Most American children attend kindergarten, and many participate in all-day kindergarten programs.
While recent reform efforts have focused on extending the kindergarten day, research suggests that how kindergartners spend their time may be more critical than the amount of time children spend in class. In other words, longer kindergarten days in unsuitable activities have no educational advantages over the traditional half-day kindergarten program. Early childhood and kindergarten specialists have long emphasized the central role of play in young children's learning. Many observers have noted that young children are natural scientists and anthropologists. Kindergarteners try to make sense of common objects by prying into them, taking them apart, and manipulating them in a variety of ways.