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Preschool Assessment Pack

13 free PDFsUS Letter or A4No login

A printable pre-K assessment: big child pages, simple record sheets and a progress report for fall, winter and spring.

Download the preschool assessment worksheets

The whole pack

Every page in one PDF: a how-to cover, child pages, record pages and a one-page progress report.

Letters and name writing

Uppercase and lowercase letter recognition, letter sounds and a name page to keep for the year.

Numbers, counting, shapes and colors

Number recognition to 10 and to 20, counting pictures to 10, shapes and colors.

Fine motor and social-emotional

Copy shapes and cut on a line, then two checklists for the skills you see at play.

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

About these preschool assessment worksheets

This free preschool assessment pack helps you see what a three, four or five year old knows today, and what to practice next. It covers the skills most pre-K programs check: uppercase and lowercase letter recognition, letter sounds, numbers 1 to 10 and 1 to 20, counting objects to 10, shapes, colors, writing their name, fine motor skills and social-emotional skills.

Each skill has a big, calm child page and a record page for the grown-up. The child points, names, counts, colors, writes or cuts; you mark the record. Every record page has a column for each of three check-ins, fall, winter and spring, so one copy follows a child through the whole year. A one-page progress report pulls the scores together for a parent conference or a portfolio.

Standards

  • ELOF P-LIT 3Child identifies letters of the alphabet and produces correct sounds associated with letters.
  • ELOF P-LIT 6Child writes for a variety of purposes using increasingly sophisticated marks.
  • ELOF P-MATH 1Child knows number names and the count sequence.
  • ELOF P-MATH 3Child understands the relationship between numbers and quantities.
  • ELOF P-MATH 5Child associates a quantity with written numerals up to 5 and begins to write numbers.
  • ELOF P-MATH 9Child identifies, describes, compares, and composes shapes.
  • ELOF P-LC 6Child understands and uses a wide variety of words for a variety of purposes.
  • ELOF P-PMP 3Child demonstrates increasing control, strength, and coordination of small muscles.
  • ELOF P-SE 3Child engages in and maintains positive interactions and relationships with other children.
  • ELOF P-SE 6Child expresses a broad range of emotions and recognizes these emotions in self and others.
  • ELOF P-SE 8Child manages emotions with increasing independence.
  • ELOF P-ATL 2Child follows classroom rules and routines with increasing independence.
  • ELOF P-ATL 7Child persists in tasks.

How to use them

  1. Print one record page per child and keep it in a folder. Child pages can be reused, so print one set and slip it into a sheet protector.
  2. Sit beside your child at a quiet table. Check one or two skills at a time, for 5 to 10 minutes, then stop while it is still fun.
  3. On the letter and number pages, lay a blank card under the row you are on so your child sees one row at a time. Point to each item and ask, "What letter is this?"
  4. Mark the record as you go: check what your child gets right, and if they say something else, write down what they said. A child who calls d "b" knows more than one who says nothing.
  5. For counting, shapes and colors, have ten small toys and real crayons ready. The record pages tell you exactly what to say.
  6. Use a new pen color at each check-in and copy the totals onto the Progress Report. Then pick one or two skills to play with until the next check-in.

Teaching tips

  • Do not teach or correct during the check. Say "Thank you!" or "Good thinking!" whatever the answer, and come back to it later in play.
  • Stop when your child is tired or silly. Two short sittings tell you more than one long one.
  • The letters are in a mixed-up order on purpose, so a child who can sing the ABC song still has to know each letter.
  • A three-year-old who knows a few letters, counts three toys and names some colors is right on track. Most children learn the rest of these skills over pre-K and kindergarten.
  • On the name page, write nothing for your child to copy. The point is to see what they do on their own; the three boxes show their growth across the year.
  • Use the checklists to watch, not to quiz. Mark them from what you have seen at play and in routines over the last few weeks.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What should a preschool assessment include?

A good pre-K assessment checks letter recognition and letter sounds, number recognition, counting objects, shapes, colors and writing the child's own name. It also looks at fine motor skills such as holding a crayon, cutting and copying shapes, and at social-emotional skills such as taking turns and handling big feelings.

How often should I assess my preschooler?

Three times a year works well: early fall, midwinter and spring. Each record page has a column for each check-in, so you can see growth at a glance on one sheet.

How long does the assessment take?

Each skill takes about 2 to 5 minutes. Spread the pack over a few short sittings rather than doing it all at once.

What if my child does not know many letters yet?

That is normal, especially at three. The check shows where your child is today. Pick two or three letters, such as the ones in their name, and play with them until the next check-in.

Can I use this pack for kindergarten readiness?

Yes. The spring check-in gives a clear picture of the skills kindergarten teachers look for, and the Progress Report is easy to share at a conference.

Do I need to print every page?

No. Download the whole pack, or just the skills you need. Each skill is also its own PDF with a child page and a record page.