The Importance of Kindergarten

In many states in the U.S., children are not required by law to attend kindergarten. In these states, students can wait to begin school when they are six years old and can start first grade. However, studies have shown that children who attend kindergarten derive many benefits from the experience. Kindergarten has been shown to be important to students' success in and adjustment to elementary school, as well as their success in later years.

The concept of kindergarten was developed in 19th century Germany. In an effort to prepare children between the ages of three and seven for school, Friedrich Froebel created a curriculum that utilized play to help children to develop mentally, physically and socially. As educators observed the benefits of a kindergarten curriculum, kindergarten moved quickly into other countries like England, Canada and the U.S. and became a part of America's system of public education.

Kindergarten introduces young children to a school environment. It teaches them to sit and listen, to obey teachers and to cooperate with fellow students. These skills help kindergartners to adjust more quickly to elementary school. Kindergartners begin to feel comfortable in the classroom so that, by first grade, they are acclimated to the school setting and prepared to focus on learning. Kindergarten learning also lays the groundwork for learning in later grades. For instance, kindergarten and first grade students who attend class regularly score 60 points higher on third grade reading tests, on average, than students who miss 10 percent of kindergarten and first grade.

Young children's brains are developing rapidly, and each experience leaves its mark on their mental pathways. According to developmental psychologist John W. Santrock, children experience rapid growth of their frontal lobes between the ages of three and six. This is the area of the brain that affects organization, planning and maintaining attention. Attending kindergarten helps students learn how to learn, how to focus on activities and how to make connections. Kindergarten also affects early behavioral and social development; a good kindergarten class can help students to thrive in their early development.

According to a 2011 study by Harvard economist Raj Chetty, students who attend quality kindergartens are more likely to go on to college, to save for retirement as adults and earn more as adults. Researchers believe that kindergarten teaches skills like patience and perseverance and that learning these skills early contributes to later success as an adult.