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Is Your Child Ready for First Grade: 1979 Edition

Check out item #8 on this list. And then keep in mind that this was written when life was more dangerous for kids than it is now.

I ran across this very interesting checklist of items to assess whether or not your child is prepared for all-day first grade. This book was first published in 1979, so I have to say it comes across as quite dated at times. So let’s take a look, shall we? The idea here is that about 10 yesses out of this list of 12 would indicate readiness for 1st grade.

  1. Will your child be six years, six months or older when he begins first grade and starts receiving reading instruction?
  2. Does your child have two to five permanent or second teeth?
  3. Can you child tell, in such a way that his speech is understood by a school crossing guard or policeman, where he lives?
  4. Can he draw and color and stay within the lines of the design being colored?
  5. Can he stand on one foot with eyes closed for five to ten seconds?
  6. Can he ride a small two-wheeled bicycle without helper wheels?
  7. Can he tell left hand from right?
  8. Can he travel alone in the neighborhood (four to eight blocks) to store, school, playground, or to a friend’s home?
  9. Can he be away from you all day without being upset?
  10. Can he repeat an eight- to ten-word sentence, if you say it once, as “The boy ran all the way home from the store”?
  11. Can he count eight to ten pennies correctly?
  12. Does your child try to write or copy letters or numbers?