How to Know If Your Child is Ready for Kindergarten

Getting a child ready for kindergarten can be a very stressful process. Parents worry about their children having all of the tools to succeed in school, from ABCs and 123s to listening to the teacher and being away from Mom and Dad. But for parents whose children's birthdays fall close to the kindergarten cutoff date, the worries multiply. Questions from "Is my child really old enough to go this year?" to "Will my child feel too old if I hold him back until next year?" can make it difficult to make a decision with confidence. There are no blanket answers since each child is different. Some kids are ready to go off to kindergarten at a young age and thrive, and others really benefit from spending an extra year in preschool or at home with Mom and Dad. If you're struggling with when to send your child to kindergarten, use the guidelines below to help you think through your decision. But remember: ultimately, you must do what's best for your child, no matter what anyone else's opinions are on the subject. And since you know your child best, following your heart will only benefit you and your child in the end.

Works Well With Others
Kindergarten is all about learning how basic skills in a group setting. From storytime to arts and crafts, students are expected to behave and learn together. But if your child is struggling with behaving around other kids, it will be more difficult for him to learn the skills being taught. Teachers can only spend a limited amount of time one-on-one in a classroom full of children, and kids who cannot sit still and listen with others present won't learn as much and be a distraction to others. If your child really struggles in this area, it may be wise to let him mature an extra year and help him begin to work well in groups, whether in preschool, Sunday school, playdates, or special events like storytime at the library. Working together now on strategies to stay focused in a group will pay off in a big way when your child goes to kindergarten.

Listens and Responds to Adults
Much like working well with others, kids need to be able to listen to adult instruction and respond in an appropriate manner. While much of kindergarten is learning about rules, routine, and other life skills, children need to come in with a certain level of basic respect and listening skills. If your child can communicate his basic needs to other adults appropriately, he will thrive in the classroom, since the teacher needs to be able to not only understand your child, but give out instructions and have them be understood as well. Good communication with adults will enhance the learning process in kindergarten and help your child excel. If your child struggles with this, try making it a point to have one-on-one conversations to improve listening skills, and make sure your child consistently follows through on instructions you give.

Can Focus on a Task
While most kindergarteners have yet to develop attention for a long period of time, it is expected that they can carry out simple tasks without losing focus. Kindergarteners will frequently be given a basic activity to complete, first explained and modeled by the teacher. But they must then sit at their tables or desks and do the work with minimal input (i.e. the teacher will walk around to help, but cannot take your child through the entire task one-on-one). Children who have the attention span to complete a task as instructed will have a much easier time in the kindergarten classroom.

Overall Maturity
Sometimes kids just aren't quite mature enough to enter kindergarten. While I'm not an advocate of comparing your child to others, since kids are individuals, it can be helpful to look at other kids going into kindergarten and see how mature your child is in comparison. These would be his peers and classmates, so if your child seems to be much "younger" or immature than his peers, it may be beneficial to hold him back. Giving him that extra year to catch up socially can mean a much smoother transition to kindergarten where he'll be playing and learning with other kids all day. Much of school is social in many ways, and when kids are on the same level, conversations and interactions are more enjoyable and inclusive.

External Factors
If you've looked at the list above and are still on the fence about whether or not to send your child to kindergarten, take stock of your current life situation. Sometimes the decision comes down to external factors such as: are your child's other friends going this year or next? Is your home life going to change (divorce, new baby, etc.) that would make sending your child to kindergarten easier or harder? Will kindergarten be a good fit for your current schedule, or would holding off another year be helpful?

Going to kindergarten is a major milestone in your child's life, so you want the transition and overall experience to be the best it can be. When your child enjoys school, he will be more likely to continue that positive outlook in the future, helping him be successful in his education. Just remember that children can go to kindergarten a bit early or be held back a year, and there is no one solution for everyone. Each child is unique, but when he's learning at the level that's most appropriate for him, he will do much better overall.

See also: How To Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten