Free Play: During this time children can select activities throughout the room in various interest areas such as blocks, housekeeping, tabletop toys, discovery table, library, free art, listening center, or writing center. Children are free to select as many activities as they want. We encourage independence in thinking and decision. This is a great time for settling in and socialization.

Blocks: Blocks are designed in mathematical units; children develop a concrete understanding of concepts essential to logical thinking. They learn sizes, shapes, quantity, area length, and weight as they select, build and clean up the blocks. Large and small motor development is enhanced through the use of blocks. Language growth and social development take place in blocks. As children build together they solve problems and learn to cooperate with and respect the work of  others. We do put limits on the amount of blocks used and how high the towers can go for safety reasons. This is a very popular area for all!

Dramatic Play: The housekeeping area offers children a forum in which they can safely act out real life situations, experiences and dramatizations. They learn about themselves, their families and society. They learn to cooperate by negotiating roles and playing out scenes. We may convert the area for special theme play at time (i.e. post office, doctor's office, toy workshop, etc.). We have dress up clothes, props, dolls and a fully stocked kitchen. We also have a puppet theatre and assorted puppets, which we take out from time to time.

Table Top & Floor Toys: These materials offer children a rich means for working on physical, cognitive, social and language skills. By completing a puzzle a child practices eye-hand coordination, learns how to match and experiences the satisfaction of successfully completing a task. We offer a wide variety of manipulatives.

Art: For the preschooler, it is the process of creating that is important not the product. Through their art children express how they feel, think and view the world. Using art materials is a way to encourage making choices, trying out ideas, planning, experimenting and creating. They learn to examine the properties of an art material and discover how it can be used. Our art projects are usually tied into our themes or into the shape, color or number of the month. We encourage, never force a child to take part, offering assistance as needed.

Discovery Table: By playing with sand, water, beans, corn, small toys, etc., children have an opportunity to develop skills in several areas. By sifting sand, scooping peas or pouring water they improve their physical dexterity and enhance their cognitive skills as they discover many properties of the various materials. They promote social skills as they challenge their minds and can be soothed at the same time. This center is a big hit.

Library: This area can be an oasis in a preschool classroom, a place to get away from active learning. It is a relaxing soft environment in which one can lose oneself in the wonderful world of books. Exposure to stories and books, more than any other factor, encourages a desire to learn how to read.

Listening Center: We offer many taped stories and books that the children can read while they listen. These books are rotated weekly and are usually related to our curriculum themes.

Writing Center: In the writing center, children can freely experiment with various writing/literacy activities. The center includes a variety of paper choices, including plain paper, lined paper, graph paper, and envelopes. They may use pencils, markers, crayons, or colored pencils. They are also provided with an alphabet chart, magazines, scissors, glue, and stencils to create written works. This center helps students to understand the form and function of writing as well as begin to write letters and words (scribbles count as words to a preschooler).

Science & Math: These  centers will have a variety of hands-on activities that encourage the development of basic math and science readiness skills. Skills include matching, weighing, comparing, counting, sorting and grouping. These games and materials are usually related to our themes and found on tabletop.