Worksheets for 5 Year Olds: Getting Ready for Foundation

Many five-year-olds are about to start school, or have just started. Worksheets can help build confidence, but the most important skills are social and emotional.

Skills to practise

• Writing their own name.
• Recognising letters and some sounds.
• Counting to 10 or 20.
• Recognising numbers.
• Naming shapes and colours.
• Holding a pencil and cutting with scissors.

Beyond worksheets

Children also benefit from being able to dress themselves, use the toilet independently, open their lunchbox and follow simple instructions. These independence skills matter just as much.

A simple routine

1. Ten minutes of paper activities.
2. A game or movement break.
3. A story together.

The free pack

Write your name, count and match, and match the shapes. Ask a grown-up to write the name first, then copy it.

Names for the first year of school

The first year of school is called Foundation in Victoria, Prep in Queensland, Kindergarten in NSW and the ACT, and Reception in South Australia. Check your state or territory for details.