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Young children learn mostly through playing, doing and imitating. The
preschool school day includes lots of active, imaginative play and
movement. We avoid a strong focus on "academics" because
preschool age children are here to play and do.
The Preschool program regularly includes the following activities:
- Baking/cooking/eating warm, fun food together
- Arts and crafts
- Craft work with nature: wax, clay, watercolors, natural found object
collage
- Music: song, rhythm, instrument work
- Gross motor movement: dance, yoga, movement with scarves and silks,
outdoor running around, climbing, digging, exploring
- Fine motor movement: finger plays, modeling, drawing and painting
- Drama: puppets, telling and acting out stories, simple dress-ups, pretend
play
- Connecting with nature: gardening, nurturing, observations, taking care of
a personal "special place"
- Nature crafts: prints, collage, mobiles, seasonal nature table
- Seasonal activities, themes including celebrations and festivals
- Storytelling and the oral tradition: reading and telling stories,
puppetry, sharing thoughtfully selected, beautiful picture books, children
telling their own stories
- Choice time, free exploration of carefully selected materials and
environment is part of every day
- Project-based and experiential activities are emphasized
- Rich thematic units help to keep learning whole and connected
- The quarter's curriculum may have a central theme; for example, a unit on the
moon might include reading about the moon, drawing/painting moon pictures,
observing the moon, telling stories about the moon, making pretend moon
rocks
- Projects or themes will sometimes involve the children in a wider
community, public service projects, etc.
- Daily interactions may include a morning greeting, circle time, songs, story time,
cooking and snack, candle snuffing and other chores, outside time, checking for chicken eggs,
choice time, and lunch.
Preschool Daily Schedule (9:00-1:00)
Arrival and welcome Free play/Snack preparation Circle time Snack Nature
walk/Outside time Daily guided group activity (music, yoga, painting, bread
making, etc.) Clean up/Lunch preparation Lunch Outside play time Goodbye
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