How can I tell if my child is ready for kindergarten?

Most schools use cutoff dates — deadlines by which a child must be a certain age — to determine who's eligible for a kindergarten class. Typically, a child must be age 5 before entering kindergarten. Age, however, isn't the only way to measure a child's kindergarten readiness.

When trying to determine if your child is ready for kindergarten, don't worry about whether or not he or she has mastered specific skills. Instead, consider his or her readiness to learn. How well is your child able to communicate and listen? Is your child able to get along with other children and adults? Use your own intuition as a parent and consult your child's doctor, preschool teacher and any other child care providers for useful, objective information about your child's development and readiness for school.

Keep in mind that some schools also require children to take a teacher-administered kindergarten readiness test to evaluate their abilities relative to other children of the same age. Not all educators believe these individual, in-class readiness tests for kindergarten students is an appropriate use of time and resources.