Kindergarten is often the first time students are exposed to structured classroom learning. It’s an exciting and important milestone that sets kids up for lifelong success.
Physical development includes growing strong bones and muscles, learning to use the small muscles in their fingers and hands (like drawing or molding clay). Students also focus on identifying and labeling basic body parts like heads, shoulders, knees and toes.
Social and Emotional Development
Besides knowing their ABCs and 123s, kindergarten is a time when children learn to work with others. That’s a huge skill set that research shows is linked to future academic achievement, healthy relationships and career success. But those skills are not something kids pick up on their own — they’re something parents and teachers have to teach them.
At the Child Development Center, where Mi’Yanna is currently enrolled, teachers have specific goals and objectives for social-emotional learning, like pinpointing feelings and teaching children how to resolve conflicts. They also use books with interesting characters and storylines to enhance empathy and help children understand the emotions of others.
These noncognitive skills are now recognized to be as important for personal and public health outcomes as academic achievement. In fact, research has found that early prosocial behaviors in kindergarten predict whether a child will graduate from high school on time, obtain a college degree and be employed full-time in young adulthood.
Language and Literacy Development
Early language and literacy skills unfold naturally for young children as they interact with books, stories and the adults in their lives. Our current understanding of early literacy development emphasizes the importance of reading-rich experiences and discourages formal instruction that pushes young children to achieve adult models of reading and writing.
When children are ready for kindergarten, they typically know the names of all 26 letters of the alphabet and can recognize some 30 high-frequency words—words that appear frequently in text and tend to be spelled with predictable sounds (such as “the” and “in”). They also have an understanding of the conventions of print and are able to make early written marks.
The National Early Literacy Panel’s research identifies key indicators that predict later literacy success. New America is working to elevate the most important research about teaching and learning in kindergarten, identify bright spots, and promote state and local policies that create the conditions under which young children learn best.
Math and Science Development
While the growing national focus on reading is important, math and science also are vital to children’s success in school. Children learn about science and mathematics through a variety of experiences — from the natural world to their own everyday activities. For example, when children build with blocks, they gain valuable experiences involving shape, size and order. They also develop early math skills by counting and sorting them.
Discussion and representation, such as drawing and writing, support children’s inquiry and help them think about their experiences in new ways. In addition, when children connect mathematical ideas (for example, relating number to geometry, using arrays to understand number combinations and comparing objects), they strengthen concepts in both areas and learn that mathematics is a coherent system of ideas.
It is also important that children have opportunities to work in small groups to discuss and represent their ideas. This encourages collaboration and teamwork, and it helps children refine their thinking and language skills.
Independent and Self-Assurance
The confidence and self-esteem children build during their early years impact the way they navigate their world. A child who is confident and feels good about themselves will be able to take on challenges with resilience and perseverance. It’s our job to help children feel this way, right from birth.
Encouraging independence during daily routines and activities helps children feel capable. Giving kids opportunities to practice and master personal tasks like feeding themselves, brushing their teeth, putting on their shoes, and washing their hands enables them to develop the necessary skills for future growth.
It’s important to give kids short periods of time to struggle, and then praise them for their hard work. It will encourage them to continue attempting and completing tasks independently, and it will rewire their brains for future success. It will also set a foundation of self-reliance and confidence in their abilities that they can carry into elementary school and beyond.