Should Kids Have Fun?

I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks "rigor" does not belong in Kindergarten. Nor Pre-K for that matter. Yet, that's the push in Education these days... Gone are the days of arts and crafts, snack time and naps for 5 year old students. Sadly.

We're told that the curriculum must be rigorous in order to compete with other countries, particularly in the STEM fields. Hmmm, two issues concern me:

1. Cultural differences with regards to respecting elders, those in "authority," and emphasis on education, conformity and social norms.
2. Individuality dictates a need for a variety of options in learning styles and career paths.

You can look at many You Tube videos showing kids out of control disrespecting their parents, teachers and those in position of authority- in the name of "freedom" and constitutional rights. Other countries that may not embrace in totality the kind of "freedom" we enjoy, may appear to have stricter societal norms which result in a respect (aka fear, at times) for elders. teachers and other authority figures. Showing signs of disrespect is frowned upon and not tolerated. And, those societies, as a whole, value education.

Globally, we have to admit that everyone does not learn the same way. All of us are a combination of Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic learners - to keep it simple. However, schools may cater or focus on the auditory and visual learners. The Kinesthetic learners need an "experiential learning" curriculum (aka "project-based" or "hands-on"). It's common knowledge though that many people retain information better when they actually "do or make" something during a lesson. But, if that is one's predominate mode of learning, they may be subject to "labeling" if confined to the normal audio-visual classroom setup. (ADD/ADHD, disruptive, etc.) Not everyone will be a doctor, lawyer or scientist. We need to respect those who will fill the blue-collar positions and provide a comfortable learning environment for them as well.

Researchers confirm that children between the ages of birth through 7 need to experiment, explore and play in their environment to develop schemas which provide context when they are presented with future classroom lessons. Further, gross motor, fine motor and social skills are developed though rigorous play, arts and crafts, story time and, yes, snack time. These are the essential activities of early childhood development. Until children exhibit age appropriate abilities in these areas, pushing academics (without ample playtime) will backfire. We see it in high school drop out rates.

It is my mission to bring FUN back to Early Childhood Development! "Rigor" in Kindergarten only belongs outside!
I would appreciate your feed back and perspective from your personal experiences. (And, an upvote if you like/agree!) Thank you! ~ Queen of Fun