7 lessons Parents of kindergartners
Getting Ready for 1st Grade
7 short lessons for parents in the months before 1st grade, based on the Common Core kindergarten standards. Lots of play, no pressure.
All lessons
- 🌱 1. What “readiness” really meansFeelings, friends, independence and attention — and what isn’t expected
- 🔤 2. Sounds and lettersRhymes, first sounds, syllables and letters — the fun way
- 🔢 3. Numbers and first mathCounting, quantities, more and less, shapes and patterns
- ✏️ 4. Fine motor skills and pencil gripScissors, lines, drawing and writing their name
- 🧦 5. Independence and routinesBackpack, bathroom, lunchbox, sleep and mornings
- 💛 6. The emotional sideTalking about the change, saying goodbye, friends and confidence
- ☀️ 7. The summer plan15 minutes a day, what to buy, the first week, and who to call
✏️ Practice: Kindergarten skills: practice online and printables
About this course
In the US, 1st grade builds on kindergarten: kids are expected to know letter sounds, read simple words, count to 100 and add and subtract within 10. This course explains what that means in everyday life and how to help through play.
Every child develops at their own pace. If something worries you, talk to the kindergarten teacher or your pediatrician — early support works best.
Questions & answers
- Does my child need to read before 1st grade?
- No. By the end of kindergarten, most kids know letter sounds and read some simple words and sight words. Fluent reading is taught in 1st grade.
- What math should a child know before 1st grade?
- The kindergarten Common Core standards include counting to 100 by ones and tens, writing numbers to 20, comparing groups, and adding and subtracting within 10 with objects or fingers.
- My child’s birthday is late — should we wait a year?
- It depends on the child and your state’s cutoff date. Talk with the kindergarten teacher; social and emotional readiness matters as much as academics.
- Is the course free?
- Yes, completely free.