8 Skills Every Toddler Should Know Before Kindergarten

8 Skills to Teach Your Toddler Before Kindergarten
8 Skills to Teach Your Toddler Before Kindergarten

Without a doubt, the demands of kindergarten have changed over the past several decades. The half-days of play-based instruction and lengthy naps are long gone, replaced by desk work, limited recess, and direct instruction. Overall, programs are much more academically rigorous than most parents anticipate.

But it's not just the academic content that overwhelms students. In my role as a school occupational therapist, kindergarten teachers are constantly approaching me in the hallways begging for tips on how to improve their students' fine motor and self-help skills. So I was inspired to create a list of the ones that students struggle with the most upon entering kindergarten. With a little practice, your child can be the shining star in kindergarten in no time!

Related: 10 things you should NEVER say to your toddler

Remember, however, that these are just some suggestions to get you started. Feel free to use your imagination and get creative, and, most importantly, don't panic if your child hasn't mastered everything on the list before August rolls around. As long as your little one practices a number of these activities, this will build her confidence, and you will find (as will her teacher) that she has a strong foundation to build upon, come fall!


Using glue
Using glue

1. Using glue
Have your child practice using a glue bottle, including removing the dried piece of glue that gets stuck over the cap. She should practice twisting the cap to open it, then squeeze the bottle with just the right amount of pressure to place one drop of glue onto a specific spot. Use a pen to mark small dots of different sizes on a piece of paper so that she can practice squeezing different amounts of glue to cover the dots.











Getting paper towels and soap
Getting paper towels and soap

2. Getting paper towels and soap
Help your child get her own paper towels and soap from dispensers in public restrooms. Teach her to push the dispensers with the correct amount of pressure, using only one or two pushes for the soap and two to three pushes for the paper towels.









Related: The most age-inappropriate toddler gear (what were they thinking?!)




Fastening her clothes
Fastening her clothes

3. Fastening her clothes
Your child should be able to manage clothing fasteners as independently as possible prior to starting school. If she needs a lot of assistance with her belt or fastening her pants, consider having her only wear them at home when there's more opportunity and time to practice, until she can manage in a timely manner.









Related: 10 toddler types your kid will meet on the playground







Carrying a cafeteria tray
Carrying a cafeteria tray

4. Carrying a cafeteria tray
Purchase a cafeteria tray and have your child practice carrying a tray full of items from one room to another without spilling. Include items such as a milk carton, silverware, and a sandwich.












Opening and closing lids
Opening and closing lids

5. Opening and closing lids
Have your child practice opening and closing tops and lids, such as those on markers and glue sticks. Practice with packages and containers that you plan to send from home for snack or lunch, including chip bags, straws, juice boxes, Ziploc baggies (both the zipper-type and press-and-seal type), and milk cartons.
















Coloring
Coloring

6. Coloring
Practice coloring inside the lines, using a coloring pattern going in various directions, like up-and-down, side-to-side, diagonally, and in circles. You can even outline the edges of the picture with a thin strip of glue to give your child some "sensory feedback" as to where to stop coloring.












Related: 28 ways to make your kid's teacher like you







Drawing shapes
Drawing shapes

7. Drawing shapes
Teach your child to draw basic shapes and figures, such as a circle, square, triangle, cross, and rectangle. Have her practice forming them in a variety of "sensory media" rather than with just using a paper and pencil. For example, have her form them using her index finger in pudding on a piece of foil, in sand, or using play dough or a piece of string.










Holding a pencil
Holding a pencil

8. Holding a pencil
Teach your child to hold a writing tool correctly. If she is having trouble with this skill, try showing her how to "pinch" the pencil with her thumb and index finger and then let her other fingers fall behind for extra support. You may also want to have her hold a small object, like a button or coin, against the palm of her hand using just the fourth and fifth fingers so that she is left with the middle finger, index finger, and thumb to hold the pencil when writing.

- By Anne Zachry

For 2 more skills your toddler should learn before kindergarten, visit Babble!

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