What does a pre-primary teacher do?

By APTTI Educational Content · Updated 2026-10-10 · 2 min read

A pre-primary teacher plans and leads play-based learning for children aged about 2 to 6, builds daily routines, teaches early language and number skills through songs, stories and activities, observes and records each child's progress, keeps children safe and healthy, manages behaviour positively and keeps parents informed.

What this means in practice

The job mixes teaching, care and communication. On a typical day you greet children and parents, run circle time, guide activities in learning corners, supervise snack and outdoor play, note observations and prepare tomorrow's materials.

Main responsibilities

Planning weekly themes and daily activities
Teaching phonics, pre-writing, counting and shapes through play
Creating a safe, clean and inviting classroom
Supporting toileting, eating and self-help skills
Observing, recording and reporting progress
Communicating with parents through diaries, apps and meetings
Working with assistants (ayahs) and other staff

Skills you use every day

Patience, clear and warm communication, creativity, organisation, observation and good judgement about safety.

The work outside the classroom

Much of a pre-primary teacher's work happens before and after children arrive. You prepare and rotate materials, clean and check equipment, write weekly plans, update observation notes, fill in diaries or app messages for parents and attend staff meetings. You also plan events such as sports day, festivals and parent workshops. Schools value teachers who are organised with this behind-the-scenes work because it keeps the day calm for children. Training helps by giving you templates for plans and observations and showing you which tasks have the biggest effect on children's learning.

The five core roles of a pre-primary teacher

Most descriptions of the role, including APTTI's, come back to five responsibilities.

Planning and delivering age-appropriate lessons and activities: games, songs, arts and crafts, storytelling
Creating a safe, nurturing environment: clean, organised and free of hazards, so children can explore
Encouraging social and emotional development: sharing, turn-taking and expressing feelings
Assessing and tracking progress against developmental milestones, and spotting children who need extra support
Communicating with parents and caregivers: regular updates and early, open conversations about concerns

Practical next steps

Shadow a pre-primary teacher for a day if possible.
Practise storytelling and rhymes aloud.
Learn basic first aid.
Build a small folder of activity ideas by age.

ExampleIn a Kochi LKG class, Anitha starts with a weather song, runs a five-minute sound game, then moves children to corners: blocks, drawing, books and a pretend shop.

What to keep in mind: Pre-primary teachers observe and refer; they do not diagnose. If you notice a possible developmental difficulty, discuss it with the school and the family.

Common follow-up questions

Do pre-primary teachers give homework?

Usually very little; play-based activities at home are preferred.

How many children are in a pre-primary class?

It varies widely; many private schools aim for 15 to 25 children with an assistant.

Sources

Course facts from APTTI's published course pages, checked 10 October 2026. Editorial policy.