Kindergarten: Learning to Learn
You came to this page looking for advice on how to help your Kindergartener.
If you do nothing else but get familiar with what they are being asked to do, you will quickly see your connection around their learning deepen.
You can start with our free checklist of learning targets for the year. This is a great reference when checking homework or as a topic of conversation in the car.
Paying attention to their learning is the most critical thing you can do.
The 4 Habits
Our way of helping you dive in!
These practices allow you to dive right into any of the math and language standards in your grade level with effortless, bite-sized practice that builds skill fluency and confidence.
Modeling
Our most powerful habit. Grab a blank page, use our prompts, and show your child how to approach a new skill. This direct, stress-free connection is the fastest way to ensure grade-level mastery.
CarTalk
Turn your daily drive into a classroom. Use quick practice games to solidify math facts and phonics, prompt socratic reasoning, or use our SEL cards to help your child navigate friendships and emotions.
Listen and Write
Use these cards to supercharge reading skills. You say the sounds, words, or sentences, and your child writes them down—building the exact phonetic foundation they need to read with ease.
StoryTime
Whether at bedtime or on the weekend, elevate your reading routine. Our cards give you the exact questions to ask to build deep comprehension, ensuring your student is ready to lead classroom discussions.
Applying our Habits in Kindergarten
Here is a look at the scope of the program in Kindergarten.
Math Habits
M1Counting
M2How Many?M3Mental MathM4Breaking Numbers ApartM5Using an ArrayM6Finding Shapes in the WorldLanguage Habits
L1Letters and SoundsL2Sight WordsL3RhymingL4Syllables
L5Blending Words from Sounds
L6Author’s PurposeL7ComprehensionL8Ask and Answer QuestionsL9Making ConnectionsL10VocabularyL11SentencesProjects
P1Comparing MeasurementsP2Small Moment WritingP3My Favorite Topic Research
P4Comparing CharactersSEL
SEL 1ListeningSEL 2AgencySEL 3EmpathySEL 4ForgivenessSEL 5Noticing Problems InsideSEL 6Solving ProblemsSEL 7Being a ScholarA sample of what our activities look like.
We have included a mixed sampler of the different activities we have in Kindergarten. Give one a try!
Mixed Sampler
A custom sampler pulling one card or skill from each subject — Math, Language, Projects, and SEL — each keeping its own subject color.
M1Math
Counting — Counting Up From…
I can count forward and backward starting from any number.
CC.K.1 · CC.K.2
Prompt 2 — “Let’s Try Counting Up From…”
• It’s important that they can start their count from any number:
“Let’s count up from 47”
• Take things slow as they will likely skip numbers at first
• Remind them of the patterns of how tens and ones change
• Next, try having them count backwards
“Now let’s count down from 63.”
• Play Tennis!
Play Tennis
M5Math
Using an Array — Ten Frames
I can use ten frames to represent and compose larger numbers.
OA.K.2 · NBT.K.1
Skill 1 — Ten Frames and Laying Out Larger Numbers
• Using your graph paper notebook, draw a box 10 squares across and 3 squares down.
• Model writing dots for the number 26 by quickly putting dots in all 10 squares of the first two rows and then counting as you do the 6 ones on the 3rd row.
• Make some more “10 frame” boxes with them and try more numbers between 20 and 50.
• Watch as they begin to master adding the 10s rows and identify when they get to the ones.
Math GeneratorClick to generate more problems like this.
L1Language
Letters and Sounds
I can identify letters and the sounds they make.
RF.K.1b · RF.K.3a · L.K.1a · RF.K.3b
Skill — Letters and Sounds
The first step in reading is being able to identify and write the letters. You say the letter and they write both the capital and little versions.
Next move into saying sounds and having them write the letter.
• Start with consonants. Begin by saying short, clear consonants sounds.
• Continue with longer, subtle consonants.
• Emphasize the differences between:
• Move into short vowel sounds. Listen carefully to the difference between
Use our Listen & Write Generator for grade-level dictation words, sentences, and paragraphs read aloud.
L9Language
Making Connections — Spotting Similar Situations
I can connect what happens in a story to my own experiences.
RI.K.3
Skill 1 — Spotting Similar Situations
As part of the Reading routine, take an opportunity to start a chapter book. There are some great book ideas here.
• While reading, spot something a character does, says or feels that you can connect to something in your own life or something you have seen before.
"Does this remind you of when we ….?"
Informational Text GeneratorUse our Informational Text Generator to create a grade-level nonfiction passage on a topic they like.
P1Projects
Comparing Measurements
Measure and compare objects (<,>,=) using measurement tools like paperclips.
MD K.1 · MD K.2 · CCK.K.5 · L.K.6
Card A — Measuring Items
• Find objects around the house to measure using paperclips or another small repeated item.
• Model measuring using this smaller item. For example:
A serving spoon with paperclips
A coffee table with Uno cards
• Allow them to measure other items with small units of their choice.
• Make sure to line everything up carefully.
• Complete measurements for 10 household objects.
• Record answers in a notebook. For example:
Spoon = 5 paperclips
Book = 2 cards
Beading kit box = 23 Legos
• Ask them to estimate when an object is "about half" of another paperclip longer and adjust measurements like Spoon = 5 ½ paperclips
• If measurement skills are developing well, you may also model using a ruler, but rulers are not required in kindergarten.
Card B — Comparing Measurements (Modeling)
• Use the measurement chart from Card A to compare objects.
• Model comparison sentences such as:
"The pencil is longer than the spoon."
"The spoon is shorter than the pencil."
• Ask them to try. "The toy car is shorter than the book." "The book is longer than the toy car."
• Once comfortable, introduce the idea of using units.
The toy car is 3 paper clips longer than the eraser.
• Encourage your child to write comparison sentences independently without worrying about spelling.
• Challenge them with new ways of comparing items:
• heavier/heaviest
• Lighter/lightest
• Harder/hardest
• softer/softest
Card C — Comparing Numbers with Symbols (Modeling)
• Use the small unit measurements recorded from Card A to compare numbers with < > and =
• Remember the "alligator" always eats the bigger number
• Model an example:
8 paperclips > 5 paperclips so the book is longer than the pencil.
• Using the notebook have them write the inequality and a written sentence description.
• As they become more comfortable, measure longer items and compare any two numbers up to 20 with these symbols.
"The desk measured 25 paperclips and the table measured 18 paperclips. What can we write?
25 > 18 The table is shorter than the desk.
• Ready for a challenge?
• Have your child guess the length of a larger object in paper clips
• Then measure it, and compare results in your notebook.
Was your estimate >, <, or = to the actual?
Bottle > dog toy
Bottle + pen is (< or >) than the pillow
SEL 1SEL
Listening
I know how to Listen to learn from others.
Look at the image of the listener on the back of this card together.
What do you notice about her eyes?
What do you notice about her hands?
What do you notice about her mouth?
How does this help your brain and ears do their job in understanding the speaker?
What can you do if you are having trouble listening?
How the Learning Targets Connect Long Term
As you get more comfortable with where your student sits in their grade level’s learning targets, you may want to explore the grade above or below. It’s good to see what they have learned so far, and where they are going. Try our Learning Target Maps below:
Coherence map, kindergarten through 6th grade
Math: how skills connect
Pick a domain and a grade to see the year before, this year, and next year side by side. Tap one or more standards to light up how they connect.
Domain
Grade
Standards are the Common Core State Standards, K–6 (© 2010 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers). Plain-language wording is a family-friendly summary; the code with each one points to the official text.
Reading progresses at different levels for every kid. If you try our Literacy Screener using our Listen and Write Habit, you can place where they are along this journey and start having a real impact!
Coherence map, kindergarten through 6th grade
Reading & Language: how skills connect
Pick a domain and a grade to see the year before, this year, and next year side by side. Tap one or more standards to light up how they connect.
Domain
Grade
Standards are the Common Core State Standards, K–6 (© 2010 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers). Plain-language wording is a family-friendly summary; the code with each one points to the official text.