By Mary Harvey for Parents.com
Updated on December 16, 2022
In kindergarten, your student will practice basic concepts of math, reading, writing, shapes, and time. Learn more about the typical kindergarten curriculum, and find out how to help your child reach important learning milestones at home.
It's your child's first official year of school! If you're wondering what kindergarten curriculum looks like these days, it still focuses largely on mastering letters, sounds, and words. You'll watch with delight as your child takes their first steps toward reading, expands their vocabulary, and writes the letters of the alphabet.
Your child will also learn key fundamentals of math. By the end of the year, they should count to 30, recognize common shapes, and complete basic single-digit addition.
It's important to realize that educational standards vary across states, districts, and schools—and no two children learn at exactly the same rate. You can help them succeed in kindergarten by building self-confidence, which will instill a love of learning that lasts throughout life.
Here are the important kindergarten learning milestones children will achieve this year, with tips for helping your student stay on track with the kindergarten curriculum at home.
1. Letters and Sounds in Kindergarten
First up? Letters and sounds, the fundamentals of learning how to read, write, and speak correctly. Kindergarten will approach these in a fun and approachable way, incorporating lots of different learning styles to meet the needs of all learners. (Think visual, auditory, and lots of hands-on work!)
What they will learn
By the end of kindergarten, your child will recognize, name, and write all 26 letters of the alphabet (both uppercase and lowercase). They'll know the correct sound that each letter makes, and they'll be able to read about 30 high-frequency words—also called "sight words"—such as and, the, and in.
How you can help at home
"Reading to your children at home not only makes them enjoy reading, but it also helps them in school," says Susan Quinn, a reading specialist and elementary school teacher at Saint Brendan School in the Bronx, New York. Reading together nurtures companionship and fun and builds concentration, focus, and vocabulary. Look for books about your child's particular interests and get suggestions from the librarian, but make sure the books aren't too hard to understand.
"It's always better to start them on easier books, because then they feel successful, and that spurs them on, so they'll read more," Quinn says. She adds that Dr. Seuss books, with their rhymes and simple words, are perfect for this age. (Some Dr. Seuss books can be problematic, so the key is simply choosing books with lots of repetition.) Kids learn through repetition, so read the same favorite books over and over, ask questions, and encourage your child to say simple words aloud. Throughout the day, encourage them to read the words they see on street signs, billboards, and computer screens, or have them search for high-frequency words in a magazine.
2. Writing in Kindergarten
What they will learn
In class, kindergarten students will be taught to write simple CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words, such as hat, red, and dog. They'll also write short, simple sentences such as "The cat ran home."
How you can help at home
Keep a special box filled with writing materials (crayons, pencils, markers, paper, and notepads) so your child can practice writing simple sentences about their day. Ask about what they've written, and have them read it aloud. Offer encouragement by displaying their writings on the refrigerator.