Integrating Play-Based Learning with Academic Standards and How it Affects Kindergarten Readiness in Preschool Children
Bowen, Tia
Bowen, Tia
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Abstract
Education is one of the most important tools we can provide children with to acquire new skills that will support their future and social development, as development starts at birth and continues into adulthood. Educational goals at each developmental stage are often shaped by societal expectations regarding later academic achievement and adult productivity (Akaba et al., 2020; Burger, 2012). School systems employed standards-based education with a backward-design approach in which curricular expectations are defined by end-of-grade outcomes (Wyoming Department of Education [WDE], 2025). This backward-design approach ends at kindergarten, prompting school systems to develop ideas about what kindergarten readiness looks like.
However, research now shows that learning begins way before kindergarten. Brain development has been shown to reach 90% of its adult volume by age 5 (Gilmore et al., 2018). This rapid growth demonstrates the importance of learning in the early years. When children are provided with high-quality opportunities, such as social interactions and explorative activities, they can develop skills that will be used when they enter the school system (Carulla et al., 2021). This literature review examines how play-based learning in early childhood supports kindergarten readiness and explores how early educators and kindergarten teachers can intentionally structure early learning experiences to promote long-term students' success (Rhoad-Drogalis et al., 2021).
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Date
2026-04-20
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University of Wyoming Libraries
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Keywords
Play Based Learning,Kindergarten Readiness,Early Childhood,Development,Literature Review
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Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International