Kindergarten is a crucial step for kids as it provides their first experience with structured education in an environment outside of the home. In addition to building a foundation for lifelong learning, it also helps kids develop physically and socially.
Kids will learn their letters and numbers as well as how to play and work together. They’ll learn about different cultures and start to understand that people near and far are alike and unique.
Social and Emotional Development
Children who are emotionally healthy are more able to concentrate and learn, so social-emotional development is a vital part of kindergarten readiness. They also have a more positive attitude towards school, and are more successful academically.
Kindergarteners will be exposed to more structured classroom learning, building upon the skills acquired in TK or preschool. They may be expected to participate more fully in class, and they will need to become accustomed to routines such as going to the bathroom on their own, arriving at school at a set time, and completing tasks without direct supervision.
Parents can help prepare kids for these new social situations by role playing with them, encouraging them to answer questions about what they’ll be doing at school and how they might handle a conflict between friends at school. Reading books together and practicing letters can also be helpful. Kids can practice writing uppercase and lowercase letters and matching them to sounds, and they’ll begin to recognize and understand numbers and shapes.
Language Development
The speech and language skills that children develop in kindergarten are critical for learning in all subject areas. Kids build their vocabulary and oral communication skills doing things they enjoy, like playing with dolls or stuffed animals, building with blocks, or pretending to cook in a play kitchen.
During the kindergarten years, kids learn to understand and use words that explain when events happen, such as ‘after’ or ‘next week.’ They also get better at understanding the sounds within a word, which helps them tell stories.
In the UK, a kindergarten (sometimes known as pre-school or preschool) is a year of school for children aged five to six. It’s a bridge between the more playful world of preschool or nursery education and the structured classroom environment of primary school years one to four. In Australia, the term kindergarten is used in Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria, and is sometimes referred to as kinder or kindy.
Cognitive Growth
Children in kindergarten may also be learning the basics of math, such as writing and identifying letters, and understanding concepts like simple addition, sorting groups of items by size and recognizing the concept of “more” and “less.” These are all essential aspects of cognitive development.
During this time, children develop the ability to think in hypotheticals and are able to consider multiple points of view. This is called the formal operational stage, which Piaget defined as the ability to “make a connection between general rules and specific situations.”
Between four and five years old, children also learn about the seasons and can usually identify basic times of day — such as when they leave for school or eat breakfast. They also begin to play with more complex narratives and develop an awareness of game rules that they need to follow.
Caregivers can promote cognitive growth by introducing kids to games, puzzles and books that encourage imagination and problem-solving. For example, puppets are a great way to get kids engaged in make-believe and dramatic play and Legos can help kids learn how to work together and problem-solve when their creations do not come together as expected.
Family Participation
Family participation is essential to children’s social-emotional and academic growth and development. Families, which include biological parents, stepparents, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, guardians, foster parents, and others, can directly impact their child’s kindergarten readiness by working with teachers on learning goals and supporting their involvement in their educational journey.
Families can be engaged through two-way communication, shared decision making and a culture of inclusion that supports equity. Educators and programs can help facilitate family engagement through trainings and workshops, creating community events that provide opportunities to meet other families, and developing an annual calendar of events that are open to the whole school or community.
Programs can also promote equity through partnerships with community organizations, such as local food banks or mental health services that serve a particular area, to connect families with resources that support their children’s well-being and ability to support learning at home. Taking these steps can ensure that all families are meaningfully involved in their child’s education and kindergarten readiness.