What is Kindergarten Readiness, and Why Is It So Important?

Kindergarten readiness matters. It includes exposure to activities that extend far beyond learning the letters of the alphabet or how to hold a crayon. It involves a basic understanding of core subjects as well as acquiring language skills, self-care skills, and social skills kindergartners need going into a classroom with other children. Research also tells us that providing a high-quality education for children before the age of five results in significant long-term benefits for students. Children who participate in early childhood programs are:¹

• Less likely to repeat a grade
• Less likely to be identified as having special needs
• More prepared academically for later grades
• More likely to graduate from high school
• Higher earners in the workforce

The more prepared children are both academically and emotionally for kindergarten, the more successful learners they will become. The first few years are critical to help young children navigate and transition to a variety of settings and situations, while developing their emotional skills. Beyond their emotional development, it is equally important that pre-K students develop the academic skills they will need to form strong foundations for their kindergarten curriculum in various areas, including reading, counting, and social interaction.

Of course, school readiness begins at home, as parents nurture their children’s critical-thinking skills along with their ability to focus, think logically, and speak clearly. It’s important that parents and caregivers have access to the proper tools and reporting mechanisms designed to measure progress over time as a condition of kindergarten readiness and child needs. 

Providing a Strong Foundation for All

Preparedness requires access to adequate support and educational stimulation to foster the qualities a preschooler needs to be a successful learner. As preschools and day cares struggle to stay open as a result of COVID-19, school readiness becomes more of a challenge outside of a traditional classroom setting. Unfortunately, certain barriers to high-quality education have also presented challenges for children of color, as well as those from disadvantaged families, and have prevented them from achieving their full potential as early childhood learners.

According to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER):²

• 48% of 3-year-olds are not enrolled in any early childhood education, including state-funded, locally funded, Head Start, special education, or private programs.
• 33% of 4-year-olds are not enrolled in any early childhood education, including state-funded, locally funded, Head Start, special education, or private programs.

This is where Gale Presents: Miss Humblebee’s Academy comes into play. It’s an online preschool curriculum that, with support from local libraries, is lowering the bar to appropriate educational access for students from all walks of life. The main content of this mobile-friendly classroom environment lays the foundation for a lifetime of learning success for children ages 3–6, while offering their parents and caregivers the tools and resources they need to measure progress toward kindergarten readiness.

1.     McCoy, Dana Charles et al. “Impacts of Early Childhood Education on Medium- and Long-Term Educational Outcomes,” Educational Researcher 46, no. 8, November 15, 2017.

2.     National Institute for Early Education Research, The State of Preschool 2019.