Preschool

Children joining the Preschool program will have to be potty trained already. As children grow into early childhood, their world will begin to open up. They will become more independent and begin to focus more on adults and children outside of the family. They will want to explore and ask about the things around them even more. Their interactions with family and those around them will help to shape their personality and their own ways of thinking and moving. During this stage, children should be able to ride a tricycle, use safety scissors, notice a difference between girls and boys, help to dress and undress themselves, play with other children, recall part of a story, and sing a song.

An approximate schedule for preschoolers would look something like this:

Center Play (8:00 am – 9:30 am):  Children will be provided this time to make their own play choices in any center of the classroom.  Centers include Dramatic Play (set up to follow the emergent curriculum), Blocks/Large Manipulative Play, Science and Discovery Hands-on Learning, Art and Creative Expression Center, Tactile Table (playdough, shaving cream, seeds/beans, water, sand etc.), Gross Motor Center (boat/bridge, trampoline, balance beam, curriculum based obstacle course etc.), Small Manipulative Play (various puzzles, math, letter activities, practical life skills, etc.), Literature Area (various related literature and picture books),  and Play Office.  In addition to the centers, activities and creative projects will be put out daily to encourage developmental growth in all areas.

Snack (9:30 am – 10:00 am):  Healthy and nutritious snacks will be served at this time.  Most likely, preparing snack is an additional activity available to do during free play so children can learn valuable skills through cooking (math, sequencing, measurements, turn taking etc.).

Outdoor Explore (10:00 am – 11:00 am):  Numerous outside activities will be available to challenge the young learner’s gross motor skills.  Play structures promote development in climbing, balancing, and muscle strength; sand encourages tactile stimulation, math and science learning and fun adventures.  Outdoor play is needed for children to develop physically, emotionally and socially!

Circle & Group Activity (11:00 am – 11:30 am):  Music, songs, creative movement, puppets, science experiments, reading books aloud, letter and number games, imagination stories, chants, fingerplays, group games, and more are all activities facilitated during Circle Time.  Activities planned for the Group Activity include any group art or creative expression activity that follows the emergent curriculum or following the children’s interest of the day.  Circle and Group Activities encourage self discipline, patience, turn taking skills, following directions, coactive learning, social skills, academic learning, increased self esteem, beginning and ending of projects and more!

Lunch (11:30 am – 12:15 pm):  Children and Teachers bring their own lunches to school and eat together daily.

Gathering (12:15 pm – 12:45 pm):  A new book will be read daily, as well as fun songs learned, in our gathering after lunch.  Our songs will include ways to challenge our oral motor strength in order to eat and articulate better!

Quiet Time (12:45 pm – 2:45 pm):  Stories will be read as well as quiet soothing music during this quiet period daily.  Children will be resting on mats during this State Mandated rest period.  Children may bring a toy to rest with.

Snack (3:00 pm – 3:20 pm):  Children will pick up their things from nap, gather for a story and have their second snack of the day.  Snacks are posted in our weekly calendars that are handed out to families each Friday.

Outdoor Explore (3:20 pm – 4:45 pm): Weather permitting

Quiet Activities (4:45 pm – 5:00 pm):  A story will be read aloud each afternoon followed by an art activity, music and movement, or an age appropriate game during this last section of our day.

English

Spanish