occupational therapist.

  • His movements seem shaky or stiff

  • Her arms and hands seem very weak

  • She is not able to cut across a piece of paper with scissors

  • He cannot copy a cross (+)

  • She is not able to draw a circle and straight lines by herself

  • She cannot string ½ inch beads onto a lace

  • He cannot use a fork and spoon well

  • She is not able to put on her own pants, loose socks and shoes

Between the ages of 4-5 years, your child will:

  • Start to use one hand consistently for fine motor tasks

  • Cut along a straight line with scissors

  • Start to cut along a curved line, like a circle

  • Draw a cross by herself (+)

  • Copy a square

  • Begin to draw diagonal lines, like in a triangle

  • Start to colour inside the lines of a picture

  • Start to draw pictures that are recognizable

  • Build things with smaller linking blocks, such as Duplo or Lego

  • Put on his own clothing, but may still need help with fasteners like buttons/zippers

  • Start to spread butter or cut soft foods with a small table knife (with supervision)

  • Start to learn to print some capital letters

Red Flags for Fine Motor Development (5 years)

If you notice some of the following things about your child by the time she is 5 years old, you may want to talk to your doctor, or to another health professional such as an occupational therapist.

  • His movements seem shaky or stiff

  • Her arms and hands seem very weak

  • He is not able to cut along a straight line

  • She is not holding her crayons or pencils with her thumb and fingers

  • He is not able to draw a circle, square and cross (+)

  • She is not able to put on her own shirts, pants, socks, and shoes (with some help with fasteners)

  • He is not able to feed himself well with a spoon and fork