In today's busy early childhood settings, it can be easy for teachers to become overwhelmed trying to fulfill curriculum, instruction, and assessment requirements. The school day may be spent rushing through activities and gathering documentation. Sometimes educators may feel as though today's kindergarten programs exist solely as preparation for future academic success, instead of being the play-based programs for exploration and social learning they were initially intended to be. This article presents 10 easy-to-implement ideas for creating a more child-friendly, democratic environment in early years classroom.