4 ways kindergarten lays the foundation for lifelong learning

The child at five is immersed in a material world they come to name, know and understand through direct tactile experiences, mediated by talk and interaction with peers and adults. (Allison Shelley/EDUimages), CC BY-NC

It’s the time of year when parents are thinking of registering their children for kindergarten in September — a much-anticipated moment in the lives of many parents and their young ones.

The importance of early childhood education beginning in kindergarten is widely recognized across Canada. Kindergarten is publicly funded and offered in all provincial jurisdictions and territories. While the vast majority of five-year-olds across the country participate, it is not mandatory.