Kindergarten: What's it All About?

Kindergarten was first established in 1837 in Germany by a man named Friedrich Froebel. He is now known as the "Father of Kindergarten". His first kindergarten ideas developed through the philosophy that young children need play time in order to learn and develop.

In 1872, Kindergartens gained support in the United States through the National Education Association (NEA) and in 1884 a Department of Kindergarten Instruction was established.

Apparently Kindergarten is seen as an important step in a child's education. So, what makes a good kindergarten?

A good Kindergarten should establish Developmentally Appropriate Practices or DAP's. A DAP considers the child's age, the child's maturity level, and the child's social and cultural background. The goal of this is to promote interest and active learning and exploration by all children participating in the program. A variety of instructional strategies are used to meet each child's needs. Children in a well established Kindergarten program build knowledge through experiences, active learning, and the use of concrete objects.

One learning method which has become very popular in Kindergarten classes is the use of Learning Centers. These are used as a way for children to learn using hands-on methods. Learning Centers allow children to explore materials and practice skills. These Learning Centers can also be used as an extension of prior or upcoming lessons taught. The following is a list of various centers that could be found in a Kindergarten classroom, items found in each center, and skills addressed in each center:

Math Center:
Items - unifix cubes, pattern blocks, small objects for counting and sorting, number lines, rulers, clocks, balance scales, play money
Skills - counting, measurement, compare/contrast, eye-hand coordination, geometry, problem solving, visual discrimination

Reading Center:
Items - books on various subjects, picture books, books on tape, soft items like pillows and rugs
Skills - emergent reading skills, imagination, book appreciation, visual perception and discrimination, concepts of print, vocabulary development, decoding, retelling, listening

Writing Center:
Items - paper, envelopes, writing utensils, stamps, writing journals, clipboards, typewriter or computer, stapler, paper clips, blank books for creating own books, magazines and newspapers, magnetic letters and magnetic boards
Skills - fine motor, letter recognition, phonemic awareness, pre-reading and pre-writing, organization of thoughts and ideas

Dramatic Play Center:
Items - telephone, pots and pans, utensils, dress-up clothing, empty food containers with labels, dolls, stuffed animals, child-size furniture, prop boxes for themes (doctor, grocery store, post office, etc)
Skills - decision making, imagination, reasoning, curiosity, dramatic play, self-expression, social interactions, self-awareness

Fine Motor Center:
Items - puzzles, stringing beads, lacing cards, Lego's, play dough, scissors, pegs and peg boards
Skills - fine motor, eye-hand coordination, pre-writing

Music and Movement Center:
Items - CD player, headphones, scarves and streamers, musical instruments
Skills - social/emotional development, following directions, self-expression, gross motor, language development

Science Center:
Items - plants, seeds, magnifying lenses, magnets, microscope, kaleidoscope, nature items, science books, thermometer, eye dropper, discovery bottles, rocks, fossils
Skills - observation, care of animals and plants, classification, discovery

Art Center:
Items - easel, pencils, crayons, paint, drawing paper, scissors, collage materials, glue
Skills - creativity, imagination, fine motor, color concepts, self-expression

Block Center:
Items - blocks of various sizes and made from a variety of different materials, accessories like cars and people
Skills - social, fine motor, size and shape concepts, creativity, decision making

Sensory Center:
Items - sand, corn, rice, water, diggers, scoops, funnels, buckets, small toy animals, sponges, items for sink or float, boats
Skills - measurement, comparison, problem solving, eye-hand coordination, scientific exploration

As you can see, a Kindergarten classroom can have many different components to it. Children in an active Kindergarten classroom will learn a variety of things, from self-expression to measurement and everything in between.

PBS Parents, Grade-by-Grade Learning: Kindergarten, www.pbs.org/parents/goingtoschool/what_kinder.html

ERIC Digest, Developmentally Appropriate Practice: What Does Research Tell Us, www.ericdigests.org/1998-1/practice.htm

Pennsylvania Department of Education, Kindergarten Developmentally Appropriate Practices, www.pde.state.pa.us/early_childhood/cwp/view.asp