Social

Children who are preschool age are beginning to understand social boundaries within themselves and group settings. Children at this age begin to understand how to work as a team, cooperate with one another, Imaginary play, and learn how to cope with big emotions. Children will begin to recognize that not everyone thinks exactly as they do and that each of their playmates has many unique qualities, some attractive and some not.

We nurture this curiosity by encouraging a positive atmosphere among their peers in their respective programs. The Educators are trained to refer to the children as “Friends”, this teaches the children how to remain respectful and open with each of their peers. We firmly believe that friendship is given then lost just like trust and honesty.

Emotional

Children who are preschool age are just starting to realize that they are capable of feeling different emotions. It is imperative that as the children begin to exhibit these emotions we give them the proper tools to name their emotions and how to ground themselves when needed.

If an educator notices that a child might be feeling a certain type of way whether it is sad, happy or anything in between then the educator might encourage the child to notice, identify and validate those feelings. This approach helps the child understand the overwhelming feeling they may have while also acknowledging that it is okay to feel this way and how to cope with it in a healthy way.

Physical

As children become aware of their bodies it is important to nurture their curiosity and help them gain the confidence needed to become more sure of the way they move, their actions and even their balance. Giving children a positive and safe environment to explore how their bodies work is an integral part of their development.

In our preschool room the educators give the children lots of space, time and opportunity to encourage physical activity. The preschool program spends as much time outdoors as possible around 4 hours a day. The preschool rooms also encourages big body play indoors whether that is with hula hoops, hopscotch, mini trampolines, big body blocks, etc.

Cognitive

As children reach the ages leading up to Kindergarten they start to understand the world around them better. During the Preschool years children start to become aware of the outside world or the world beyond just themselves. During the formative stages we encourage curiosity and give them as much knowledge about the world as possible.

Our preschool program is very child-led, if a child shows an interest it is the educators cue to find out anything they possibly can about the subject and share with said child. An example of a child-led subject could be where a child discussed wanting to see a worm outside, how they loved worms or even asking what a worm is. This would be our cue to pull up any knowledge we may have about worms and teach the children who are curious.

Speech & Language

Preschool children are at the age where they begin to understand how to string full sentences together, they begin to start to engage in conversations with the people around them. Children learn most if not all of their language from the adults in their lives, it is imperative we enunciate words properly and use the correct terms even if the information seems to advance for the child being spoken to.

In our preschool room the educators are trained to ensure that they repeat the words that a child might be trying to say. If a child is struggling to say a word, the educator will then repeat the word back to them with the proper enunciation and ask the child to follow their lips or encourage the child to try again. In Preschool the educators talk to the children as if they are competent and capable, encouraging conversations between educators and children and between the children and their friends.

Attention Span

As Children age their attention span begins to grow, in preschool we nurture this by challenging the children to focus on one activity at a time, engage in small group times and participate during circle time. It is almost impossible for children to learn or retain any information if they are not able to sit still and pay attention. In preschool it is important to begin to push the limits on maintaining the attention of children. It is important to find the sweet spot of pushing children’s limits of attention and losing them altogether. Preschool children practice their longer attention spans through engaging activities, enjoying the materials they love, having the autonomy to choose what they may engage in, etc.

Problem Solving

Children begin to develop problem solving skills at an even younger age than Preschool, at the preschool level they develop the confidence to problem solve all on their own. Children who show signs of problem solving must be encouraged to show that others believe they are capable as well. If a child is faced with a problem you can often see the ‘wheels’ or ‘gears’ turning in their brains as they strategically try to figure out a solution. A child may be working on a puzzle with only one resolution and they may end up trying to turn or reconfigure the pieces for a trial and error period.

In our Preschool program you may notice that the activities provided are trial and error coded, what this means is the children are able to find a solution with little to no guidance. If a bigger problem occurs with a child in the preschool room the educators will gently guide the child in the right direction without giving them the exact answer right away. Children need to be given opportunities for trial and error in a safe and positive environment from a young age so that they can thrive as they get older and begin to face challenges that might be presented to them.

Early Literacy

While it may be far-fetched for Preschool children to be expected to read, it is developmentally appropriate for them to start honing their love of learning. In preschool we build a strong foundation for the educators to begin the introduction for reading. Preschool children are introduced to letter tracing, sounds, words that begin with each letter and this is the age where any information given to children starts to be retained. Preschool children often begin with a short story in which they love, the more they hear it the more they begin to understand what the story may be about.

Throughout our preschool room you may see letters and letter sounds presented on different textiles, this is to ensure that children receive the multi-sensory experience to understand the learning on a deeper level. The educators are trained to recognize when a child shows interest in reading and foster that interest, whether it is reading aloud, discussing the illustrations, or practicing letter sounds to name a few.

Listening & Communication

Listening is when the child can understand what might be said or asked of them in that moment and Communication is when the child is able to express their feelings around what they heard or is asked of them. As preschool children explore their autonomy and begin to trust that they are able to express themselves as needed, that is where communication and listening comes in. A Big part of children listening at this age is the gained mutual respect for one another, a child must feel heard, respected and understood before they desire to listen.

In our preschool program listening and communication is demonstrated by the educator getting on the child’s level, giving them their undivided attention and respecting their choices as desired. When a child asserts themselves, it is up to us the educators to show them what it looks like to have their assertions heard, respected, and valued. This is especially important when it comes to consent.