▁system . ▁Kinder g arten ▁is ▁optional . ▁The ▁" pre par atory ▁school ▁year " ▁( cl asa ▁preg ăt ito are ) ▁is ▁for ▁children ▁aged ▁ 6 – 7 , ▁and ▁since ▁it ▁became ▁comp uls ory ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁it ▁usually ▁takes ▁place ▁at ▁school . ▁ ▁Russia ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Russian ▁Federation , ▁ ▁( dy et ski y ▁sad , ▁literal ▁translation ▁of ▁" children ' s ▁garden ") ▁is ▁a ▁pr esch ool ▁educational ▁institution ▁for ▁children , ▁usually ▁ 3 ▁to ▁ 6 ▁years ▁of ▁age . ▁ ▁South ▁Africa ▁ ▁Kinder gart ens ▁( comm only ▁known ▁as ▁cre che ) ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁provide ▁from ▁ 0 – 6 ▁years ▁of ▁age ▁spent ▁of ▁pr esch ool ▁programs ▁for ▁children ▁of ▁all ▁ages ▁up ▁to ▁six . ▁The ▁one ▁to ▁three - year ▁program , ▁known ▁as ▁nur ser y , ▁kind erg arten ▁ 1 ▁( K 1 ), ▁and ▁kind erg arten ▁ 2 ▁( K 2 ), ▁prepar es ▁children ▁for ▁their ▁first ▁year ▁in ▁primary ▁school ▁education . ▁Some ▁kind er gart ens ▁further ▁divide ▁nur ser y ▁into ▁N 1 ▁and ▁N 2 . ▁ ▁Spain ▁In ▁Spain , ▁kind erg arten ▁is ▁called ▁, ▁ ▁or ▁ ▁and ▁covers ▁ages ▁ 3 ▁to ▁ 6 , ▁the ▁three ▁courses ▁being ▁called , ▁respectively , ▁P - 3 , ▁P - 4 ▁and ▁P - 5 . ▁Though ▁non ▁mand atory , ▁most ▁children