Last Updated on May 22, 2024 by Editorial Team
Are you a preschool teacher looking for a simple, effective, and convenient option to keep a check on your students and classroom? Say hello to our collection of preschool checklists for teachers! We know, as teachers, you have a busy schedule. Hence, our checklists are not too demanding and will require a little of your time to make assessments. These checklists cover important areas to help you make observations and identify specific areas that need your attention to make improvements.
In one of our previous blog posts, we provided you with three preschool lesson plan templates to assist you in your teaching endeavors. This blog post brings to you two important checklists every preschool teacher needs to evaluate students and their learning environment. The first one is the preschool developmental checklist, and the second is the preschool classroom quality checklist. Both checklists are available for you in PDF format and are totally free!
However, if you are more of a DIY person and would like to make your own checklist, feel free to use the given points as inspiration and add in other aspects you would like to cover to come up with a customized checklist for your classroom.
Essential preschool checklists to add to a teacher’s arsenal
I. Preschool Developmental Checklist
Developmental checklists are tools that allow teachers to record observations related to skills that a child of a specific age must possess. A preschool developmental checklist covers all skill areas like cognitive development, physical development, adaptive skills, and more to help preschool teachers evaluate different aspects of a child’s development. Any delays can be easily pointed out when teachers use a checklist, which makes it possible to provide timely intervention. These checklists also serve as a formal record, which can be useful for sharing student-specific information in the future.
Use our preschool developmental checklist quarterly or as per your needs to monitor student progress in various areas of development. Observe your preschoolers carefully and regularly to be able to answer the questions accurately. You can use a ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ or ‘sometimes’ to answer questions given in the checklist.
The list of questions covered in our preschool developmental checklist is given below:
A. Cognitive Skills
Does the child:
1. Correctly name a few colors
2. Follow simple 3-part directions
3. Have some sense of time
4. Enjoy imaginative play
5. Match objects based on color and shape
6. Understand what ‘same’ and ‘different’ mean
7. Understand what counting is and is aware of some numbers
8. Recollect the main parts of a story (characters, names, etc.) when asked to do so
B. Social-Emotional Skills
Does the child:
1. Enjoy pretend play
2. Play and cooperate with peers
3. Recognize emotions (happy, sad, angry, etc.)
4. Show interest in trying out new things
5. Negotiate with peers for conflict resolution
6. Follow simple rules while playing games
7. Share objects like books or toys with peers
8. Take turns in class and on the playground
9. Get back to normal after having a temper tantrum
10. Stay with you during individual and group discussions
11. Understand and follow instructions like ‘cleanup’ or ‘no running
C. Language Skills
Does the child:
- Speak clearly
- Share stories when asked
- Have a fairly smooth speech
- Ask questions to friends and adults
- Tell about past events and experiences
- Use four- or more-word sentences while speaking
- Answer simple Wh- questions like who, when, what, etc.
D. Adaptive Skills
Can the child:
- Use the toilet with little or no help
- Eat with a spoon with little to no spilling of food
- Wear items like a jacket or shoes with minimal assistance
- Use a comb with or without assistance to fix hair
- Wash hands with soap and water and use a tissue to dry them up
E. Gross Motor Skills
Can the child:
- Kick a ball
- Hop on one foot
- Throw a ball at another person
- Use stairs to go up and down
- Catch a ball sometimes
- Efficiently move forward and backward
- Hop over obstacles when running
- Manage to balance on one foot for a few seconds
F. Fine Motor Skills
Can the child:
- Zip up a coat
- Put puzzle pieces together
- Manage to button up a shirt
- Use scissors for paper-cutting
- Trace some letters using a pencil or marker
- Create structures using building blocks and break them down
II. Preschool classroom quality checklist
This checklist can help preschool teachers ascertain if their classroom meets the quality standards required to provide little kids with an engaging and stimulating learning environment in the early years of school. With so many tasks to accomplish during a typical school day and a bunch of kids to teach and look after, it is possible to miss keeping a check on some aspects of the classroom. However, having a checklist can help teachers quickly identify what areas of the classroom need attention so that children are not deprived of things that are vital for learning.
The best time to use a classroom quality checklist is at the beginning of the school year. By doing so, you can make sure your classroom is all set and ready to welcome its students. You can also do a recheck of all elements of classroom organization periodically during the school year using the checklist provided.
Here are the queries that make up a preschool classroom quality checklist:
- Are wall displays put up at the child level?
- Is the classroom equipped with good-quality books for children?
- Are there enough books on a wide variety of subjects available for kids?
- Does the class have visual aids to guide children through different activities?
- Are there enough writing tools and materials available?
- Do you have a handy list of student names with their food allergies and dietary restrictions available in your class?
- Are there a variety of learning centers set up to support learning?
- Are daily routines (written and visual) displayed on a classroom wall?
- Are shelves and containers labeled with names and picture cues for easy identification by children?
- Is there enough distance between active and quiet learning centers to ensure minimal disturbance?
- Is there enough space in the classroom to support free movement and play?
- Are all toys and equipment clean and in working order, with no missing pieces?
- Are hand soap and tissue paper available in the washroom?
- Are art materials available on open shelves for easy access?
- Is the easel well stocked with paper, paint, and brushes?
- Do you have the space and a variety of building blocks for multiple kids to play together?
- Does the classroom have items like dolls, doll clothes, accessories, a pretend phone, and a kids’ shopping cart to support dramatic play?
- Do kids have access to natural items like shells, acorns, rocks, etc.?
- Does the classroom have a supply of science-based toys like magnifying glasses, binoculars, kaleidoscopes, etc.?
- Do children have access to literature props in learning centers like writing pads, charts, picture cards, etc.?
Wrapping up,
Young children have curious minds and are eager to take in new experiences and learn new things. Providing them with the right learning environment is crucial to ensuring they get the optimal stimulation required to keep their minds engaged and help them learn.
As preschool teachers have the responsibility of nurturing the youngest minds in the community, well-designed checklists can help them ensure no aspect of early childhood education is overlooked. They also serve as valuable tools for teachers to monitor the progress and development of their students throughout the school year.
So, go ahead and use our checklists to make sure your little learners are having an awesome learning experience and getting the most out of their time in preschool.
I am Priyanka Sonkushre, a writer and blogger. I am the person behind “One Loving Mama,” a mom blog. Equipped with a Bachelor’s degree along with an MBA, my healthcare background helps me deeply understand learning difficulties. I know how challenging it can be for parents to find the right resources to help their children excel in life. So, here I am to blend my healthcare expertise with my parenting experience to create valuable and helpful resources for parents and teachers supporting children with learning differences. If you wish, you can follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn.