Kindergarten is an educational institution for young children, usually between the ages of 4 and 6. It prepares them for first grade.
It’s based on the preschool educational approach influenced by German pedagogue Friedrich Frobel.
Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th century in Germany, Bavaria and Alsace to serve children whose parents both worked outside home.
Language
Language development is an important part of kindergarten. The ability to speak clearly is a skill that will help your child throughout their academic career and beyond.
Children learn to communicate through an interaction between genetic inclinations, their environments, and their own thinking abilities. They often pick up the rules of the language used around them by watching and learning from other children and adults (Wells, 1986).
A kindergarten classroom is an ideal place to practice oral communication through activities that expand vocabulary and support the use of spoken words. These include labeling and descriptive activities, show-and-tell and group work.
Math
Math is a big part of early learning, and kindergarteners need to understand how numbers represent the world. They also need to understand the basics of addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
Once they’ve mastered these skills, they’ll move on to higher-level math topics such as place value and geometry. These concepts are essential as children encounter more complex mathematical problems later in life.
Kindergarteners will start identifying and understanding basic geometric shapes like squares, circles, and triangles. This is a crucial skill that they can practice throughout their day by asking questions about different objects.
Another important skill for kindergarteners is the ability to recognize patterns. This will help them organize information in a logical way. It will also help them with writing (rhyming, predicting text) and music, among other subjects.
Science
Kindergarten kids are naturally curious about the world around them. They need guidance and structure to turn their curiosity into rich scientific inquiry.
Science is a foundational learning skill for children to build upon throughout their educational career. It involves observation, collecting information, and interpreting it.
Scientists learn to form hypotheses and search for evidence to support their theories. They can also make educated guesses about what will happen when changes are introduced.
The National Research Council notes that young children need sustained engagement with materials and conversations that focus on the same set of ideas over weeks, months, and years (NRC 2007, p. 3).
Teachers should provide opportunities for students to engage in long-term investigations that allow them to build on their observations and predictions over time. They should also encourage children to talk about their findings and document their experiences.
Social & Emotional Development
Social and emotional development is a key element of a child’s overall growth and learning. It involves developing a child’s ability to regulate their attention, emotions and behavior in order to form healthy relationships with peers and adults.
A positive social-emotional environment can have a big impact on children’s self-esteem, empathy, social skills and friendships. It can also help them care for others and the environment around them.
To build your child’s social skills, engage in frequent, developmentally appropriate interactions with them throughout their daily experiences and routines. Encourage each child to interact with you in the way they want to and follow their lead, cues, and preferences.
In addition to talking with your child about their emotions, consider sharing stories that show characters building positive relationships with others. You can also discuss how you see the characters dealing with different situations and how your child might behave if they were in that situation.