The Changing Face of Kindergarten: A National Picture of Two-Year Olds Within Kindergartens

Abstract

In a Teaching and Learning Research Initiatives-funded study of the experiences of under-three year olds and their teachers in selected kindergartens in two urban areas of New Zealand, it became clear that the macro policies at the kindergarten association and government levels have resulted in changes in the daily experiences of children and kindergarten teachers. A national survey of kindergarten associations, and focus group discussions conducted as part of the project, illustrated some of the changes brought about by the policy of diversification. This article argues that the changes suggest that the national context of kindergartens is no longer homogenous.