We hear a lot of talk about kindergarten readiness, but can we really define it?

No single or simple factor really determines whether a child is ready to start school. But there are some ways to tell if your child is mature enough physically, socially and cognitively to enter kindergarten.

Kindergarten readiness is one of the 16 key metrics measured in the Studer Community Institute’s Metro Dashboard. The Dashboard, created in collaboration with the University of West Florida, is a snapshot of the community’s economic, education and social well-being.

Research and education experts say that early learning is a critical indicator for a child’s future success in school and in life.

In 2015, nearly a third of children — or 34 percent — entering kindergarten in Escambia County weren’t ready for school.

Experts on early childhood education have reached a broad but hardly unanimous consensus on what best helps the youngest children learn. And most of those experts assume that what’s done in those earliest years has profound effects for the rest of their young lives.

There is no perfect formula or magic bullet to solving the dilemma of kindergarten readiness, but many people have some good ideas on how to get young children prepared and ready to start school.

While we may be hard-pressed in defining what kindergarten readiness truly means, an article in education.com lists “10 Kindergarten Readiness Skills Your Child Needs.” It details some important things parents should focus on to help get their child kindergarten ready.

Kindergarten signifies the start of a child’s formal education. A child’s first school experiences can influence the way he or she relates to others for the rest of life.

That’s why it so important to make sure that when a child starts school he or she is developmentally ready to learn and participate in classroom activities.

When trying to determine if your child is ready for kindergarten, consider his or her readiness to learn.

How well is your child able to communicate and listen? Is your child able to get along with other children and adults?

We may not be able to clearly define what kindergarten readiness means, but we should know it when we see it.