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100 Things to Do Before Kindergarten
Eliza ClarkFebruary 28, 2013
We enjoy making lists here at The Savvy Source. Making a list is an act of hope, and a form of dreaming as well as planning.
These years before kindergarten and the forward march of school years are precious and irreplaceable. Never again will we have so much plain old free time with these adorables of ours. So here's a list of lots of stuff we hope to do with them, make possible for them, show them and teach them before they head off to -- gasp! -- elementary school.
And if we don't get around to each and every one of these items...well, we still have another twelve years before they go to college!
In no particular order....
1. Go to the zoo
2. Visit a farm
3. Go on a hike
4. Play with kittens or puppies
5. Catch a frog
6. Make a gigantic mess
7. Help clean up a gigantic mess
8. Master the monkey-bars
9. Swing high up into the sky all by themselves
10. Try ice-skating
11. Go sledding
12. Make a snow-man
13. Blow bubbles
14. Plant seeds and watch them grow
15. Have a pillow fight
16. Jump on a big bed
17. Jump on a trampoline or in a bounce house
18. Hang out in a tent
19. Spend days at the beach
20. Build sandcastles
21. Go fishing
22. Go out on a boat
23. Play with blocks and puzzles
24. Read the classic picture books
25. Read a classic chapter book
26. Check out library books with their own library card
27. Get a passport
28. Carve a pumpkin
29. Hold a newborn baby (to see how much they've grown)
30. Love a special doll or stuffed animal
31. Bake cookies and cakes
32. Help plan their own birthday party
33. Go to the circus
34. Go to a museum on a quiet weekday
35. Play hide-and-seek
36. Play a board game
37. Do nothing whatsoever all day
38. Try a sport
39. Watch a sporting event
40. Learn to swim
41. Be tickled in hysterics
42. Paint and draw as much as desired
43. Have the use of scissors and glue
44. Display artworks and other creations around the house
45. Learn to use a camera (and keep an album of the results!)
46. Play with clay
47. Pick flowers
48. Climb a tree
49. Gaze at the moon and stars
50. Toast marshmallows
51. Learn to eat an ice-cream cone
52. Watch a sunset
53. Learn to write their own names
54. Learn their addresses and telephone numbers
55. Learn their parents' full names
56. Set the table
57. Clear the table
58. Help wash the dishes
59. Learn to say their pleases and thank yous and excuse mes
60. Watch fireworks
61. Go to the ballet or theater or a puppet show
62. Put on a ballet or play or puppet show at home
63. Face paint
64. Dress up in costumes at will
65. Learn rhymes and poems and songs by heart
66. Have a dance party
67. Enjoy friends at preschool and at the park
68. Invite friends over to play
69. Get to know grandparents
70. Play with cousins
71. Become attached to a wonderful preschool teacher and/or babysitter
72. Learn the name of our president
73. Know the name of their town, state and country
74. Be familiar with a map of the world
75. Listen to music from many different ages and genres
76. Hear and learn words from a different language
77. Learn the difference between trash and recycling
78. Grow their own vegetables
79. Learn to ride a bike (or try!)
80. Take a road trip
81. Draw a self-portrait
82. Slurp alphabet soup
83. Learn to twirl spaghetti on a fork
84. Pick apples
85. Star in a home movie
86. Learn a magic trick
87. Try different hair-dos
88. Practice writing letters
89. Practice counting to 100
90. Make up stories
91. Send a letter
92. Receive a letter
93. Ride on a merry-go-round
94. Give away toys and books to less fortunate children
95. Learn the value of coins and bills
96. Keep a piggy bank
97. Try a musical instrument
98. Have a heartfelt wish granted
99. Have a heartfelt wish denied
100. Receive a million (make that a billion) heartfelt kisses and hugs from their parents!
From the Parents
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Parent # 2
excellent list!! as the mother of a 5 month old (our 1st) i am sooo excited to do these things with our daughter!!
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Parent # 3
I think 37 of those things have already been done.
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Parent # 4
Wow such a big list. I guess we are way behind. My pk'er is 4 yrs and almost 8 mos on the 12 this month and we have so much to do before we start doing K of course we homeshool so we have lots of time. I am working on the rest of Cap lett recognition and lower case letter recognition and number recognition that takes up a lot of time seems like if I try to do other things we get off track from the important things he needs to learn by K. Since we are homeschooling I guess I have till he is 6 to learn everything. Some of these things we can do and some we can't our town don't have some of those places to visit we would have to go out of town to do some of them. I have another list that is not quite so huge that is more attainable.
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Parent # 5
Great list. And I'll add: If you want to memorize it, put it to music. We've done this with name/address/phone# song before mine started pre-k. Then with addition/multiplication tables. Now she and her friends make up their own songs for extra credit in Science.
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Parent # 6
What a wonderful list! Was pleasantly surprised to know that we do about 90% of the listed things and still have so many more to enjoy with our preschooler. Turns out he enjoys books n travelling just as much as his parents too, which was our concern. I have a couple more suggestions - trip to a farmers maker, a music instrument store where they can try them out, and kiddie workshops at local hardware stores! Most of these workshops are free and age appropriate!
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Parent # 7
I applaud you .......many times over.......as a retired special education teacher your list is totally relevant to the building blocks necessary for learning.
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Parent # 8
love this list! I would also put teach them to take care of the family pet. My almost 3 year old loves feeding her fish, but she absolutely loves feeding and giving the dog treats if she sits. The most rewarding is when we take the dog on walks, she insists that she hold the leash!!
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Parent # 9
Take your child camping. Let them get a taste of nature and what quiet actually sounds like. A sky lit up with stars will intrigue them. But be sure and take some bug spray :)
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Parent # 10
I think the "List" is Great ! And being the mother of a two year old , this will give us plenty to do for the coming years! So thanks!! : ) The only thing I would add is to also teach your child how to dial 911 in case of emergency...
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Parent # 11
I also think it is important to teach your child to memorize her full name, age, parents name and an emergency phone number.
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Parent # 12
learn to put on your own jacket and wipe yourself after the potty. kindergarten teachers are not valets. :)
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Parent # 13
I am a preschool teacher and I love this list! It addresses so many of the discoveries and joys which a child needs, some of which, the educational systems are not set up to provide! Parents will fall in love with parenting and educating, when they use this!
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Parent # 14
please add "go to the dentist"!! This should be done by age 2 and should be a normal part of every child's life....it's even fun these days :)
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Parent # 15
I have some time to work on the list since my boy starts kinder this coming school year. I guess I have an activity planned for every weekend from here to August.
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Parent # 16
Wow I guess I'm either a bad parent or my daughter is behind, sounds like both!
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Parent # 17
I would like to add: play store: my daughter collects little toys and things from around the house and sets them all up and we take turns using real coins to sell things to each other. As we play I talk to her about the money, how much each coin is worth and talk about the pictures on the coins. She loves it!
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Parent # 18
Excellent...Making a book of this list with pictures of him doing each and every one of these fun, exciting and educational activities! Let the bonding begin...
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Parent # 19
love the list, there are some things me and my daughter have not done yet...:)
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Parent # 20
Perfect list of things to do, remember everything you need to know about life is learned in Kindergarten
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Parent # 21
Perfect list of things to do, remember everything you need to know about life is learned in Kindergarten
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Thank you for this list! I love it! And #94 - Giving away books or toys is such a wonderful idea, too. For our son's 5th birthday, we collected books instead of gifts from friends. Then, he donated the books to a local children's center who was in need of books. It made him feel good to know that he made other children happy by giving them presents.
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