Welcome to The Preschool Rooms
Caring for Children 2 years 9 months to 6 years
The preschool years are a new and exciting time for children. They are exploring their environment, learning new skills and beginning to develop close friendships with their classmates. The Preschool classrooms are a busy place to be. We go all out to provide fun and educational opportunities that will allow your child to learn through play and develop the skills necessary for moving on to Kindergarten.
Like our Toddler rooms, Preschool age children are also grouped into two classrooms. The younger children (2.9 years to 4 years) are downstairs. Once reaching four years of age, they then move to our Pre-Kindergarten rooms for a more specialized curriculum which better prepares them for Kindergarten. |
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The Preschool Classrooms
The preschool learning environment is based on learning centers, which are planned and sometimes teacher directed; as well as activities that allow for child choice, self-directed play, and small groups. The environment recognizes the need for movement and sensory exploration.
Throughout the day, children make self-directed and guided choices, participate in small groups and projects, and join in brief circle times with the whole group. Group art activities, dance parties and science experiments occur throughout the day. In both classrooms, we set aside one-on-one time for the children to sit with their teachers. They sit for about 5-10 minutes and use this time to work on lessons (numbers, letters, simple math) or just to chat about their day. It's important for the children to get used to sitting for a bit, especially those moving on to Kindergarten.
Experiences in the Preschool Group
- Literacy – Through natural exposure to books, print, and conversations, children gain experience in the wonderful world of letters and words. Early reading and writing skills are developed. They begin to print letters in their names and to recognize most, or all, of them. They will start to dictate ideas, sentences and stories. While listening to stories, songs, and poems, children will recognize and generate rhymes.
- Mathematics – Math in the preschool classroom isn't all numbers and addition. When children play in the sandbox or complete a puzzle, they are developing the thinking skills used in daily life. They develop vocabulary and skills to measure, describe patterns, and to express order and position. Children notice similarities and differences in objects and group their materials by size, color, shape, etc. The ability to organize information into categories and solve problems helps children to learn about time, space, and numbers.
- Science – By cultivating a child’s sense of wonder, we help children to become scientific thinkers. The questions children ask about flying insects or mixing paints help them to collect and interpret data and to draw conclusions. They will explore time, temperature, and cause-effect relationships based on everyday experiences.
- Creativity – Children experiment with sounds and motions, colors and forms. They will engage in individual and group activities that represent real-life experiences, expand upon prior knowledge, offer opportunities to express feelings, and explore fantasy. Children will express themselves, create, and learn about the arts through experiences with a variety of art forms and media.
- Physical Health and Development – Children use their senses and bodies to explore their physical environment. They will participate in games and outdoor play that enhance physical fitness. When using a variety of manipulative materials, they will develop hand-eye coordination, strength, and control. Children will begin to understand how daily activity and healthy behavior promote overall personal health and safety.
- Free Choice Center Time – This time allows children opportunities to make choices and invest time in their personal areas of interest by visiting various centers within the classroom. They will interact socially, imitate through dramatic play, enhance their imaginations, and learn problem-solving skills.
As teachers in the preschool programs, our main focus at this age is to provide each child with opportunities to acquire the skills necessary to enter kindergarten ready to succeed. In a supportive and nurturing setting, our goal is for children to feel confident and willing to make their own choices.