Preschool Program
3 - 4 Years

Our preschool recognizes and values each child’s unique characteristics and abilities, and we strive to facilitate academic learning and social interactions through many developmentally appropriate activities and experiences. Center-based play offers many opportunities for each child to make choices. Teacher-directed activities introduce and reinforce academic concepts in a print rich environment. Most importantly, self-esteem is fostered because our program is designed so that every child enjoys success.

Social-Emotional
Development includes the child’s experience, expression, and management of emotions and the ability to establish positive and rewarding relationships with others.

  • Mood changes rapidly
  • Tries out feelings of power
  • Dominates; is bossy, boastful, belligerent
  • Assertive, argumentative
  • Shows off; is cocky, noisy
  • Can fight own battles
  • Hits, grabs, insists on desires
  • Explosive, destructive
  • Easily over stimulated; excitable
  • Impatient in large groups*
  • Cooperates in groups of two or three*
  • Develops “special” friends* but shifts loyalties often
  • In-group develops; excludes others*
  • Resistant; tests limits
  • Exaggerates, tells tall tales
  • Teases, outwits; has terrific humor
  • May have scary dreams
  • Tattles frequently
Language
Development includes a wide range of specific competencies that preschool children will need support to learn including listening and speaking, reading, writing.

  • Has more words than knowledge
  • A great talker, questioner
  • Likes words, plays with them
  • Has high interest in poetry
  • Able to talk to solve conflicts*
  • Responds to verbal directions
  • Enjoys taking turns to sing along
  • Interested in dramatizing songs, stories
  • Exaggerates, practices words
  • Uses voice control, pitch, rhythm
  • Asks “when?””why?”how?” *
  • Joins sentences together
  • Loves being read to
Physical-Motor
Development includes balance, loco motor skills, manipulative skills, body awareness, spatial awareness, directional awareness, and active participation.

  • Longer, leaner body build
  • Vigorous, dynamic, acrobatic
  • Active until exhausted
  • “Works”: builds, drives, pilots
  • Can jump own height and land upright
  • Hops, skips
  • Throws large ball, kicks accurately
  • Hops and stands on one foot
  • Jumps over objects
  • Walks in a straight line
  • Races up and down stairs
  • Turns somersaults
  • Walks backward toe-heel
  • Accurate, rash body movements
  • Copies a cross, square
  • Can draw a stick figure
  • Holds paint brush in adult manner, pencil in fisted grasp
  • Can lace shoes
  • Dresses self except back buttons, ties
  • Has sureness and control in finger activities
  • Alternates feet going down stairs
Cognitive
Development focusing on child’s ability to process information, conceptual resources, perceptual skill, language learning, and other aspects of brain development.

  • Does some naming and representative art
  • Gives art products personal value
  • Can work for a goal*
  • Questions constantly*
  • Interested in how things work
  • Interested in life-death concepts
  • Has an extended attention span
  • Can do two things at once
  • Dramatic play is closer to reality*
  • Judges which to two objects is larger
  • Has concept of three; can name more
  • Has accurate sense of time
  • Full of ideas
  • Begins to generalize; often tautly*
  • Likes a variety of materials
  • Calls people names*
  • Has dynamic intellectual drive*
  • Has imaginary playmates
  • Recognizes several printed words

*Key cultural awareness of identity characteristics

Families may come in for a tour, without an appointment, between the hours of 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Please ensure you bring your child so you may prepares him or her to transition into a new environment.