This document provides an overview of key physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and literacy development milestones for kindergarten-aged children, along with teaching tips. Kindergarteners vary in experiences but generally show enthusiasm for learning, improved ability to follow directions, and desire for social interaction. The document outlines physical skills, importance of social-emotional development, cognitive shifts in thinking, language and literacy growth, and tips for smooth transitions into and out of kindergarten, including communicating with families. Sample Common Core standards are also referenced.

1. Know Your Kindergartners
Teacher Tips
Physical Development
Social & Emotional Development
Cognitive Development
Language & Literacy
Transitioning to and from Kindergarten
Activity Examples
By Carol Hazlett. October 2015
Overview
Physical Development
Social & Emotional Development
Cognitive Development
Language & Literacy
Transitioning to and from Kindergarten
Sample of Common Core K Standards
Activity Examples
Citation: Copple, C. (2013). The Kindergarten Year. In S. Bredekamp (Ed.), Developmentally Ap-
propriate Practice (pp. 187-253). National Association for the Education of Young Children.

2. OVERVIEW
Fast Facts
 In the USA, Kindergarten students range from 4 years to 7 years old. In Connecticut
students must turn 5 years old by January 1st of the school year.
 Kindergarten students vary in the knowledge they begin school with, but they usually
demonstrate similar traits:
- Enthusiasm for learning
- Increased capability to understand directions and responsibility
- Increased ability to control impulses
- Desire to interact with others
 Kindergarten was traditionally a preparation year for children to get ready for higher
grades, but with increased academic standards and more children attending early
childhood programs, Kindergarten has become more like the first year of school.
Teacher Tips
 Teachers must balance a line between allowing children to pursue their interests,
and teaching specific skills.
 It is important to respond to the different needs and backgrounds of each individual
student.
 Early educational and at home experiences can support or discourage a child’s love
of learning.

3. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Fast Facts:
 Kindergarten students use their bodies to show emotions and to explore/mimic
their environment through role playing.
 During this stage a child’s attention span gets a bit longer.
 Gross motor skills (throwing, kicking, catching, etc.) become more coordinated.
 Fine motor skills (coloring, writing, keyboarding) continue to develop.
 Girls tend to improve their fine motor skills quicker than boys, but boys tend to
improve their gross motor skills quicker.
Teacher Tips:
 Tasks that improve fine motor skills:
- Sorting small objects
- Using scissors
- Painting/clay
- Zipping/buttoning
- Writing
 Children need to learn through play and instruction. Designated play areas can
provide room for children to play safely.
 Be sure to emphasize healthy habits for children’s bodies (hand washing,
healthy nutrition, covering their mouths when they sneeze/cough, etc.)

4. SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Fast Facts:
 Positive social and emotional development has immediate impacts (i.e.: students reach
their goals, have more friendships, have better coping mechanisms). There are also
later consequences on adult behaviors and success.
 Forming close and positive relationships with adults and children is crucial.
 The goal is for students to cooperate, resolve conflict, and follow rules.
 Kindergarten students are 11 times more likely to have same-sex friendships.
Teacher Tips:
 Kindergartners will best learn when they feel safe and valued in an environment that
meets their needs and creativity. In fact, classrooms where teachers give high quality
emotional support have shown to develop students who later on have better social
skills.
 Be positive in what you say, especially during this stage. Children are developing a self
-concept where they become aware of comparisons. As such children are constantly
internalizing what is said about them.
 Make an effort to address children and families unique emotional needs, especially as
it relates to children growing up in poverty or with special needs.
- Be encouraging
- Show concern for their feelings
- If a child portrays an inappropriate emotion (i.e.: taking comfort
in another’s misfortune) help to redirect the child by modeling sympathy.

5. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Fast Facts:
 The ‘5-7 shift’ refers to the shift in thinking that happens during these ages.
Children will begin to think more logically and organized, and they cant start to
see two different sides to an issue.
 Positively stimulating environments help to speed up brain growth, whereas
negative environments can slow down brain growth.
 Reasoning and representational thinking improves. We can sometimes see it
when a child’s drawing is no longer disconnected shapes, but when the pictures
represent a story.
 Children’s memory is also improving, they can recall information more easily,
especially when that information is meaningful to them.
Teacher Tips:
 Thought provoking questions can help improve a child's cognitive development
(i.e.: “how do we get to the cafeteria from here?” Or “How many blocks will it
take to cover the rug?”)
 Story telling, from both the child and the teacher, can be a great opportunity to
practice a child’s cognitive skills.

6. LANGUAGE & LITERACY
Fast Facts:
 It is important that students learn how to express their needs and wants, to convey their
ideas, and also learn how to take turns in conversations.
 The number of words that students know increase greatly during this stage, children
can learn an average of 20 new words per day, depending on how ‘language rich’ the
environment is.
 Spoken language helps children to read and phonological awareness is one of the
most important components. This is where a child understands that each letter makes
a sound.
 In spelling, students may string together consonants they hear to make a word, leaving
out the vowels.
 In 2000 18% of U.S. residents spoke languages other than English at home.
Teacher Tips:
 Consistent and engaging story times can be a wonderful way for students to improve
their cognitive skills and their language and literacy skills.
 Children can also learn language through writing, music, and talking.
 It is important to incorporate language into other areas like, math and science.
 Overall, the goals are for a child to become familiar with the concept of print; to know
that letters make sounds, and to recognize and write the letters of the alphabet.

7. TRANSITIONING
Fast Facts:
 About 56% of children are enrolled in preschool in the USA., meaning that 44%
of students may not have experience preparing them for a group setting.
 The transition is smoother when families and teachers work together.
Transitioning Into Kindergarten:
 The transition into Kindergarten is about the transition into a structured group
program.
 Students are becoming a part of two communities; school and home. Whatever
happens at home will effect a student’s behavior in school and vise versa.
Transitioning Out of Kindergarten:
 The transition out of Kindergarten is about the switch to more a more structured
environment with more difficult academic material.
 This transition is sometimes called ‘hitting a wall’ because the experience in first
grade can be so drastically different that the student becomes disinterested in
school.
Teacher Tips:
 Encourage families of preschoolers to start practicing Kindergarten rules and
routine.
 As a class, in Kindergarten, start practicing the First grade rules and routine.
 Try your best to communicate with parents about your goals, expectations, and
observations. It can be in person, through phone calls, through emails, or even
newsletters,. Remember to communicate in a language that the family knows.
 You can invite local preschools to come visit Kindergarten classrooms with their
students. And you can invite local kindergartens to visit the first grades.

8. COMMON CORE: LANGUAGE ARTS
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/

9. COMMON CORE: MATHEMATICS
http://www.corestandards.org/Math/