Free Play and Special Projects

Every day in Nursery begins with Free Play. This is a time for the children transition from home to school, to discover new relationships with their peers and teachers and to develop their skills. Imaginary play and block building are significant activities during this period and encouraged and supported by the teachers. Individual or small group participation in painting, puzzles, play dough and table games is also encouraged as the children are ready to engage in these activities with success. This time is also used by teachers to engage individual children in one-on-one work on more complex thematic projects.

Book Time and Circle Time

Once the children have cleaned up their classroom, they each pick a book from the classroom's library and quietly read for a few minutes. The children's books are then collected by two of their classmates and they join their teachers one-by-one for Circle Time. This is a time for songs, finger plays and group discussions and explorations. It is also the time when we learn about the days of the week, the weather, holidays, one another and the world around us.

Snack Time

After Circle Time is over the children transition one-by-one to snack time. For Snack the children are given a choice of water or apple juice and something healthy to eat. In an effort to safeguard the well-being of our children, we ask that parents of children with severe food allergies provide us with snack for their child. All of our snacks are nut-free.

Outdoor Play

After Snack Time and a quick stop at the bathroom, the class will go to one of our two outdoor play yards where the children climb in the loft, go down the slide, dig in the sandbox, ride tricycles or engage in ball play. There is also a swing in our lower play yard for the children to use with direct teacher supervision.

Story Time

Following Outdoor Play the children come back their classroom and prepare for dismissal. This is a quiet time during which they hear a story read aloud by one of their teachers and are brought outside to a parent or caregiver one by one