Welcome to Preschool Education! The preschool years are so important in a child’s development. Preschoolers are constantly learning, growing, and exploring the world around them. Whether you are a parent or a preschool teacher, you can find out how to make the most out of the preschool years and get the preschoolers in your life off to a great start.
Preschool Skills Checklist
Table of Contents
This list of skills young children can learn is not based on any research and is not a comprehensive list of skills, nor does your child necessarily need all these skills. It is strictly a list of the first 25 topics that came to my mind. You can use it to find out what your child already knows and then use it to help you choose what else you’d like to teach him. Remember, there is no set age when a child should be able to do all this. This is just a list of things you might want to teach him someday.
- Dressing self
- Feeding self
- Handle a book appropriately
- Enjoys looking at books
- Enjoys being read to
- Has basic physical skills if not limited by a disability—walking, running, hopping, etc.
- Can follow simple directions. How many directions at once? (For instance: pick up your hat, put it on your head, and then run to the door.)
- Can stack blocks
- Can use crayons (staying in the lines is not important for younger children)
- Can use other art supplies, such as glue sticks, safety scissors, finger paints, paintbrushes, chalk
- Can recite numbers to ten
- Can actually count ten items
- Recognizes letters
- Can read their name and a few other sight words
- Knows the names of basic colors
- Can speak in fairly grammatically correct complete sentences
- Can identify basic shapes
- Asks lots of questions (shows curiosity)
- Plays fairly well with other children
- Can pay attention one minute for each year of his age. (A four-year-old can pay attention for four minutes—not always, but often enough.)
- Can usually behave fairly well in public
- Can take turns most of the time
- Is reasonably kind
- Can recite the alphabet
- Understands simple science—weather, sunshine for plant growing, etc.
Featured Preschool Education Articles
Creating Preschool Lesson Plans
Well-thought-out lesson plans can contribute to a calmer and more educationally stimulating atmosphere in the preschool classroom. Preschool teachers can practice child-led lesson planning to make the preschool classroom more exciting for each individual preschooler.
Make a Preschool Art Box
Free art time helps preschoolers to explore their creative side and can be very relaxing for over-stimulated preschoolers, but giving preschoolers free access to art supplies can create a huge mess. Simplify free art time by providing each preschooler with their own art box that contains only the art supplies that they have proven mastery of.
The Importance of Pretend Play for Preschoolers
Preschoolers can learn a great deal about the world through pretend play. Emotional and social development is just as important in a quality preschool education as academic education. Preschoolers who develop good social skills early on will be better prepared to be successful during their school years and to become an emotionally healthy adult.
Preschool Theme – Winter
This winter preschool theme will get preschoolers excited about the changing seasons by bringing winter into the preschool classroom. Preschoolers can participate in winter-themed arts and crafts, math and science, and other open-ended activities to learn essential preschool skills.
Letter “A” Apple Stamping
Create a letter “A” stamp using apples.
Summertime Preschool Education
Providing your preschooler with a rich learning environment does not have to be complicated or expensive. All preschoolers need to succeed and have fun is a caring parent and a little bit of imagination.
Coping with Separation Anxiety at Preschool
It is common for your preschool to experience separation anxiety when they are dropped off at preschool. Dealing with a preschooler who does not want to leave your side can be difficult. If you are consistent they can learn to trust their new preschool environment and their new preschool teacher.
Making Sense of your Preschool Options
Choosing a preschool program for your preschooler can be overwhelming. Understanding all of your options can help you to make the best choice for your preschooler’s individual needs.
Featured Preschool Education Product
The Preschooler’s Busy Book: 365 Creative Games & Activities To Occupy 3-6 Year Olds