6 Skills Your Child Should Manage Before Pre-K, According to a Teacher

It is important for children to be able to recognise their name and learn the letters in their name, because cubbies, school supplies, and materials are often labeled. Playing with alphabet toys and story time can help with this skill.

Learning how to use scissors correctly helps little hands with fine motor skills, which will in turn help them with writing with a pencil and manipulating small objects. Luckily, there are a lot of videos on YouTube that can help you teach your kids how to use scissors. Practicing this skill also assists children in their bilateral coordination, which is the ability to use both sides of the body while doing separate movements.

Interacting with other children is a huge part of Pre-K. Children should know the basics about how to behave with their peers. Taking turns and waiting are two big skills you should practice, Dille says.

There is a lot going on in Pre-K with many distractions, so it is important for children to learn how to focus on the task at hand so they can learn new things. Dille recommends "slowly spooning objects from one bowl to another as an example of practical life activities that develop focus."

Children who have excellent self-confidence and self-esteem do well in Pre-K, because they believe in themselves and are able to assert themselves when appropriate. Dille says it is important for children to "recognise, label, and validate emotions, using their words to get through them." Complimenting them, celebrating their small accomplishments, and letting them excel at an activity they love can all help with their self-worth.