It might help to think about Kindergarten as a bridge between the free and unstructured play of preschool and the increasingly structured environment of elementary school. Kindergartens offer lots of opportunities for children to just be kids–from spending time outdoors playing games to making arts and crafts. Yet each activity in a Kindergarten school also offers your child a tremendous opportunity for learning as well as just having fun. The best thing about a Montessori Kindergarten like Alpine in New Jersey is that children learn at their own pace. They are also encouraged to interact with their environments and exercise their naturally inquisitive selves, under the guidance of qualified instructors.