Kindergarten is different in many ways to the other early childhood years. Whilst the younger age groups are guided by the Early Years Learning Framework, the Kindergarten program is underpinned by the Queensland Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines (QKLG). Both are strongly and unapologetically play based, something that experts both in Australia and internationally agree is the best way for young children to learn and a marker of quality in early childhood education. The QKLG’s have five learning and development areas that describe the knowledge, skills and dispositions that children explore during the kindergarten year. They are identity, connectedness, wellbeing, active learning and communication. It is clear from these that the whole child is represented and valued in the kindy years, not just what is thought of as the more ‘intellectual’ skills.
It is important to note that there are no ‘must haves’ in the curriculum framework, it is not prescriptive. There is no pressure for the children to need to know how to count to 10, or for them to need to know what sound the letter ‘a’ makes nor do they need to learn to write their name before entering school HOWEVER during the course of our kindergarten program we will be teaching all of the children these things. By following the framework and providing a curriculum rich in play-based experiences and activities we are actively teaching the children this and so much more delivered in a way that is genuine and authentic, has real meaning to them and values the way that they learn.