This study was an attempt to examine the relationship between readiness (as measured by the Metropolitan Readiness Test) and creativity (as measured by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking). The sample was 277 economically deprived kindergarten children in a city school system in the Southeastern United States. Scoring was carried out in terms of Guilford's divergent thinking factors of fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. The children's overall performance on the readiness tests was low compared with published norms. The profile of group averages, however, indicated the presence of some figural creativity skills that were not adversely affected by poverty conditions. Data analysis findings and derivative problems are discussed. Correlational data suggests strongly the need to strengthen the training of this type of child in the general areas of art work, perceptual motor skills and elaborative responses if creativity development is to be enhanced. (TL)