Preschool vs. Kindergarten
Main DifferenceGone are the days when children were supposed to start up with the formal studies directly, tough schedules and burden of learning. Nowadays, educational settings like preschool and kindergarten are in practice which ensures learning of children in a more efficient way. The kindergarten is the educational setting in which the formal education is started, but that too in a polite manner and playful way. In kindergarten, the classes are held on the daily basis. Contrary to this, the preschool is the educational setting in which the kid is taught basics of math, English and moral science in a playful manner so that they can clear the admission test of the reputed schools and could get admission in the kindergarten.
Difference Between Preschool and Kindergarten
Preschool vs. Kindergarten
The kids of age 3-6 are eligible for admission to the kindergarten, whereas children 2-3 age are taught in the preschools.
Preschool vs. Kindergarten
The kindergarten is the beginning of the formal education while preschool is informal education that prepares one for the formal education.
Preschool vs. Kindergarten
The kindergarten classes are held regular. Contrary to this, preschool classes are held once in a week or on multiple days.
Preschool vs. Kindergarten
Preschool education is not compulsory, whereas kindergarten education is compulsory in many countries across the globe.
Preschool vs. Kindergarten
The preschool prepares children so they could clear the test and get enrolled in the kindergarten in any reputable school. On the other hand, kindergarten teachers teach things in a playful manner with a little formal class atmosphere.
Preschooladjective
Of or relating to the years of early childhood before attendance at primary school.
Kindergartennoun
An educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6; nursery school.
Preschoolnoun
A nursery school.
Kindergartennoun
(US) The elementary school grade before first grade.
Preschoolverb
(transitive) To provide nursery school education for.
Kindergartennoun
(Philippines) The two levels between nursery and prep; the second and third years of preschool.
Preschoolverb
(intransitive) To undergo nursery school education.
Kindergartennoun
a preschool for children age 4 to 6 to prepare them for primary school
Preschoolnoun
an educational institution for children too young for elementary school
Comparison Chart
| Preschool | Kindergarten |
| Preschool is informal education that prepares one for the formal education. | The kindergarten is the beginning of the formal education. |
| Age group | |
| 2-3 years | 3-6 years |
| Class schedule | |
| Once in a week/multiple days | Regularly |
| Compulsion | |
| Not compulsory | Compulsory |
| Mission | |
| It prepares the children so that he/she should get admission in the kindergarten. | It is first step of the formal education, where children are taught in playful manner in the formal classrooms. |
What is Preschool?
The preschool is the educational setting in which the kids of around 2-3 years age are taught the basic concepts of math, science and moral science so that they could clear the admission test of the reputed school and can start off with their formal education in the kindergarten. As the prefix denotes that something before, the word preschool roughly means before the school. The preschool is the educational setting before the formal school; the students are taught the basic concepts in a playful manner, without any burden on them. The best thing about this type of educational setting is that the students are prepared for the formal education. The initiative of preschool is also quite handy as it gives the basic concept to the children and when they enter the formal education (kindergarten), they already have an eagerness to learn more and explore the already possessed concepts. It will be pertinent to mention here that, the initiative of preschool is the latest and it is still not known to many countries of the world. The preschool classrooms are designed as homes or playgrounds, so the children feel comfortable and try to showcase their best of skills. Other than the teaching of basic concepts, the children are also told about dealing with each other and are also taught the manners to behave well in different surroundings. The preschool class is held once in the week or some cases it is multiple times a week, but it is not that regular as in the case of the kindergarten.
What is Kindergarten?
The kindergarten is the beginning of the formal education for the children. The kids of around 3-5 ages are eligible to join the kindergarten after clearing the admission test. In the admission test the basic concepts of math, English, and moral science are examined. The admission test is a kind of informal test but in some of the reputed schools it is quite formal, and the children willing to get admission are specially prepared for this test in preschool. The teaching techniques in kindergarten are quite the same as in the case of the preschool, but the regular classes and more learning with a formal atmosphere make it difference from the latter. The kindergarten concept is a well established educational concept which is in practice around the globe, but the things which make people confused about its existence is the term used for it in U.S. and the Britain. It will be worth mentioning here that, the terms like nursery ad playgroup are used instead of kindergarten in the UK, whereas in the US, the term Pre-K is mainly used in place of the kindergarten.
