Our Program & Approach

Here is what our staff has in mind as they purposefully plan through play:

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• Block Building: we teach basic math skills (numbers, seriation, balance & geometry), hand-eye coordination, developing a plan and executing, and an opportunity to use large motor skills

• Science & Sensory: we discover through exploration of real world materials, questioning and reasoning skills, discovery of how things live and work, and sustaining the environment.

• Dramatic Play: a child gains imagination and role-playing, negotiating, taking turns, compromise, group problem solving and decision making, symbolic thinking, and enriching verbal and nom-verbal communication.

• Writing & Art: develops a child's creativity and self-expression, decision making when choosing materials, shapes and colors are learned, early writing skills (fine-motor), building self-esteem and confidence, and a sense of pride and accomplishment.

• Puzzles & Manipulatives: promote hand-eye coordination, math skills, matching, classifying, sequencing, problem solving skills, and fine motor development.

• Reading: daily promotes imagination and storytelling skills, an understanding of the world around us, fact vs. fiction, active listening, and language and vocabulary.

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Tools to assist in social interactions:

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• Size of the problem: Problems and conflict occur frequently, and come in different sizes. Some small, and can be solved quickly and independently, and some time a bit longer to solve and require the help of an adult. Others take a longer time to solve and require a specially trained professional (such as police or firefighter). Reactions also come in different sizes. Together we help teach self-regulation and match reactions to problem sizes.

• Flexible/stuck thinking: A flexible thinker is able to consider other options and strategies. They are able to adapt ot a changed plan or give up a personal goal for the good of a group plan, or other individual. A stuck thinker is rigid and struggles to see the perspective of others. Stuck thinkers can become frustrated and act on their frustration causing others to have negative thoughts and feelings about them. Stuck thinkers interrupt the flow of group play.

• Thinking thoughts and feeling feelings: We all have thoughts and feelings. We have thoughts and feelings about ourselves and others. Sometimes we can make a guess about a person's thoughts or feelings based on their expression, but to truly know what they are thinking or feeling they need to tell us with words.

• The Group Plan: A group plan sets expectations for interaction. In a social setting the plan may be developed by a group. In a school setting, the plan is typically developed by the teacher. In a home setting, the plan is typically developed by the parents. Members of the group are expected to follow the plan. When a member does not follow the plan, it can cause frustration and negative feelings for the other members of the group.