School Readiness: What Your 4-Year-Old Should Know

Starting school is a major milestone. At 4–5 years of age, children go through extraordinary growth across their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. These skills form the foundation for a confident, successful transition into Kindergarten.

At Elementary Academy Early Learning in Merrylands, we support children to build these skills gradually through play-based learning, strong relationships and intentional teaching. Our goal is for every child to feel confident, capable and excited about the next step in their learning journey.

In this guide, we break down what children are typically doing at 4–5 years — and what school readiness truly means.

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What Is School Readiness?

School readiness isn’t about knowing how to read or write before Kindergarten. It’s about helping children develop the emotional, social, physical and thinking skills that allow them to:

• Participate in a group setting

• Follow routines and instructions

• Communicate their needs

• Build friendships

• Manage big feelings

• Develop independence

  
  

The real question is not “Is my child academically advanced?” but “Does my child have the skills to thrive socially, emotionally and physically in a school environment?”

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What Children Are Typically Doing at 4–5 Years

Social & Emotional Development

At this age, children begin to develop deeper emotional understanding and social awareness. Your child might:

• Express emotions through words, gestures and imaginative play

• Enjoy being around peers and forming friendships

• Cooperate, take turns, apologise and follow simple rules

• Feel happy when others succeed

• Experience anxiety about starting school (completely normal!)

• Sometimes tell fibs or hide the truth as part of emotional development

By five, children can usually manage their emotions better and have fewer tantrums — an important part of school readiness.

Play & Learning Development

Play is the heart of early learning. Through play, children develop creativity, problem-solving and emotional resilience.

Your child may enjoy:

• Singing, dancing and acting

• Make-believe play (doctor, teacher, parent, superhero)

• Role play that helps them process real-life situations

• Jokes, silliness and a growing sense of humour

This imaginative play builds essential school readiness foundations like confidence, communication and collaboration.

Thinking & Cognitive Skills

At 4–5 years, children begin to understand more complex concepts. They might:

• Understand opposites (high/low, big/small)

• Count to 10

• Recognise letters and numbers out of order

• Know their address

• Understand left and right

These skills grow naturally through everyday experiences, conversations and guided play.

 Language & Communication Skills

Language development accelerates at this age. Your child may:

• Tell stories and engage in long conversations

• Use more complex sentences

• Ask endless “why” questions

• Use words that rhyme

• Talk about their thoughts, ideas and feelings

By 5, many children can use sentences up to nine words long and follow multi-step instructions — a key skill for classroom success.

Daily Living Skills

Independence plays a big role in school readiness. Most 4–5-year-olds can:

• Dress themselves

• Use the toilet independently

• Use cutlery

• Follow simple hygiene routines with reminders

These skills help children feel confident and safe as they transition to school.

Physical Development

At this stage, your child is gaining confidence in both gross and fine motor skills.

Gross motor skills:

• Running, climbing, hopping and balancing

• Throwing, catching and kicking a ball

• Skipping or jumping while running

• Navigating playground equipment

Fine motor skills:

• Cutting with scissors

• Writing their name

• Drawing circles and simple shapes

• Threading beads or constructing with small blocks

These skills support handwriting, self-care and classroom tasks later on.

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How to Support School Readiness at Home

Everyday routines and simple interactions make a big difference. Here’s how you can help your child prepare confidently for school.

Make Time for Play

Play builds emotional resilience, problem-solving and social skills.

Try:

• Pretend play with puppets

• Outdoor adventures (sand, mud, treasure hunts)

• Creative activities like collage, drawing and dancing

• Games that practise turn-taking and sharing

A balance of physical play, imaginative play and quiet play creates a well-rounded readiness foundation.

Read Every Day

Reading aloud develops:

• Language skills

• Imagination

• Emotional understanding

• Early literacy foundations

Stories also open opportunities for meaningful conversations.

Get Your Child Moving

Daily physical activity strengthens bones, muscles and emotional confidence. Your child learns they can climb higher, try harder and persist through challenges — all important for school.

Encourage Independence

Give your child opportunities to:

• Help with chores

• Dress themselves

• Pack their own bag

• Tidy up after play

• Practise toileting independently

These small steps build confidence and competence.

Involve Your Child in Daily Life

Cooking, gardening, shopping or setting the table all support:

• Fine motor development

• Numeracy concepts

• Responsibility and contribution

• Language skills

Simple activities create meaningful learning moments.