A Strong Start: Preparation for School and for Life
Developing Emotional and Social Intelligence – We learn to recognize, process, and express our feelings in a healthy way. We learn to have empathy for the feelings that others experience. We make friendships, communicate with our peers, and learn skills such as sharing toys and handling conflicts. We learn to care for and respect others.
Interactive Learning - We learn through discovery, exploration, and play. We work on developmentally appropriate art and science projects. We play musical instruments, sing songs, and dance. We play cooperative games. We work on our fine motor skills by gripping, stacking, cutting, coloring, pasting, and tracing.
Math Skills – We incorporate counting, adding, subtracting, and grouping into our daily play. We practice recognizing numbers, patterns, and shapes.
Language Skills – We have conversations about our feelings, interests, and discoveries. We read books every day. We talk about letters and the sounds they make. We practice tracing and writing letters.
Strengthening our Attention Spans – We are given daily opportunities for self-directed exploration and imaginative play. We participate in busy activities that help us use up our energy and quiet activities that help us practice being still. We play with low-tech toys that encourage concentration and focus. We limit use of handheld devices, computers, and televisions.
Connecting with Nature – We eat nutritious, whole foods. We spend time outside every day (weather permitting). We take care of our resident animals. We learn about plants and wildlife and the importance of taking care of the planet.
