A quality kindergarten provides kids with the foundation for learning and development. It teaches them to focus, follow directions and work in groups.
They learn about math and science. They are taught to question, experiment and discover.
Kids are naturally curious about the world around them. Foster that curiosity by introducing them to hands-on science activities and counting games.
Language
Oral Language—Speaking and listening to others—is a key aspect of kindergarten. Children build their literacy skills through the lively back-and-forth of conversation, building with blocks, playing with dolls and stuffed animals and using pretend play.
Kindergartners learn the difference between upper and lowercase letters, begin to name letters and their sounds, blend sounds to form words, read simple sentences and use the word parts of a book. They also develop a love of print that will last a lifetime.
Children need to be intellectually, physically and socially ready for kindergarten. Teachers support this development by enabling students to follow oral directions, get along with others and understand their own feelings and those of others. This helps them become responsible learners in later school years.
Math
Children develop a deep understanding of math concepts by practicing them over and over again (also called mastery learning). This helps them form lasting connections that help them solve problems, even when they make mistakes.
In kindergarten, teachers teach basic counting and number recognition skills along with more complex addition and subtraction. They also help children develop “number sense,” or an intuitive understanding of how numbers relate to each other.
Early childhood math experiences have a direct impact on later math achievement. For example, a study found that kindergarten number competence predicts first-grade mathematics achievement and achievement growth—and that the relationship is mediated by gender and family income. It’s important that classrooms have high-quality math materials that progress students through skills in an orderly way.
Social Studies
Young children need experiences that help them build a social world that incorporates family and classroom relationships as well as what might be called civic responsibilities. They also need to understand the nonverbal yet observable social cues that reflect subtle forms of bias and discrimination.
Kindergarten students explore four major social studies conceptual strands: culture, citizenship, geography and financial literacy. The study of culture teaches students about the differences and similarities among people and encourages respect for diverse cultures and traditions.
Geography teaches students about the environment in their community and school locales. They learn about national symbols and how to identify landforms. They also learn to distinguish past, present and future time and practice their map skills. They are introduced to history, simplified for their age level, through stories of courageous heroes and historical events.
Science
Kindergartners become junior scientists, exploring the world around them by asking questions and planning experiments to answer them. They learn about the similarities and differences of plants and animals, their identifying characteristics (birds have feathers, plants grow roots) and how the weather changes day to day and across seasons.
They also learn how matter can change from liquid to solid and back again, and that the same object can have different properties at the same time. For example, a pillow may be soft and heavy at the same time.
Children’s science learning is affected by many factors, including family SES, gender, cognitive ability and math and language skills. One study using a quasi-experimental design found that a project approach-based science “education program” significantly increased preschool children’s problem-solving skills.
Art
Kindergartners explore a variety of art materials and subjects, from line and color to shape and texture. Their artworks also serve as a visual representation of their feelings, providing a channel for emotions that are difficult to articulate verbally.
Educators should help children expand their artistic capabilities through guided participation that is not overly controlling or obstructive of their creative explorations (MoE, 2017). Having them try new techniques without a goal in mind allows them to gain confidence in their ability and learn from mistakes—and it teaches them to be resilient when something doesn’t go exactly as planned.
Encourage kids to use recycled materials to make unique artworks like this cardboard tube dinosaur. They can also practice fine motor skills as they cut shapes from craft foam or paint with sponges.