In the preschool years the point of assessment is not to compare a child with peers but to see early which area needs support. The articles in this section cover age-based developmental expectations, how observation-based checklists are completed, and how a school readiness assessment is discussed with the family.
Readiness is not a function of age. It is four developmental domains maturing together. Here is what each tool measures and how the decision to wait a year should actually be made.
Between 36 and 60 months development is tracked socially as much as individually. Here is what the two years differ on, why domain profiles beat totals, and when to refer.
Between 24 and 36 months language and independent movement accelerate together. Here is what an observation-based checklist tracks in that window and how to read the result as a plan rather than a label.
Choosing an instrument for a preschooler starts with the referral question, not the shelf. Here is how the age band, the question and the tool fit together between birth and school entry.