Preschool Curriculum: What Do Children Learn in Preschool?

A well-structured preschool curriculum is key to supporting a child’s holistic development. From fostering emotional intelligence to developing fine motor skills, it nurtures every aspect of a child’s growth.

In this guide, you’ll discover everything a preschool covers, from the curriculum to learning approaches.

What are the Key Components of a Preschool Curriculum?

Preschools adopt a fun, activity-based approach towards learning before kids move on to a more structured academic environment. But this play-based approach is intentional, and each activity is carefully planned.

The preschool curriculum follows core learning goals under 6 interconnected domains:

1. Academic Foundations

Academic skills are introduced in an age-appropriate, engaging manner, laying the foundation for future learning.

• Literacy and Language Skills: Children begin by recognising letters, listening to sounds, and connecting them with words. They enjoy storytelling sessions that not only build vocabulary but also imagination and comprehension. Encouraging children to speak confidently is part of everyday classroom interactions.
• Mathematics: Early numeracy starts with counting numbers and recognising numbers. Children explore shapes, measure objects, identify patterns, and play sorting games. These hands-on math activities build problem-solving abilities and logical thinking.
• Science and Nature: Curiosity is encouraged through activities like planting seeds, water play, and exploring natural materials. These explorations introduce concepts like weather, seasons, living things, and simple cause-and-effect relationships. These science activities help nurture scientific thinking from an early age.

2. Social and Emotional Development

The preschool curriculum focuses on holistic development, placing social and emotional growth at the forefront.

• Interpersonal Skills: Being your child’s first formal social setting, a preschool is where they learn to share toys, take turns, work in groups, and resolve conflicts peacefully. These social behaviours lay the foundation for positive peer interactions.
• Emotional Awareness: Teachers help children recognise their own feelings and empathise with others. Techniques like using emotion cards, storytelling, and role-play foster respect, compassion, and self-regulation.

3. Physical Development

Active bodies lead to active minds. Physical growth is supported through both structured and unstructured play.

• Gross Motor Skills: Activities like running, jumping, hopping, climbing, and balancing enhance physical fitness, coordination, and spatial awareness. KLAY Preschools draw focus on outdoor play by thoughtfully integrating it into your child’s daily routine.
• Fine Motor Skills: Through cutting with safety scissors, drawing, painting, stacking, and threading, children build the muscle strength and precision needed for writing and everyday tasks.

4. Creative Expression

Below are the activities covered in the preschool curriculum that focus on your child’s creative expression:

• Arts and Crafts: Art activities like painting, clay modelling, and other craftwork allow children to express themselves and build fine motor control.
• Music and Movement: Rhythm and movement activities develop auditory sense, coordination, and an appreciation for music.

5. Self-Help and Independence

Instilling confidence through independence is an integral part of any strong preschool curriculum.

• Personal Care Skills: Children are guided to take care of their belongings, wash their hands, use the toilet independently, and dress themselves. These essential skills promote self-reliance and build confidence.
• Decision-Making: Simple choices such as picking a book to read or selecting an activity promote independent thinking.
• Working Together: Group activities nurture cooperation and collective problem-solving.

6. Moral and Cultural Education

Rooted in values, this aspect builds character and instils cultural awareness.

• Value Education: Children are taught basic ethical concepts like honesty, kindness, fairness, and responsibility through storytelling, real-life examples, and classroom discussions.
• Cultural Awareness: Exposure to festivals, languages, and traditions builds a sense of community, acceptance, and pride in diversity.

Goals of Preschool Curriculum

At its core, the preschool curriculum is designed not just to educate, but to inspire. Its goals include:

• Building a Foundation for Lifelong Learning: By cultivating curiosity and a love for discovery, preschool becomes the launchpad for future academic journeys.
• Fostering Holistic Development: Academic, emotional, physical, and social growth are all nurtured equally, ensuring no part of a child’s development is left behind.
• Supporting Kindergarten Readiness: From following instructions to managing self-care routines, children learn the essential skills needed to transition smoothly into formal schooling.

Preschool Syllabus: What’s Covered?

While methodologies and styles may vary across schools, most preschools in India follow a structured syllabus that progresses in complexity with the child’s development. Here’s a look at what’s typically covered:

• Cognitive and Academic Skills: Colours, shapes, numbers, letters, writing, sorting, calendars, weather, and nature.
• Creative Activities: Drawing, painting, cutting, glueing, and craft projects to boost creativity and hand control.
• Physical Play: Running, jumping, skipping, hopping, using playground equipment, all to improve fitness and coordination.
• Life Skills: Hygiene, transitioning between activities, listening skills, and following routines.
• Social Behaviour: It is shaped through activities like sharing, turn-taking, group cooperation, and practising basic etiquette. These are all critical for building healthy relationships.

Each activity is designed not just to teach content, but to build confidence, resilience, and enthusiasm for learning.

Common Learning Approaches in the Preschool Curriculum

Most preschools in India adopt a variety of teaching approaches grounded in early childhood development philosophies. While every school may have its unique way of delivering lessons, most of them incorporate tried-and-tested methodologies that cater to how young children naturally learn best.

Let’s take a look at the most popular learning approaches that shape preschool experiences across India:

• Montessori: Focuses on self-directed learning in a prepared environment where children explore through hands-on materials. Ideal for promoting independence.
• Waldorf: Blends academics with art, music, and movement, focusing on imagination and rhythm in the daily routine.
• Reggio Emilia: Places importance on the environment as the “third teacher,” encouraging exploration, project-based learning, and collaboration.
• Playway: Based on the philosophy that play is the most effective method of learning for young children. It supports both cognitive and emotional growth.
• Play-Based Learning: A cornerstone of most preschool syllabus models, this method embeds key learning concepts into play. This way, children learn naturally while engaging in what they love.
• Activity-Based Approach: Lessons often involve tangible experiences like cooking, gardening, or simple science experiments, making concepts easier to grasp and remember.
• Multi-Sensory Learning: Sensory activities involve sight, touch, sound, and movement. Activities like tracing letters in sand or singing rhymes with actions help reinforce concepts.
• Theme-Based and Inquiry-Based Learning: Learning revolves around themes (like seasons) or is sparked by children’s questions, making it both relevant and engaging.

Conclusion

A robust preschool curriculum is the cornerstone of a child’s early learning journey. It goes beyond academics, fostering emotional intelligence, creativity, social competence, and independence. While curricula may differ, the foundational elements, like literacy, numeracy, motor skills, creativity, and values, remain universal.