If you have a child who is more than four years old, you are probably faced with the decision of sending him or her to kindergarten. Whether or not you are ready to let go of your baby, the truth is that the most important question to ask yourself is: Is my child ready for kindergarten? Not all children develop at the same rate, and not all are ready to face long periods of time in a strange environment. If you are facing the decision of whether your child is ready for kindergarten, here are some things to consider.

Kindergarten has changed radically over the past ten or fifteen years. Many schools have minimized crafts and games, and are concentrating on academic subjects, introducing kids early to computers and foreign languages. Many kids who are four or five years old are ready for kindergarten and the pressures that come with it.

Other children are not developed enough at four or five years old to deal with complex subjects. Whether your child is ready for kindergarten or not has little to do with chronological age, so consider your child's aptitudes, including adequate motor skills, the capacity for concentration, curiosity, and social skills, including the ability to share and follow a routine. A good way to learn if your child is ready for kindergarten is to take a kindergarten screening test. This is available at some kindergartens free of charge for all prospective students, and it includes simple activities such as drawing, auditory memory, use of language, and body movements.

If you believe your child is ready for kindergarten, you can make the process even easier for him by helping him build social skills from early on. You can make reading a preferred activity at home, and create games to teach the alphabet and other basic academic skills. Even putting puzzles together and playing with building blocks can help you get your child ready for kindergarten. There are books to help you teach your child basic skills that can make the transaction to kindergarten easy on everybody.