The Effects of Kindergarten on Children's Development

Do parents make a wise decision sending their children to kindergarten? In the nineteenth century, the process of urbanization and social tendencies connected with it invoked the emergence of the first kindergartens in response to the needs of working parents. In the twentieth century, mostly in socialist countries, the preschool system became centralized. Nowadays, there are various care centers, nurseries, and preschools that are favored by parents; in Hungary, the Philippines, India, and Sudan, kindergartens are not only popular but compulsory. Parents often consider sending children to kindergarten as an effective way to prepare them for school, develop their communication skills and personality. But does preschool system live up to the expectations?

It is hard to find a study of the effects of kindergarten on children where there would be no reports about arising behavioral or communication problems. On the other hand, if kindergartens influenced children apparently in a negative way, they would not be so popular. According to UNESCO Institute for Statistics, by 2005, more than one hundred thirty-two million children were enrolled in preschool programs worldwide. Obviously, the outcomes of attending kindergartens and care centers depend largely on the quality of the program and educators’ personal identity and qualifications. However, the debates about the general effect of preschool institutions continue. While some parents consider kindergarten as essential childhood experience for their kids, others believe it is better for their children to escape the influence of preschool.