PreK Program
Designed to prepare young students for full-day Kindergarten, our PreK builds upon the Preschool curriculum. Not only do students continue to develop their social skills (including sharing, communicating feelings, sharing ideas), but they also begin to solidify their knowledge of letters/numbers/shapes.
The PreK program is designed to develop the foundational building blocks in all areas of development needed to prepare for Kindergarten. PreK students continue to develop their social skills through conflict resolution and problem solving, cooperative play, communicating feelings and ideas. Children are building literacy and language skills, and fundamental math concepts.
With a play-based approach, students have hands on opportunities to dive into their learning environment, and put into practice the concepts being taught. Students also enhance their Kindergarten readiness through an enhanced circle time (calendar, mini-lesson, story, music/dance) as well as in team time (a chance to work on concepts more in-depth in small, teacher-lead groups).
Our PreK class participates in field trips most months. Some examples include; Fire Station, grocery store, pumpkin patch and Children’s Theater. They also enjoy community gatherings like Stone Soup Day, Holiday parties and Spring Tea!
A Typical Day
Free Choice
Children have the opportunity to explore the classroom at their own pace. Activities offered include: dramatic play, cars/blocks, Literacy and Math tray games, sensory bins, playdough/slime, art, guided art project, science discovery and fine motor tasks.
Art
Every day is art day at Creative Hands. Easels are always set up for painting, and the creation station is always available for creative open-ended art. Each day a parent teacher also engages each student in a guided art project - painting upside down, self portraits, marble rolling, shape art, color mixing, etc.
Other Fun
From class parties to field trips... we like to find lots of ways to engage our students and their families while creating community!
Circle Time
The class gathers together to create community, build a variety of language, literacy, and math skills as well as moving their bodies during music and movement. Building skills like body awareness, physical and emotional regulation, listening skills and spatial awareness all while having fun!
Outside Play
Rain or shine, we go outside! Whether playing on the play structure, shooting hoops, playing pretend in the playhouses, baking at the mud kitchen, or digging in the sand or rock pits, we have lots of fun while practicing our gross motor skills!
Group Snack
Families take turns providing snacks for the whole class. Children sit together and engage in social time and practicing good manners while eating.
Team Time
Students participate daily in a teacher guided small group, focusing on literacy, math, science and motor skills. From studying the lifecycle of a butterfly or dissecting a pumpkin, to scavenger hunts around the classroom looking for capital letters, this is an engaging way to teach deeper concepts to our students while also preparing them to be curious about the world around them.