The idea of a kindergarten originated in 1840, after the German educationalist Friedrich Froebel opened a Play and Activity Institute for children between the ages of 3 and 7 to develop their mental, social, and emotional faculties. The term is now used in many parts of the world for the initial stages of a child’s
Whether or not a child is “ready” for school has been a topic of considerable debate. In the past, maturational views of readiness, which advocate school entry only for those children deemed to be developmentally ready, dominated ideas about school readiness. According to this view, readiness for school is determined by children’s level of biological development.