Kindergarten readiness checklist for teachers and families
Mark what each child can do now across six areas, add notes, and download a checklist to share at parent-teacher conferences.
- Fill in your detailsYour center, room and dates.
- Make it yoursEdit, add or remove anything. Turn parts on or off.
- Check the previewIt updates as you type.
- Download PDFOr get a blank copy to fill in by hand.
Mark what the child does now. Most children are still working on some skills when they start kindergarten, and that is normal.
What kindergarten readiness really means
Readiness is not about reading or doing math early. Kindergarten teachers most often look for children who can take care of their basic needs, get along with others, follow directions and stay with a task for a few minutes. Letters and numbers help, but they are only part of the picture.
How to use this checklist
- Observe the child over a few weeks, not on one day.
- Mark Yes, Emerging or Not yet for each skill.
- Share strengths first with families, then two or three skills to practice.
- Give families simple ideas: reading together, counting at the store, practicing zippers.
Write observations as you go with our anecdotal record writer.
More free help for your day
Run your whole center from one app.
Check-in, attendance, billing, daily reports, health records and parent messages in MyKidReports. Start free for up to 5 children, or try Pro free for 14 days. Pro is $0.99 per child a month.
Common questions
What skills should a child have before kindergarten?
Self-care like using the bathroom and putting on a coat, social skills like taking turns and following group rules, language skills like speaking in sentences and following two-step directions, and early literacy, math and motor skills like recognizing their name, counting to 10 and holding a crayon.
Does my child need to read before kindergarten?
No. Most children learn to read in kindergarten and first grade. Knowing some letters and loving books is a great start.
Is this kindergarten readiness checklist free?
Yes. It is free and runs in your browser. Mark each skill and download a checklist to share with families.