List of Preschool Skills

It is helpful to have an awareness of the skills your preschooler should master before he enters kindergarten. If your child has reached the following milestones, he will be able to make the transition from preschool to kindergarten more easily. It is important to remember that all children develop differently. However, if you notice that your child is behind, there are several activities you can engage him in to aid in the development of these essential skills.

  1. Fine Motor Skills

    • Fine motor skills are utilized in academic activities such as handwriting, as well as creative activities like sculpting with clay. These skills are also used when children perform everyday tasks like zipping or buttoning their clothes. Encourage children to practice these actions regularly to help them develop better hand coordination and strength.

      Preschoolers should also be able to hold and grip writing instruments, as well as draw and copy specific shapes. In addition, they should be able to draw recognizable renderings of different objects and use scissors to cut out paper shapes while simultaneously turning the paper around. Preschoolers should also know how to paste objects together and be able to build simple structures out of blocks.

    Gross Motor Skills

    • Children of this age should be able to run, jump and hop up and down. They should be able to walk in a straight line, walk backward for five feet and alternate feet when they walk down stairs. Preschoolers should have the ability to clap their hands and use their hands to throw a ball. Your preschooler should also be able to march and stand on one foot for a duration of five to 10 seconds. You can make skill testing into a silly game to get your child more interested in learning how to practice and eventually master these skills.

    Listening Skills

    • Listening skills are very important in a classroom setting. Your preschooler should be able to listen and follow directions. You can test your child to see if she has developed listening skills by reading her short stories or nursery rhymes. After you read the stories or rhymes, ask your child to repeat the stories or rhymes back to you. If you do not get good results with the stories or rhymes, try singing song lyrics back and forth instead. Some children learn to listen more readily through music.

    Basic Recognition and Sequencing Skills

    • Basic recognition skills include the ability to recognize opposites and sizes. Preschool children should be able to identify body parts, animals, shapes and colors. Your preschooler should also be able to match simple objects together, as well as recognize and respond to the names of the objects. Sequencing skills include the ability to comprehend numbers and letters in the correct sequential order. Build basic recognition and sequencing skills by practicing counting aloud, singing the ABCs and asking your child what colors and shapes he sees.

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