Children learn best when they are actively involved in hands-on experiences with materials they can manipulate, and when these activities are valued more for the process than for an end product. While playing, children can experiment with objects, ideas, and fears. Since there is no right or wrong way to play, they cannot fail, and therefore, they are freer to take risks and be adventurous.

Our program is designed to encourage a balance of child-initiated and teacher- facilitated activities. Ongoing daily play activities in our program include:

OUTDOORS: Interacting with their peers in a different space creates new challenges for children. Running, climbing, riding, swinging are all activities which exercise large muscles, as well as develop first-hand concepts of space, (over, under, around, through, behind, etc.). Those who have difficulty with small motor activities may gain much needed feeling of competence and self-confidence on the playground.

BLOCKS: No material is as versatile and valuable as a set of solid, well fashioned unit blocks. Usable by toddlers as well as 2nd graders, blocks offer innumerable opportunities for development of language, creativity, fine motor skills, social skills, and concepts critical to math readiness. The block builder of today may be the architect of tomorrow!

DRAMATIC PLAY: When children assume adult roles in pretend play, they experiment with what they have witnessed as well as what they fantasize. In symbolic play they try to make sense of the world around them. Engaging in cooperative, socio-dramatic play requires the ability to understand how others feel, and signals the beginning of empathy. Play affords children a risk-free opportunity to practice newly learned words and ideas, as well as imagine what it feels like to be a doctor, mommy, daddy, storekeeper, etc., and which behaviors are appropriate in various situations.

ART: The goals of art activities, including decision making, self expression, and feelings of satisfaction can only be met in classrooms where children are not required to follow a teacher’s model, and process is valued more than finished products. Each class has a daily age-appropriate art activity. The children are exposed to a variety of materials and techniques: paint, chalk, markers, crayons, glue, glitter, collage, printing, marble painting, clay, play dough, etc.

TABLE TOP MANIPULATIVES: These carefully planned table toys, strengthen eye-hand coordination, visual literacy, memory skills, color and shape recognition, matching skills, perceptual skills, listening skills and taking turns. These attractive manipulatives are a perfect medium for the creative mind. Watch how your children put things together, devise new structures, and chatter away with each other while busily involved.

BOOKS AND STORY TIME: Each classroom has a large selection of books, carefully selected and up-to-date for young children. Each day, our children delight in hearing childhood classics, poetry selections and factual information.

MUSIC: Singing, rhythm activities and body movement are a regular part of each day. In addition, our music teacher works in conjunction with each class using the guitar, Orff instruments and her own melodious singing voice to enhance the curriculum.

We want to reassure you that “just playing” is extremely valuable for young children, especially when materials and equipment are thoughtfully chosen and activities are well supervised.