Our preschool room is designed for children aged from 2 to 5 years old. Our preschool class is designed to prepare your child for kindergarten and beyond. We are a public preschool that offers a variety of activities and experiences designed to encourage your child’s cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development. We also provide opportunities for your child to develop essential academic skills such as reading, writing, and math.
Starting at two years old, the children in our center join our preschool program. Our teachers are excellent at preschool curriculum planning for this age group! We provide a balance of freedom and instruction to engage and nurture your child. Our preschool classroom is designed as a learning community, where your child not only builds skills, prepares for Kindergarten, and explores art; but also gains respect for others and a strong sense of confidence.
Our excellent staff leads the children through a structured program that encourages language development and builds cognitive skills. We plan various hands-on activities to help your child learn colors, shapes, counting, animals, and more.
We are also actively working on teaching children social skills like inclusivity, taking turns, and using words to solve problems.
When your child is ready for potty training, our teachers will offer lots of positive reinforcement to help make this process fun.
A “Day in the Life” of Our Preschool Class…
First Steps Childcare & Preschool offers a preschool class that combines student-led and play-based learning with teacher-directed lessons and activities. This approach helps children develop the skills they need to succeed in school and life. Our experienced teachers provide a supportive and nurturing environment for children to learn, grow, and thrive.
We believe that movement is essential for young children. That’s why we infuse movement into our curriculum throughout the day. We consider a child’s attention span when planning activities and lessons. This ensures that every child has a chance to learn and grow in a stimulating and engaging environment.
Here are some of the activities found in a typical preschool day.
Group Circle Time
At ou daycare preschool, we start with group circle time every day. This is when we introduce the topic for the day. It’s an excellent way for the kids to get engaged and excited about learning. Plus, it helps them socialize and bond with their classmates. During circle time, we also review the calendar and schedule. This allows the kids to get familiar with the days of the week and the months of the year. It’s a great way to introduce them to time concepts.
Our preschool class is designed to help children explore themes and concepts together. As they share ideas and interact with each other, they will gain confidence in their abilities.
Play, Play, Play
At First Steps Childcare & Preschool, we believe play is essential to early childhood development. Through play, children can explore the world around them, learn new skills and develop their imaginations.
Our daycare preschool classes provide a fun and stimulating environment where children can learn through play. We have a wide range of activities and toys for children to enjoy, and our experienced staff is on hand to guide and support them as they play.
Rest
After lunch, our preschoolers have a designated nap/rest time. This time is essential for their development and helps them to be alert and focused for the rest of the day. Children are not forced to sleep but encouraged to lie quietly for some time. Each child has a private mat and blanket. Nap/rest time is essential to our daily routine at First Steps Childcare & Preschool.
Art Exploration
Exploring art everyday helps to teach concepts in a fun and unique way. The children get to explore many kinds of self expression in art using different techniques, textures, colors, and mediums all while reinforcing the letters, numbers, and theme of the day.
PLAY, PLAY, PLAY…
At first Steps, we deeply cherish play-based learning through playful interactions with our friends, with teachers, and in independent settings. With open-ended materials, the children are encouraged to explore, create, and question a variety of learning topics as they freely and imaginatively investigate the world around them.
“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
MR. RODGERS
Small Group Rotations
Students will work with the teacher in smaller groups to learn various literacy, math, or science skills and concepts. New games and activities are introduced at this time to ensure student success. The groups are always changing based on the child’s ability, interest, or random selection. Children pursue their passions and gain new knowledge through this combination of free choice play and teacher-led activities. Center-based learning encourages exploration through play, direct instruction, math, science, writing, and sensory experiences.
Outside Play
Outdoor play is incorporated into the daily schedule for both the morning and afternoon. There is less structure in an outdoor learning environment; however, teachers actively engage in activities when prompted by the children. Outdoor play is an opportunity for children to run, jump, climb and use their bodies in ways that would otherwise be unsafe in an indoor classroom. In addition, a large amount of social interaction takes place when children play outdoors. Because they are engaged in fewer teacher directed activities and more child-directed play, children are able to choose their friends and who to interact with.
Children will go outside year-round, including winter. Only during extreme weather conditions will the children remain indoors.