a preschool for children age 4 to 6 to prepare them for primary school
"Most children attend kindergarten, which serves as a preschool program designed to prepare four- and five-year-olds for primary school."
An educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6; nursery school.
"Every morning at eight o'clock, we pick up our son from kindergarten after he spends the day learning to share toys and make friends."
In plain English: Kindergarten is the first school children attend after preschool to learn basic skills before starting elementary grades.
"My daughter is starting kindergarten next month."
Usage: Kindergarten refers to the first year of formal schooling where children learn basic skills like reading and socializing before entering primary grades. It is often used interchangeably with preschool or nursery school when describing early childhood education programs for toddlers.
The word kindergarten comes directly from the German phrase meaning "garden of children." It was first coined in the early nineteenth century by the educator Friedrich Fröbel.