Prekindergarten is framed as play, social development, and readiness. That framing becomes the foundation for decisions about time, space, materials, and adult attention. PreK is also where children start forming their identity as learners. That identity takes shape through what adults consistently expect in daily routines: whether children are expected to ask questions, persist with a problem, regroup when something doesn’t work, or explain their thinking. Quick answers teach children that thinking is handled by adults. Dedicated thinking time teaches children it is safe to ask questions, test ideas, and explain their thinking. When science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) inquiry isn’t built into the design of the program, those expectations are inconsistent rather than being shared across the school. As a result, children’s opportunities to develop as thinkers can fluctuate within the same building.