Kindergarten Readiness

Kindergarten classrooms at Dallas Center-Grimes CSD are full of joy, spirit, creativity and learning! This is a special time in our student’s educational journey and we can’t wait to watch as these young children flourish during their time in our district. We hope this page serves as a resource for parents getting ready to send your child to kindergarten in the fall. Please reach out to any of our building principals for additional information.

Motor Skills

  • Hold a pencil, crayon, or marker with a proper grip.
  • Cut with child-safe scissors.
  • Color within the lines and practice drawing shapes and pictures.
  • Write their first name using uppercase and lowercase letters.
  • Run, jump, and climb safely.
  • Use playground equipment independently.

Social-Emotional Skills

  • Take turns and share with others.
  • Follow simple rules and routines.
  • Express emotions with words instead of actions.
  • Show kindness and respect to adults and peers.
  • Participate in group activities.

Literacy Readiness

  • Recognize and name some letters of the alphabet.
  • Recognize their own name and practice writing it.
  • Can hold a book correctly (right side up).
  • Turn pages in a book one at a time, in the correct order.
  • Recognize that sentences are read from left to right and top to bottom.
  • Identify the front and back cover of a book.
  • Understand the difference between letters, words, and sentences.
  • Point to words in a book while an adult reads aloud (tracking print).

Math Readiness

  • Count objects up to 10 (or higher).
  • Recognize and name numbers up to 10 (or higher).
  • Sort objects by color, shape, size, or other attributes.
  • Identify basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles.

Self-Help Skills

  • Use the restroom independently and wash hands.
  • Put on and take off shoes, jackets, hats, gloves, and backpacks.
  • Open lunch containers and snack packages.
  • Follow simple routines like cleaning up after play.

Listening & Communication Skills

  • Follow one and two-step directions.
  • Listen to stories and answer simple questions about them.
  • Use words to express needs, thoughts, and feelings.
  • Speak in complete sentences when talking to others.

Problem-Solving and Communication Skills

  • Ask for help when needed.
  • Make simple choices (e.g., “Do you want the red cup or the blue cup?”).
  • Predict what might happen in different situations (e.g., “What do you think will happen if we mix these colors?”).
  • Manage transitions and change of routine with minimal frustrations.

Helpful Links for Parents to Explore: