The Children's Academy Frederiton

Junior & Senior Preschool Programs Overview: Ages 2 to 5 years

 

A quality Preschool Program prepares children for kindergarten and beyond. We provide children with the opportunity to discover what interests them most, through child-lead programs with flexible schedules. Perhaps the most important component of our Preschool Program is socialization- we focus on more than just academics. Children observe appropriate behaviors, build lasting relationships, practice sharing, become accustomed to both large and small group activities and are encouraged to express themselves through art, music, body movement, and language.

 

Our Centre will offer both full-day and morning-only preschool programs. Our morning only preschool classes run September-June, with the possibility to continue throughout the summer if spaces are available. Our full day preschool program runs year round.

 

Program Goals

•Provide a safe, enjoyable and engaging environment

•Maintain and develop emotional health and positive identities an atmosphere based on trust, security, and respect (for optimal learning)

•Build self-confidence through the further development of self-help and self-care skills, independence and positive reinforcements.

•Achieve a positive self-image through independence and healthy peer relationships in large and small group activities.

•Encourage participation in all aspects of the program while still allowing free choice of activity with open ended materials

•Reinforce the development of strong self-esteem by valuing each child as an individual

•Encourage development of socialization and peer relationships through discovery and exploration

•Develop math skills through hands on experiences

•Provide opportunities to develop gross motor skills and creative movements

•Encourage learning through the use of music and instruments

•Allow freedom of creative expression (open ended materials)

 

Room Design

•All toys and equipment readily available and within reach of children

•Children’s art work and projects are displayed in the room and will be highly visible

• Multiculturalism is promoted through teaching materials and displays around the room

 

 

Areas of Development & Key Experiences

 

Play (Playful Exploration)

•Play and Playfulness: allow freedoms which may not be experiences during other activities

•Encourage children to test their physical and mental limits

•Provide a wide variety of open ended materials for children to use and play with

•Allow children to develop a sense of action and reaction, cause and effect, while exploring objects around them

•Recognize the value of Dizzy Play: children must be allowed to be silly, express humor, be rough and tumble, and engage in activities which disrupt and restore order.

 

 

Cognitive/Fine Motor Skills

•Develop fine motor skills

•Hand-Eye Coordination

•Concept of sorting items/materials

•Expand knowledge of colors and shapes/ begin drawing shapes• Expand knowledge of counting (1-20)

•Continued encouragement with use of crayons and markers and appropriate use of writing materials

•Recognition of letters/begin drawing letters and printing names

 

Sensory (wet/dry)

•Broaden knowledge and heighten a sense of curiosity while stimulating the senses

•Encourage exploration and discovery though the use of a wide variety of materials and items

 

 

Creativity & Crafts

 

Circle Time & Language Development

•Further develop fine motor skills

•Encourage creativity; drawing and creating items from the imagination

•Discover the concept of mixing colors and the outcomes (color wheel)

•Use of a wide variety of materials for creating

•Praise individual accomplishment through art work

 

Science & Nature

•Cause and effect

•Participation in experiments

•Centers based on nature and plants

•How we care for the environment (responsibility)

•Cooking activities / Understanding the relationship between food and nutrition

•Outdoor Excursions

 

Gross Motor Movement & Music

•Promote Imaginative Play

•Encourage language and socialization

•Promote the development of strong peer relationships

•Continue to model proper behavior: taking turns/cooperation

•Allow children to copy the actions of those around them

 

Social Responsibility, Respect and Democratic Practices

•Embrace differences among peers, further facilitate an understanding and acceptance of difference

•Facilitate negotiations between children when problem solving

•Continue to model respect and appropriate ways to treat others (individual rights)

•Continue to model sympathy and empathy, encourage children to support and comfort others

•Further facilitate an understanding and respect of property and materials, and sharing space and materials with others

•Continue to promote a strong understanding of fair and fairness

•Practice self-control