Preschool Skills Checklist

If you’d like some guidelines as to what your preschooler should be able to do, I have a preschool skills checklist that will help you out. It’s a list of skills that the average four-year-old should be able to do.

Note that this list should be used only as a guideline. All children are unique and learn at different rates. Your child may acquire some of these skills at the age of three and others he may not be able to do until he’s five. That’s okay. So long as he acquires these skills by a reasonable age, you have nothing to worry about.

One more thing you should know about this preschool skills checklist. It is a set of skills your child should be able to do, not concepts to learn. Let me explain the difference. A skill is an activity that a child can perform. A concept is knowledge that he can acquire. You can learn more about the basic concepts your preschooler should know here.

Preschool Skills Checklist

Personal Skills

• ❑ Dresses oneself (can button, zip a zipper, fasten snaps)
• ❑ Chooses clothes appropriate for weather conditions
• ❑ Brushes teeth
• ❑ Handles toileting needs independently
• ❑ Washes hands
• ❑ Eats with utensils
• ❑ Carries a plate or tray
• ❑ Carries a cup
• ❑ Pours from a small pitcher (or measuring cup)

Motor Skills

• ❑ Holds a pencil or other writing utensil
• ❑ Cuts on simple lines
• ❑ Uses glue or paste
• ❑ Colors (more than just a quick scribble)
• ❑ Draws simple pictures
• ❑ Does an 8-10 piece puzzle
• ❑ Walks in a straight line (forwards and backwards)
• ❑ Runs
• ❑ Jumps
• ❑ Marches
• ❑ Walks up and down stairs (alternating feet)
• ❑ Pedals a tricycle
• ❑ Claps hands
• ❑ Throws a ball
• ❑ Bounces a ball
• ❑ Rolls a ball
• ❑ Moves to music
• ❑ Turns pages of a book
• ❑ Stacks blocks or other objects
• ❑ Manipulates play dough
• ❑ Opens and closes doors
• ❑ Can do simple finger plays that go with songs or chants
• ❑ Strings beads
• ❑ Picks up small items with fingers
• ❑ Draws horizontal and vertical lines
• ❑ Can do simple cleaning tasks like picking up toys or wiping a surface

Social Skills

• ❑ Expresses feelings in appropriate ways
• ❑ Responds appropriately to others
• ❑ Recognizes feelings of others
• ❑ Listens to others
• ❑ Can participate in a group activity
• ❑ Takes turns
• ❑ Shares with others
• ❑ Follows directions
• ❑ Transitions between activities
• ❑ Can play by oneself or with others
• ❑ Uses “please” and “thank you” appropriately
• ❑ Listens to stories read aloud
• ❑ Does pretend play

Language Skills

• ❑ Answers who, what, where, when questions
• ❑ Describes events
• ❑ Uses simple describing words like colors
• ❑ Speaks clearly
• ❑ Can repeat words and phrases
• ❑ Expresses needs and wants
• ❑ Uses complete sentences
• ❑ Names every day objects
• ❑ Names every day sounds (i.e. car horn, cooking, running water)
• ❑ Recites the alphabet (with or without song)
• ❑ Sings (doesn’t have to be in tune)

Spiritual Skills

• ❑ Prays simple prayers (i.e. grace at meals, “Thank you God for…”, “Please, help me…”)
• ❑ Names important religious symbols or figures (i.e. Jesus, a cross, Mary)
• ❑ Describes simple events from the Bible (i.e. birth of Jesus, Noah and the ark)

I bet you noticed at many of these skills fit into everyday life. That makes it pretty convenient for you, doesn’t it?

Really, most preschool skills should be about performing daily activities. There are some that are geared towards preparing your child for Kindergarten, which are important too, but I think you’ll find Kindergarten concepts much easier to teach when your child can do the basic skills like getting himself ready in the morning, following directions, and transitioning between activities.

There’s one last thing that you’ll want to keep in mind about teaching your child at this age. Preschoolers learn a great deal through play, so do your best to find fun activities for teaching these skills.

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Many blessings,