Playgroup, Nursery, LKG, UKG: what children learn in each class
Playgroup, Nursery, LKG, UKG: the names are everywhere, but what actually happens in each class? Here is a plain guide. Schools differ, and no rule says what a child must do by a certain day, so treat this as a rough map.
The usual order
Many schools in India run these classes one after the other, for roughly ages 2 to 6:
- Playgroup: about 2 to 3 years
- Nursery: about 3 to 4 years
- LKG (Lower Kindergarten): about 4 to 5 years
- UKG (Upper Kindergarten): about 5 to 6 years
Age cut-offs and names vary by school and state. Some call these Pre-Nursery, Pre-Primary 1, 2, 3 or something else. Ask your school.
Playgroup
The main job is to settle in. Children learn to be in a room with other children and a teacher, to follow a routine, and to enjoy it.
- Songs, rhymes and action play
- Sensory play with sand, water and playdough
- Colours and simple words
- Listening to short stories
- Learning to wait, sit in a circle and say goodbye
Nursery
Language and curiosity grow quickly.
- Speaking in short sentences and answering simple questions
- Recognising colours, shapes and some letters, and counting small numbers
- Scribbling, tearing, sticking and colouring
- More confident play with friends
- Early habits: tidying up, washing hands, eating tiffin
LKG
Many children begin to connect sounds with letters and numbers with quantities.
- Letter names and sounds, in English and often a home language such as Hindi
- Counting, usually up to 10 or a bit more, with objects
- Holding a pencil and tracing lines and curves
- Listening to longer stories and talking about them
- Taking turns and following group rules
UKG
Children build on this, often getting ready for Class 1.
- Writing their name and tracing letters
- Simple words and early reading in a gentle way
- Counting further, comparing "more" and "less", simple shapes and patterns
- Talking about their day and their feelings
- More independence in daily routines
Not a race
Children begin writing and reading at different times, and a wide range is normal. Early childhood experts widely recommend that learning at this age should mainly come through play, talk, stories and songs. If your child is still scribbling when a neighbour's child is writing, that is not a problem on its own. If you are worried, ask the teacher or paediatrician.
How you can support each stage at home
- Playgroup: rhymes, sensory play, cuddly reading time.
- Nursery: naming things, colour hunts, simple counting. See shapes and colours games.
- LKG: letter sounds, counting with objects. See phonics at home and teaching counting from 1 to 10.
- UKG: writing their name, short reading together. See teaching your child to write their name.
To understand how India's official framework sees these years, read what the NCF for the Foundational Stage means for parents.
How Child Runway helps
Child Runway has 2 to 5 minute story lessons for each class, Playgroup, Nursery, LKG and UKG, each with a song and a game. The child answers, moves and sings along, and you get something to try at home after each lesson. Lessons are tagged with India's NCF-FS and the UK's EYFS goals. There are no ads, no tracking of children and no chat.