kindergarten
n. C / Un. a school or class for very young children, usually between the ages of four and six. It helps kids get ready for primary school by playing and learning together.
n. an educational program or class designed for children before they begin formal primary education. In many systems, it serves as a bridge between home or preschool and the first grade.
My daughter starts kindergarten next week.
The local kindergarten focuses on social skills and creative play to prepare students for the structure of elementary school.
While the curriculum varies by region, most kindergarten programs emphasize early literacy and numeracy through interactive, age-appropriate activities rather than traditional rote learning.
Unadapted borrowing from German Kindergarten (“kindergarten”, literally “garden of children”), coined by German pedagogue Friedrich Fröbel (early 19th century).
Often used without an article in phrases like 'in kindergarten' or 'starting kindergarten'.
He is in the kindergartenHe is in kindergartenWhen referring to the educational stage rather than the physical building, the definite article is usually omitted.