“Play is far older than humans. It’s so familiar to us, so deeply ingrained in the matrix of our   childhood, that we take it for granted….Play is widespread among animals because it invites problem-solving, allowing a creature to test its limits and develop strategies. …We may think of play as optional, a casual activity. But play is fundamental to evolution. Without play, humans and many other animals would perish.”

                                                                                                      Diane Ackerman, Deep Play

It was 1968 when I  taught my first kindergarten class and my last kindergarten class was in 2000. There were, to be sure, many changes over the years. Half-day kindergarten became full day kindergarten. Rest time, when children had time to either relax or sleep on mats was no longer included in the day. Gradually, year by year,  more and more time was spent on “academics” – reading, writing, phonics, math programs – and less time was left for play, both indoors and outdoors. Screen time…SmartBoards  https://www.gflesch.com/blog/what-is-a-smart-board for group lessons and tablets https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/tablet-PC for individual use…have been regular tools in classrooms.Singing, learning nursery rhymes, playing circle games like ‘Bluebird, Bluebird’ and “Duck, Duck, goose”are memories of the past. Kindergarten became serious business. Teachers, rather than observing children at play, are now expected to assess children’s academic progress. Precious time that could be spent encouraging children to act out a favorite story , or learning to sing a new song is taken up with  filling out ‘spreadsheets’  showing children’s academic progress to be shared with supervisors and filed in district offices. What happens to these spreadsheets afterwards? 

Children are children. In 2025, they might have a veneer of sophistication  that they didn’t have in 1968, but kindergarteners still love, and need,  to play, explore, question, sing, paint, and draw.  

I  hope that there will be changes and that the needs of children will once again be the focus of kindergarten rather than the demands of bureaucrats. However, the reality that we face, for the time being, is that  big publishers are making a fortune. on  producing   materials for mandated programs.

I propose that parents  need not worry about preparing children for kindergarten. It is the job of kindergarten teachers to prepare their kindergartens for the children who come to spend a year with them.https://www.investigatingchoicetime.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=86&action=edit Parents need to INSIST that the curriculum meets the needs of their children. The more that parents become knowledgeable about the needs of kindergarten children and speak up in their schools, the greater is the possibility for change.Parents have strong, important voices and  need to be advocates for their children. A good start is to get a copy of Yardsticks : Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14, A Resource for Parents and Teachers. https://www.amazon.com/Yardsticks-Children-Classroom-Ages-4-14/dp/1892989190

Kindergarten teachers face a more difficult situation,  particularly when they are handed inappropriate scripted curriculums .They are often  checked on by administration or   representatives from the district office to be sure that they are following the entire program. However, there’s always opportunities to ‘stray’ and to set a spark in your room. Pam Roque, a kindergarten teacher in lower Manhattan, brought snails into her classroom and set up a science center. The children were fascinated and so, after a while, she added slugs to the tank to further provoke the children’s curiosity.

Kindergarten teacher Fanny Roman brought a hermit crab to class. The children became so excited and a mini-inquiry began.As these two teachers did in their classrooms, you too can look for the cracks and find opportunities or moments to bring  joy into your teaching. In addition, you can advocate for your children at grade meetings. Refer to studies (there are many!) that discuss the importance of play. Sing! Don’t sing with songs projected from a smart board. Sing with children personally and from your heart

Keep thinking of and prioritizing the needs of five year old children.

Finally, parents and teachers, which of these classrooms do you want for your children? 

This kindergarten class

or this one?

Let your voices be heard! Speak up for the kindergarten class that your children deserve.