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As academic expectations for young children continue to intensify across the United States, education policy expert Laura Bornfreund, MPA, is calling for a renewed focus on what kindergarten should be: a place where rigorous, joyful, play-based learning fuels curiosity and builds the foundation for lifelong success.

In her forthcoming book, , Bornfreund argues that kindergarten should not function as the new first grade. Instead, she advocates for classrooms that prioritize play-based exploration, hands-on learning, and opportunities for children to develop language, social-emotional skills, and foundational academics through meaningful experiences.

Despite decades of research demonstrating the effectiveness of play-based learning in early childhood education, many children lose critical developmental gains when they transition into elementary school environments that emphasize rigid academic instruction, testing pressures, and increasingly narrow definitions of achievement. Rediscovering Kindergarten calls for a high-quality preschool-through-third-grade continuum grounded in how children actually learn and develop. The book offers educators, school leaders, and policymakers practical strategies for restoring developmentally appropriate practices while supporting strong academic outcomes and long-term student success.

Drawing on research, classroom insights, policy analysis, and national conversations surrounding early learning, Bornfreund presents a roadmap for reimagining kindergarten as a place where play, joy, inquiry, and intellectual rigor coexist. She also addresses how developmentally aligned early learning environments can help reduce achievement gaps and create more equitable outcomes for children.

Blending policy expertise with practical classroom understanding, the book serves as a valuable resource for educators, administrators, advocates, parents, and policymakers committed to strengthening early learning systems and preserving childhood in the early grades. It builds on the research and advocacy of Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½â€™s Early & Elementary Education Policy program, which Bornfreund previously directed and has long championed guided play and well-rounded learning opportunities in the critical kindergarten stage.