Preschool vs Kindergarten
The difference between preschool and kindergarten is in the form of education they offer. Now, if you are a parent, you realize how difficult it has become for kids to compete with others in school, and later on in life to be successful in general. Gone are the times when parents did not even remember the class their kids were studying in, let alone bother with best of schools. Those were the times when there was no concept of a preschool, a type of educational setting, which is in vogue, and greatly in demand today to prepare students for primary schools that begin with Kindergarten. Kindergarten is the name given to first formal classroom that a student studies in. Let us find out the real differences between a preschool and kindergarten.
What is Preschool?
With passage of time and increasing population, competition started at a very early stage, when it was time to get admission for your kid in a respected school. If your child was average and could not compete with bright boys, you had no option but to get him admitted to inferior school. This led to development of organizations that took upon themselves the mantle of preparing your kid to face the admission test, and to do well in reputed schools later on. These educational settings were called preschools and they tried to nurture a child in such a manner that he learnt the basic concepts of language and math in a playful environment. Kids after a stint at a preschool get the concepts of colors, shapes and animals, which keep them in good stead when they take admission test for kindergarten at the age of 5 in reputed schools. Preschool begins at an early age when the child is around 2 or 3 years old. However, this admission age can change depending on the preschool. Preschool also teaches small children how to interact with other children of their age. These schools are very playful in nature. You will see that some preschool are held once a week. Some are for multiple days a week.
What is Kindergarten?
Kindergarten is a German word that literally means children’s garden and is used to refer to the first classroom experience that a child gets in a school when he starts on his journey of formal education. Though, considered as the first step in formal education, the atmosphere in kindergarten is kept less formal than in higher classes of a school and there is no pressure on kids. However, kids are made to sit for longer durations than in preschools and are made to learn basic skills in a playful manner. In different countries, kindergarten is viewed differently. In some states in US, one year of kindergarten is made mandatory for all kids between the ages of 5-6, and use the term Pre-K instead of kindergarten. In Britain, the word kindergarten is not used at all and nursery and playgroup is the word used to refer to classrooms before formal education starts. Whatever name they use, the education they offer is the first step in a formal school environment. Also, kindergarten is held regularly.
What is the difference between Preschool and Kindergarten?
• Preschool is what the name suggests; an educational setting, where small kids are made to learn basic concepts in math, language and moral science in a playful manner so that they are ready to take the admission test for kindergarten in reputed schools.
• Age group for preschool is 2-3, whereas kindergarten starts with 5+.
• The atmosphere in a preschool is all play and very casual, whereas kindergarten is a child’s first experience towards formal education.
• Since preschool does not have academic goals as much as kindergarten, a preschool is sometimes held only once a week. Some preschools are held multiple days a week. However, a kindergarten is held regularly as it is more formal than a preschool.
• Preschool education is not mandatory. However, kindergarten is mandatory for every child.
As you can see, both preschool and kindergarten are important in shaping the future of a child. They are both very helpful and supporting environments for children who will be our future.
Images Courtesy:
- The Learning Connection Preschool Philippines by Iancarg (CC BY-SA 3.0)
- A kindergarten in Japan by Emran Kassim (CC BY 2.0)
