When I was helping my niece prepare for her first day of kindergarten, we spent the afternoon labeling all her new school supplies. As I wrote “kindergarten” on her notebook, I paused—should “kindergarten” be capitalized or not?
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If you’ve ever wondered the same thing, you’re not alone. Let’s explore capitalization rules and give examples to help you understand when “kindergarten” is capitalized and when it should remain lowercase.
When Is Kindergarten Capitalized in a Sentence?
Should you capitalize “kindergarten” in a sentence? The short answer is usually no. Although, if you’ve taken German, you probably know that the German language does capitalize “kindergarten.” (And this is what confused me.)
However, let’s stick to English grammar for now. As a common noun—one of the eight parts of speech—”kindergarten” should not be capitalized in a sentence.
There are three exceptions to consider.
As the First Word in a Sentence
English capitalizes all words that begin sentences, and the word “kindergarten” is no exception.
Examples:
- Kindergarten has a show-and-tell, and Jessica brought her stuffed Flopsy.
- Kindergarten capitalization rules used to confuse me, but I have them all straightened out now.
As Part of a Title
When kindergarten appears in a headline or a title, it should be capitalized like all other nouns.
Examples:
- This Year’s Kindergarten Play Is “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”
- “The Kindergarten Handbook of Rabbit Games”
As Part of a Proper Noun
“Kindergarten” is a common noun that refers to a generic educational level. The only time it is not a common noun is when it appears as part of a proper noun, usually the name of a school or a program.
Examples:
- Mopsy’s Kindergarten School
- McGregor’s Playtime for Kindergarten Kids
Should Grade Levels Be Capitalized?
Grade levels are usually not capitalized. Like “kindergarten,” words that refer to grade levels or groups of grade levels are common nouns. Therefore, generic terms like “fifth grade” would not be capitalized.
Examples:
- second grade
- sixth grader
- middle schoolers
- freshman class
- 10th grade
- sophomore
- junior year
- senior
- high school students
- college freshman
- university students
When Grade Levels Are Capitalized
But what kind of English rule would this be if there weren’t at least one exception? (Haha.) The American Psychological Association’s style guide presents us with this rule:
When the word “grade” is followed by a numeral, always capitalize “grade” and use a numeral for the grade number.
👉BUY – Publication Manual (OFFICIAL) 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association
Examples:
- I first heard the story of Peter Rabbit in Grade 1.
- Before I was in Grade 4, I thought our cranky next-door neighbors were ghosts.
Capitalizing Kindergarten With Confidence
Watching my niece proudly step into her first day of kindergarten brought back a flood of memories—but this time, I knew exactly how to write about it. Understanding when to capitalize “kindergarten” has made me become a better writer. It may seem silly to hear, but paying attention to small details like that can make a big difference in the overall quality of your writing and how others perceive your work.
Do you have more questions about capitalization or other grammar puzzles? Whether you’re curious about capitalizing academic degrees or just want to brush up on the rules for nouns, leave a comment below so you can get help enhancing your writing skills.
Amber has edited everything from published novels to game campaigns to SEO content, but she currently spends her days mentoring writers and editors. For more than 10 years, Amber has been teaching the rules and nuances of language to help others improve their writing and editing skills and build their confidence as content creators.
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