Preschool II Room

In the Preschool II classroom, children are provided opportunities to learn and grow by engaging in creative, open-ended, hands-on, active play experiences. Our environment and routine is designed in a way that allows children to explore materials individually or in small groups, and as freely and naturally as possible throughout the course of the day. Equipment, toys, and materials are organized into interest areas, called learning centers, that are especially created to encourage natural curiosity and a desire to learn. Research has shown that when children are engaged in play of their own interest, they are working at their optimum level of learning. Thus, materials in each learning center change with the children's interests and learning needs. Some examples of learning centers in our classroom include the block center, the dramatic play center, the library, the writing center, and the game center.

While playing in each of these learning centers, children are learning how to successfully interact with others. Teachers are present to help the children learn how to recognize, label, and regulate their emotions; cooperate and negotiate with others; resolve conflicts and solve problems that they encounter; and understand that others may have different ideas, feelings, or viewpoints. The development of these social-emotional skills is critical to developing higher level thinking skills and lays the foundation for the next step in the future of these children - kindergarten.

Each learning center is equipped with a variety of material, activities, and opportunities that foster development of many skills. On any given day in the Preschool II room, you may see children:

Practicing prewriting skills and expressing themselves by: exploring and manipulating playdough, drawing or creating with crayons, markers, colored pencils, paint, and glue; stringing beads or working on perler bead projects; building with various blocks, such as legos and wood blocks; scooping and pouring sand or water in the sensory table or outdoors
Practicing self-help skills: while putting on and taking off clothes in the dress-up center; putting away the toys they play with; dishing up food onto their plates and pouring their drink at meals; learning and using the proper hand-washing techniques; communicating their needs and wants
Practicing language skills by talking with their peers and teachers while playing, at meals, and during group times; reading books and being read to; retelling a personal story
Practicing pre-reading skills by participating in our 'question of the day;' engaging in fingerplays and music and movement games; learning to recognized their name and the name of their friends; using an object to represent something else, such as using a block as a phone
Learning math skills by playing board games, such as UNO or Candyland; by estimating how many more blocks will be needed to finish the construction of their tower or fort.

The Preschool 2 Room is licensed for 30 preschoolers with a ratio of 1 staff person to 7 children.

Preschool II Daily Schedule

7:30 – 9:30 Drop Off, Open Play:
Children have a free choice of various activities and classroom areas in either the Green or Blue Rooms
8:30 – 9:00 Breakfast:
Children build independence and responsibility by setting their own place at the table, pouring themselves juice, serving themselves, and clearing their spot when finished
9:30 – 10:15 Small Group Activity:
Children are provided with skill building activities in the areas of: science, creative art, large motor, manipulative games, sensory activities, dramatic play, blocks, math and language development
10:20-10:25 Transition Time:
Children are given a five-minute warning before picking up toys, a song is sung to transition into group time
10:30-10:50 Group Time:
Language building activities such as stories, finger plays, music, and class discussions are provided
11:00–11:30 Outside time:
Large muscle games, nature exploration, gardening, dramatic play, and art activities are available to the children
11:30–12:00 Lunch:
Served family style to all children; when appropriate children serve themselves
12:00–12:20 Transition Time:
Children use the bathroom, then gather their rest time materials and listen to chapter books and audio books on their cots
12:20 – 12:50Rest Time:
Lights are turned off and lullaby music is played to create a relaxing environment for children to rest, look at books or play quietly with a stuffed animal from home
1:00 – 2:00 Quiet Table Activities:
As children wake up, they may choose to play a game, create an art project, read books, work on puzzles, build at the lego table, and do other small motor activities at the tables.
2:00 – 2:05 Transition Time:
Children come inside, get a drink of water, go to the bathroom; a song is sung to transition into group time
2:05 – 2:30 Large Group Time:
Language building activities such as stories, finger plays, music, and class discussions are provided
2:35 – 3:00 Snack:
Served family style to all children; when appropriate children serve themselves
3:00 – 3:45 Open Play:
Children may choose from various activities in the Green or Blue Rooms
3:45 – 4:15 Outside Time:
Large motor activities, nature exploration, gardening, art activities, and dramatic play are provided
4:20 – 5:30 Open Play:
Free choice of classroom areas in Green and Blue Rooms until parents arrive
5:30 The Children’s House Early Learning Center Closes