Language Development
Language development is an integral part of the program with emphasis on children learning to talk and listen to each
other; to share feelings, ideas and information; to enjoy books by “reading” and being read to; and by acting out and
writing stories together. We believe that children need to be provided with hands on experiences before developing an
understanding of concepts such as spelling, recognition of written letters and words, and written mathematical
equations. We do not formally teach written letters, written words, or numerals to three and four year olds. Instead, we
create a literacy-rich environment with an abundance of opportunities for purposeful writing and reading which are
provided through play experiences such as menus in restaurant play, recipes when cooking, or writing boards for
office and doctor play. These experiences assist in preparation for later formal mastery of the alphabet.
Manipulative Games and Puzzles
These are materials which provide experiences with part/whole relationships, matching, designs and patterns,
sequencing, one-to-one correspondence, shape and form, eye-hand coordination, similar and different, number, size,
estimating and comparing. Working alone and with others, children use manipulative materials to engage in
problem-solving and completion of tasks in very concrete ways. Many of these materials develop readiness skills
and concepts that will be the building blocks for success in their formal school experience.
Big Blocks and Dramatic Play
Dramatic play allows children to work through their own understandings, perceptions, feelings, and fantasies of the
world through the use of imaginary play. By trying on roles during play, children learn about the social world, what
people do, where they work, and how they interact. During the course of the year, props in this area will vary, giving
children a chance to explore various roles and social situations. Some examples are doctor's office, grocery store,
restaurant, post office, construction site, etc. Children also are exposed to and have opportunities to learn the
appropriate vocabulary and skills that may be involved in these situations. In the 4’s Room, use of large wooden
“hollow blocks” promotes strength and development of large muscles while enhancing and encouraging dramatic
“pretend” play, spatial awareness and social interactions.
Unit Blocks
Block building offers children the opportunity to become a mathematician, stage designer, storyteller and architect,
while discovering the concepts of counting, patterning, shapes, symmetry, size, balance, and stability. Block building
also affords the child the opportunity to work cooperatively with classmates enhancing their ability to problem-solve
while using their imagination and creativity. Blocks offer an infinite variety of expressive opportunities from floor
patterns or designs to incredible engineering feats of tower building.
Sand and Water Play
Through mixing, digging, filling, emptying, pouring, patting, sifting, and molding with sand, children learn about
continuous quantity, texture, and physical attributes. Like many materials which are available in our program, sand is
an open-ended, sensory material lending itself to exploration, experimentation, and discovery. As children try their
ideas over and over, they begin to see relationships, many of which are the basis to understanding math and science
concepts. Sand play promotes imaginary play and allows children to act out their experiences in the world through
activities such as making roads and tunnels or cooking in the sand kitchen.

Water is a natural and absorbing medium for play. This sensory material has a wonderfully calming effect on young
children who are feeling anxious or stressed. With water, children can explore scientific concepts such as measuring,
pouring, objects that float and sink, dry and wet, absorption, and temperature change. Children can also engage in
dramatic play when bubbles, sponges, dolls, boats, whales, or dishes are added to the water play. This type of
imaginative play develops vocabulary, turn taking, problem-solving, and develops a sense of community with others.
Books
Books provide a vast source of information, and a variety of literature give children greater understanding of their
world. Books can also help children clarify their feelings and concerns by describing situations, which are similar to their
own. At an age of rapidly developing language development, books contribute to word and concept recognition.  
Children gain a sense of mastery as they "read" a familiar book on their own, telling the story from memory. Familiarity
with books contributes significantly to children's motivation to learn to read. It also strengthens the concept that things
written down have meaning, which is the beginning of literacy and so important today, in a television watching and
computer gaming world.
Calendar and Use of Symbols
A horizontal calendar (linear calendar) is used in our 3’s and 4’s preschool classrooms. This type of calendar
introduces children to the left to right progression which they will later use in reading. This linear representation helps
children to more easily understand the progression of time as it allows for ease of following the sequence of numbers
on a single line. In the Pre-K and 5’s Rooms, a traditional calendar is used as children are better able to count to the
end of a line and then continue the counting sequence as they move their finger and begin counting on the next line.  
As children count each passing day, they develop 1-to-1 correspondence skills, symbol number recognition, as well as
develop a concrete understanding of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Spaces marked with a house are "home days" or
the weekend, and additional events that are significant to the children are also recorded on the calendar. Each day, the
child whose symbol marks the day has the job of calendar helper at group meeting time.

Use of Symbols
At the start of our program, children choose a “symbol” that they use to represent themselves. Children quickly learn
their own, and everyone else's symbol. The symbol is paired with their names, which helps to develop name
recognition. They recognize it as a beginning of symbolic language and a representational system at school.
Eventually, the pictures become easy for them to duplicate and become a successful writing experience in preparation
for later letter writing. They will keep this symbol until they leave the 4’s Room.
Art
Through art, children begin to represent their world as they problem-solve, express their thoughts, feelings, and
individuality. In a developmental art program, activities focus more on the process rather than the final product.
Children develop a sense of self-esteem that comes with accomplishment, imagination that comes with experimentation,
and motor control that comes with practice. Fine motor coordination and finger strength develop as children paint,
draw, sculpt, cut and paste. They also learn about color, form, texture, and pattern while increasing readiness skills for
later academic success.

The goal of our art program is to motivate and challenge children to use an ever-changing variety of art media. We
provide opportunities for this to occur on a daily basis, with a wide selection of materials, as they are encouraged to be
their own inventors. We are not concerned with the product, but with enabling a process that provides learning, skill
development and fosters the child’s creativity. Hence, the child’s art experience is not just to produce a product to bring
home, but rather, to explore materials through open-ended opportunities. We strive to let each child know that they
need only to please themselves with what they have created and that they are the sole owners of their creations.
Cooking
Cooking helps children develop small motor control and explore math and science concepts involving their five senses,
texture, liquid/solid states, and pre- and post-cooking characteristics. Cooking activities are provided regularly to
experience new techniques such as scraping, mashing, peeing, cutting, pouring, mixing, and measuring. Through
cooking experiences, children can take pride in being able to do something basic for themselves and each other that is
usually done for them. They may prepare something to eat that is beloved and special, or try new things. Often
children are more willing to attempt eating something new if they have participated in its preparation, thus expanding
their food experiences. They can learn about food from different cultures or participate in preparing food for a special
event. Foods hotter than 110 degrees are kept out of reach of children and are cooled before serving to our students.
Music and Movement
Through singing, dancing, finger-plays, use of simple instruments, moving their bodies in planned and spontaneous
ways, and listening to music, children have opportunities to develop many skills. They strengthen their muscles; learn
to follow directions and take turns; and develop rhythm and balance while becoming more aware of their own and other’
s bodies. Literacy skills are strengthened as they learn new stories and phrases as well as experiment with letter and
rhyming sounds. Music also allows children to develop their singing voices and sharpen auditory functioning.

Many songs are learned over the course of the year and many quickly become favorites that children actively engage
in and share at home. Music is incorporated daily in the classroom as part of the curriculum during whole group
activities, clean up, rest time, and during transition times such as waiting to wash hands or use the bathroom. We also
plan special occasion "whole school" sing-a-longs as the younger children learn from watching and participating with
the older children while building a bond among our whole school community. This also provides small groups and
individuals a chance to perform in front of their peers!
Science
Science is integrated into the curriculum with many activities that involve both physical and natural science. Children
explore physical science with many activities, especially through water and sand play, unit blocks, color mixing,
woodworking, cooking, and outdoor play.  During these activities, children experiment with many physical science
concepts on a concrete level, such as solids, liquids, sinking, floating, wet and dry, pressure, motion, speed, weight,
and gravity. Children have opportunities to use shovels, funnels, blocks, nesting measures, ramps, straws, magnifying
glasses, outdoor swings, flash lights, pulleys, eyedroppers, bubble blowers, wheels, gears, and scales which extend
their capacity to understand and construct their own physical realities.

The natural sciences play an active part in both the outdoor and indoor curriculum.  Children have many opportunities
to observe and experience the natural world. Activities are frequently inspired by the seasons and the weather as
children collect leaves; plant bulbs, flowers and vegetables; care for our class pets; measure snow and watch it melt;
and observe our famous horse chestnut tree as it changes through the seasons.
Math
We do not introduce formal written symbolic math to three and four year olds. Through their play, children are provided
many opportunities and varied experiences to work with numbers, number identification, and meaning in a natural and
concrete way. We write numbers on the calendar and keep track of the days and months. Children get practice
counting as they help set the table for snack, set out mats, etc. We provide them with exposure to mathematical
concepts through counting songs, stories, and rhymes. With a variety of manipulative materials such as blocks, colored
cubes, pegs, and unifix cubes, children explore mathematical concepts of one-to-one correspondence, size, shape,
pattern, and dimension.
Large Motor Sequences/Climber Boxes
The 3’s and 4’s Rooms are equipped with wooden "climber boxes" of varying sizes. These climbing structures are an
integral part of our program adapted from the Early Intervention Program at Darcey School. The boxes are arranged to
form climbing sequences by incorporating stairs, slides, and ramps to provide a variety of gross motor activities. These
sequences give children experience with direction while providing opportunities for developing and strengthening their
larges muscles on a whole body level. The sequences are developed with a place to begin, challenges about how to
proceed, and allow children to achieve satisfaction in completing the process. Children have an opportunity to climb on
this equipment as a place to focus their physical energy in the classroom and to test and strengthen their muscles in
appropriate ways. Climbing sequences provide opportunities to develop and improve skills in depth perception,
balance, turn taking, focus, and body control.
Outdoor Play
We provide space, time and equipment for active, noisy outdoor play in all seasons except during severe or dangerous
weather conditions. Outdoor play is not merely a time to "expend energy," but rather a time when growing and learning
take place out of doors. It is a time for large motor development and freedom of movement in open space, as well as a
time for using loud and exuberant voices. Children enjoy using tricycles, water, sand and mud, climbing, running,
digging for worms, swinging, and participating in simple outside games. It is also a time for developing an awareness of
the natural world - sky, trees, dirt, plants, puddles, worms, bugs, ice, snow, wind, and for breathing fresh outside air. We
go out for an extended period of time every day, as outside playtime is an important and integral part of our program at
1st Church and our playground is quite extensive.
Goals of particular parts of the curriculum are outlined as follows: