Greenville, S.C. – October 06, 2026 -- South Carolina's Kindergarten Readiness Assessment measures children across four areas: Social Foundations, Language/Literacy, Mathematics, and Physical Well-Being, placing social and physical development alongside early academic skills.
Independence matters as much as letters and numbers
At Archway Academy, a Greenville-based early childhood education provider, President Tami Nix says preparing children for kindergarten means building independence alongside academics. "We're doing the academic piece, but we're also working on the whole child," Nix said. "Reading is important. It is the foundation for learning, but children need to have all those pieces together as we prepare them for kindergarten."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 3 in 5 U.S. children under age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten spend time in nonparental care at least weekly, meaning much of their early development happens in childcare and preschool settings.
At Archway Academy, children practice self-help skills such as dressing themselves, managing restroom routines, participating in small-group activities, and taking on classroom jobs. Teachers also focus on emotional regulation and cooperation. "If they can manage those routines and work with other children, they are better prepared to focus on learning," Nix said.
Outdoor time follows CDC activity guidelines
The CDC recommends two to three opportunities for outdoor active play daily and 90 to 120 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during an eight-hour preschool day. Archway Academy's Greenville campus includes approximately 4.5 acres of park-like outdoor space, with children going outside in both morning and afternoon.
Outdoor activities range from nature hunts and gardening to sand and water play, splash painting, circle time moved outdoors, and dramatic play. The campus features age-specific equipment and a covered outdoor classroom. "Outdoor experiences are a top priority for learning at Archway Academy," Nix said.
Technology plays a limited, hands-on role
Nix said technology is treated as a supplement rather than a substitute for play and human interaction. The school's 4K students are introduced to simple coding through hands-on activities as part of a STEAM curriculum. "Parents want their children prepared academically, but preparation does not require a two-, three-, or four-year-old to be sitting at a table reading and writing all day," Nix said. "You miss out on being a child, and a lot of those teachable moments come from human interaction."