How to Check Your Child’s Kindergarten Math Skills
Parents don't need to give a complicated test. Use two simple kinds of evidence: your child's answers to math questions and what they can show you using everyday objects.
1. Try the Graduation Challenge
The five missions include 40 questions about counting, adding, teen numbers, measurement, sorting, and shapes.
Look for: Can the child answer without hints? Which types of questions are difficult?
Open Graduation Challenge →What the 40 questions actually measure
The five missions sample these skills through multiple-choice questions. Completing a mission is useful evidence of practice, but does not by itself confirm full Kindergarten readiness.
| Mission | Questions | What they sample |
|---|---|---|
| Counting & Number Sense | 10 | Number sequence, tens, comparing numbers, and pictured quantities |
| Addition & Subtraction | 10 | Small addition, take-away stories, and making 10 |
| Teen Numbers | 6 | Recognizing ten and extra ones |
| Measurement & Sorting | 6 | Vocabulary for attributes, comparing quantities, and classifying objects |
| Shapes & Positions | 8 | Shape names, solid objects, positional language, and a composition question |
Important gap: Questions do not show whether a child can independently count to 100 aloud, write numerals, measure objects, draw shapes, or build and explain a shape from pieces. Use the hands-on checks and standards checklist to assess those skills.
2. Ask Your Child to Show You
Some skills cannot be confirmed by clicking an answer. Ask your child to count out loud, write a number, move blocks, compare objects, or draw a shape.
Look for: Can your child do the task independently and explain what they did?
Open 12 Hands-On Checks →Examples of skills that need hands-on evidence
| Skill | What parents can ask |
|---|---|
| Counting aloud K.CC.A.1, K.CC.A.2 | Count to 100 by ones and tens; start counting at 37 without beginning at 1. |
| Writing numbers K.CC.A.3 | Write numerals 0–20 on paper; show the amount represented by 7 and 12. |
| Counting objects K.CC.B.4, K.CC.B.5 | Count a group of 12 objects by touching each object once. |
| Showing addition and subtraction K.OA.A.1–3, K.OA.A.5 | Use buttons or blocks to show an addition story, a take-away story, and two ways to make 8. |
| Making 10 and teen numbers K.OA.A.4, K.NBT.A.1 | Show how many more make 10 from 6; build 14 using one group of 10 and four extra ones. |
| Measuring and sorting K.MD.A.1–2, K.MD.B.3 | Line up two pencils and compare lengths; sort toys into groups and count each group. |
| Shapes and positions K.G.A.1–3, K.G.B.4–6 | Describe where a toy is, identify flat and solid shapes, draw shapes, and combine two triangles. |
Texas TEKS Curriculum Coverage
For Texas families, our separate Kindergarten TEKS Coverage Map shows all 36 Texas expectations, related activities, and expectations still needing development or direct assessment. This is a curriculum review tool, not an endorsement or mastery certificate.
3. Record the Results
- Mark the hands-on task as Demonstrated independently or Needs more practice. Leave it unmarked if you haven't checked yet.
- Review the full list of 22 Kindergarten standards before marking each one demonstrated.
- Open the Parent Dashboard to view the combined First Grade readiness report.
Keep learning gentle and encouraging. If a child needs more practice, try again on another day. Learning and reward tokens remain separate from demonstrated academic mastery.