“Fatigability plays a role in whether or not a child can endure a full day of kindergarten. I think shy, quiet [children] do best in certain environments where they’re very nurtured; so yes, there does need to be a match of temperament and school philosophy and teacher philosophy.”

– Carol Drummond, Ph.D, Child Psychologist

In the continuing effort to better educate America’s kids, parents now face a new debate: Should they send their child to a full day or half-day kindergarten?

Some say a full day is too tiring for four and five-year-olds; others believe a half-day is too short for kids to learn all that they need to.

Children like six-year-old Simone Orr have days that are long and full.

Her day starts with handwriting and reading, “and after lunch we have Spanish class and then after my Spanish class — only on Mondays and Wednesdays — we go to music,” she says.

And most days she comes home tired. “Today was the only day that I got, like, a little nap,” she says. “My teacher put on ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and we listened to it and got to lay down on the carpet.”

But many parents wonder if a full day of kindergarten is too much.

Experts say it depends.

“If it’s a full-day of academics, yes, I think kids are at a high risk to be burned out,” says child psychologist Dr. Carol Drummond. “But if they have a lot of time for recess and art activities and things like that then no, I don’t think it’s necessarily harmful.”

Drummond says a full day of school is better than an empty afternoon of watching TV.

“I think they should be engaged in imaginary play, running around outside, playing with their friends,” she says. “I don’t think they should be parked in front of a TV or playing video games, which is sometimes the case.”

Experts say many kids will flourish in a full day kindergarten if there is a balance of work and play, and if the teachers are attentive and caring.

Simone’s mom, Daphne says the full day of kindergarten is the best environment for her daughter. “She has such a love for school,” she says, “such a love for learning and it’s – it really is fostered and nurtured at this school.”

For her part, Simone enjoys going to school all day. It’s just that she’d like a little longer recess. “Yeah,” she says, “because it’s really, really fun.”

Top ˆ

• The most important thing is to instill a love of learning in young children, so they don’t burn out and become avoidant of academics. (Carol Drummond, Ph. D, Child Psychologist)




• When choosing a school for your child, look at the teacher-student ratio: it should be as low as possible. Look around the classroom – it should be inviting and warm – and look at the daily schedule. Is there plenty of time built in for recess and free play? (Carol Drummond, Ph. D, Child Psychologist)




• Experts stress the importance of a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Schoolwork at this age should be play-based, taking that into account the wide range of skills present in the classroom. (Education Commission of the States)

Top ˆ

• National Association of School Psychologists
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
• Educational Information Resources Center

Top ˆ