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Last school year, public pre-K programs received their biggest-ever boost in state funding as states established or expanded early education offerings. Enrollment nationwide increased by 7% from 2022 to 2024, and this school year, 12 states and the District of Columbia offer some version of universal pre-K to 4-year-olds.

The trend is likely to continue as state policymakers on both sides of the aisle increasingly support experts who point to the benefits of pre-K—from kindergarten readiness all the way to higher high school graduation rates. Despite its rapid expansion, the pre-K sector still lacks a unified vision of quality instruction, both in terms of what children should learn and how they should be taught.

While nearly all state-funded pre-K programs provide criteria for selecting evidence-based curricula and most require alignment with state early learning standards, fewer than half offer a curated list of approved or recommended materials—and the depth and rigor of that guidance varies widely.

As a result, the quality of available pre-K instructional materials remains uneven. Without a common vision for curriculum quality, the burden falls on teachers.

found that 85% of public school pre-K teachers use multiple instructional materials—averaging three—with about half supplementing their commercial curricula with resources they find or create themselves, often because those materials don’t adequately meet the needs of diverse learners.

Educators widely understand that young children learn best through joyful, play-based experiences, but they often struggle to find a curriculum that integrates content knowledge and early academic skills in developmentally appropriate ways, honoring that sense of adventure and curiosity that defines this age group.

In recent years, this tension has led to a false choice: play-based learning or academic content. And while the high-quality instructional materials movement has gained traction in K-12, early learning has been left out—largely due to concerns about it overshadowing an experience rooted in playfulness.

But high-quality instructional experiences don’t have to come at the expense of joyful learning—and joyful learning doesn’t mean a lack of rigor. They are non-negotiable, complementary pillars necessary for all early education programs.

And understanding how to foster engaging and developmentally appropriate curriculum and instruction is critical for the sector to thrive.

The things that matter most

Here are the things that matter most—and that truly high-quality, pre-K instructional materials support—to ensure that early education programs provide content-rich learning that is joyful, developmentally appropriate, and grounded in meaningful context:

1. Rich language and knowledge building: Strong materials immerse children in meaningful conversations, stories, and topics that build vocabulary and background knowledge intentionally. Instead of isolated skills or disjointed activities, children move through coherent units—about wild animals, weather, or transportation in their own communities—so that words, ideas, and understanding accumulate. This kind of coherence doesn’t happen by accident. It’s something materials either build in or don’t.
2. Play-based, purposeful learning: High-quality materials integrate learning into play—through centers, exploration, and hands-on activities—while still being intentional. Whether it’s dramatic play, block building, or guided inquiry, children are developing early math, literacy, and problem-solving skills in ways that feel joyful and natural. In a unit about forests, children might experience read-alouds about plants and animals and then build burrows or dens in the blocks center; create forest art out of leaves, rocks, and twigs in the art center; or act out animal behaviors with puppets. The best materials create this container for content-rich play so that curiosity and content fuel one another.
3. Developmentally appropriate progressions: Effective materials meet children where they are and support growth over time. They provide scaffolds, differentiation, and flexible pathways so that all learners—across varied developmental stages—can engage meaningfully and build confidence. For example, children might investigate how sand flows through a funnel, or experiment with why some objects sink while others float, all while educators scaffold the experience to promote concepts like cause and effect, problem-solving, or early numeracy. Strong materials are the key to providing multiple entry points and supports.
4. Culturally relevant and meaningful contexts: The best materials reflect children’s lives, identities, and communities. Teachers are guided to connect learning to familiar experiences and diverse perspectives, helping children see themselves in the content while also expanding their understanding of others and the broader world. Texts and resources are carefully selected for affirming, authentic representation. And materials provide tools to bring families in as partners.

Joyful play and academic development

Effective learning environments for pre-K children support joyful play and young children’s academic development—not either or. They are spaces where curiosity flourishes, exploration is encouraged, and children feel free to investigate, imagine and test their thinking.

By fostering both rich, developmentally appropriate content and playfulness, America’s students will be better prepared to enter the K-12 system ready to learn.

The K-12 high-quality instructional materials movement took years to build momentum, but has steadily changed what teachers have access to and, in turn, has shaped student experience in classrooms across the country. Pre-K deserves the same.

As states invest record resources in expanding access to pre-K education, it’s imperative to consider whether the materials that will shape children’s days are worthy of them.