School-readiness checklist: can your child do these 7 things?

Before we talk about reading, writing or counting, there are seven much more important things a child needs to be able to do before they step into a bigger school. Here’s the checklist we use — shared with parents every year, refined over 16 years.

The 7-point readiness test

1. Can they be away from you for 3–4 hours without distress?
2. Can they use the washroom independently, or clearly signal the need?
3. Can they eat from their lunchbox without help?
4. Can they listen to a short story without wandering off? (3–5 minutes is fine at this age.)
5. Can they say their first name and parent’s phone number?
6. Can they negotiate with another child — share, take turns, resolve a small conflict?
7. Can they hold a pencil or crayon with a functional grip?

If your child does most of these “mostly yes”, they are ready. If several are “not yet”, another preschool year is the kindest choice. Skip ahead only for academic reasons and you’ll pay for it in Class 1.

What schools test (and what they don’t)

Good big-schools in Chennai do assess for readiness during admission — through informal play sessions, not tests. They’re watching for:

• Emotional composure
• Attention span
• Following simple instructions
• Interacting with a stranger (the teacher)

They are NOT primarily testing reading, writing or maths.

Simple home activities that build readiness

• Cooking together. Stirring, pouring, sorting — all are readiness skills.
• Playing a board game. Teaches turn-taking without a worksheet in sight.
• Making up stories at bedtime. Language and narrative, zero cost.
• Going to the park with other children. Social negotiation is the hardest-to-teach skill.
• Letting them dress themselves (even if it takes 20 minutes). Independence builds here.

The child most ready for big school isn’t the one who writes the neatest ‘A’. It’s the one who can lose a game and come back to play the next round.

How iPlay iLearn prepares for big school

Our Upper KG programme is explicitly structured as a “big school bridge”. Lunchbox routines, uniform days, bell timings, independent washroom visits — all mirror what Class 1 feels like, while keeping the warmth of preschool.

For the “what comes before” question, read our playgroup vs nursery guide or when to start preschool.