Preschoolers are now schoolchildren: The importance of kindergarten education

In Türkiye, the orientation week for the 2024-2025 academic year began on September 1. On September 8, the school bell will ring for students at all levels. As the new academic year begins, the importance of preschool education, especially for children in the pre-school period, is once again coming to the fore.

Dr. Ayşegül Güner Algan, Head of the Psychology Department at Altınbaş University, points out that preschool education is a critical period for children aged 3-5 in terms of both social and cognitive development.

According to Algan, children who receive quality preschool education gain an advantage over their peers in areas such as self-confidence, social adaptation, empathy, language development, and school success. Algan emphasizes that kindergarten allows children to socialize with their peers in the same environment within a framework of rules, stating that this experience plays a unique role in their development.

“One of the most important learning strategies for children is observation and imitation. A child in the same environment as their peers has the opportunity to experience and develop their behavior in a social setting. This supports their development in terms of both motor skills and social behavior,” says Algan, adding that the consistent application of rules in kindergarten reinforces positive behavior.

Algan points out that it is often difficult to maintain this order at home, adding that teachers who specialize in child development make a difference. For example, she notes that a child who has difficulty eating at home can behave much more cooperatively when eating with friends at preschool.

As the new school year begins, the points emphasized by Dr. Ayşegül Güner Algan once again highlight how critical preschool education is for children's future success and adaptation process.