Outside Child-Initiated Play (Early Bird Arrivals – before school programming)

An “early bird class” is offered for those who arrive an hour before the class formally begins. It starts outdoors with child-initiated and teacher-led activities. This allows time for the natural socializing and physical exploration each child is inclined to engage in on the playground.

Inside Child-Initiated Play and Teacher-Led Activities

Children engage in child-initiated play, utilizing the various open-ended toys available in the classroom. Here they are developing their social-emotional capacities as their play shifts from parallel play to more collaborative play. Children develop capacities for sharing, turn taking, expressing their needs, and listening to the needs of their peers.

Daily Activities may include painting, bread baking, butter churning, soup preparation – chopping and peeling vegetables, and flour grinding. These sensory-rich endeavors support the development of fine motor capacity, strengthen eye-hand coordination, and engage the children in meaningful and artistic activities. These activities change daily.

Clean Up and Rest Time

At the close of inside play, the children develop responsibility and cooperation skills as they put away toy materials used during play. They then transition to a quiet rest.

Circle Time

Circle Time brings teacher-led activities focused on imagination, gross and fine motor development, spatial awareness, and language arts. Children joyfully participate as they sing, move, and learn to be together.

Snack Time

The children enjoy homemade natural and organic snacks they help prepare. Examples include rice and beans, oatmeal porridge with raisins, freshly baked bread, and vegetable soup. In addition to the sensory experience of sharing a meal, the children develop good table manners and the burgeoning fine motor skills necessary for a tripod grip.

Outside Child-Initiated Play

On our dedicated Nursery playground, children are free to run, climb, build in the sandbox, and swing on the swings. The playground also includes a slide and child-sized house for creative pretend play. Here the children are strengthening their gross motor, vestibular, and proprioceptive skills. They are learning to play cooperatively and imaginatively.

Story

The children listen to a story told by heart by their teacher. The children are exposed to rich vocabulary and imagination. Their listening skills are honed as they develop the necessary skills of focus and attention.

Dismissal

Here the children develop the capacity of independent dressing. Fine motor skills are cultivated as they learn to don coats, boots and gloves, zip zippers, and buttons.

Our day ends with a short goodbye circle, offering a closing opportunity to sing together and engage in gross and fine motor activities before the children are dismissed.