This paper describes the effect of cultural context on the content of kindergarten curriculum in Poland, chronicling the historical changes from Communist to post-Soviet, capitalist cultures. Soviet cultural influence on early childhood education from 1945 to 1989 is described as affecting a single obligatory curriculum, strict government control, limited parental involvement, direct instruction, nationalist activities, and ideological indoctrination. The paper notes that the developing pluralism of the 1970s and 1980s did not affect the uniform state cultural policy in the schools because of strict tutorial control, limited parental involvement, and a parental belief in the survival of Polish family values--which was encouraged by the Church. The paper presents changes in the educational curriculum in kindergartens in the 1990s, including policy documents that became invalid and changes in minimum standards for education. The general assumptions and program content, including physical education, child/family/environment relations, and cognitive and creative development, of these new education standards are outlined. Changes are reported in classroom instruction, particularly greater communication between teacher and students, more small group and individual work, and less formal discipline. Also noted are the increasing role of religion in the schools, greater parental participation, and new civic schools, including Jewish schools. Finally, the paper briefly describes a study of teacher attitudes, revealing a mixture of hope and anxiety, and mixed feelings about the loss of state control, greater teacher autonomy, and parental participation. (Two hundred and nine teachers participated. (JPB)