Ready or not, here it comes - the time for kids to leave the nest and board a bus for school. But how do you know if your child is ready? Age is the first consideration to take into account. In most public schools and many private schools, children must be at least 5 years old before entering kindergarten. The cutoff varies by state and region, but it can range from July to January, so it's best to check with your school system well before fall rolls around. Many systems focus heavily on school readiness factors such as physical, social and cognitive development more so than age, however, and these factors are emphasized if your child will attend a private school. Children born prematurely sometimes need extra time to develop, but the child's size should not necessarily be a factor in sending him to kindergarten.
Whether or not the child has attended preschool is important. Non-preschooled kindergarteners take more time to adjust to the structure of the school day than those who are used to it. For example, learning to take turns, form a line with others and eat/sleep at structured times might take some adjustment. The teacher should know if your child hasn't been preschooled or spent time in playgroups. Your child's personality might be a factor in his readiness, but shy children won't necessarily come out of their shells during the year when they're held back, so it's best just to send them on, experts say. The bottom line when making the decision to send your 5-year-old to kindergarten boils down to three factors: whether he can think logically, speak clearly, and get along well with adults and other children.