Children are “active learners” and each child learns in a different way.  At the beginning of each year we will work hard to discover who each child is and the special qualities with which God has created him/her.  We will also assess where they are in their spiritual, social, emotional and intellectual development.  In doing so we can determine a starting point for each child and then use developmentally appropriate practices to help them reach their full potential and be prepared for kindergarten.

Play and exploration are important to the development of a preschool child.  Through play children learn appropriate social skills:  expressing their feelings and using problem-solving techniques.  They also learn to use their imagination and creativity.  Through the use of centers (block area, dramatic play, reading corner, etc.) a large part of our day will be spent in child-initiated activities, where children have the opportunity to choose their activity and then play independently or along-side their peers.

Attentiveness, following directions and cooperation in a group setting are also very important parts of kindergarten readiness.  Our small group, teacher-directed activities will be dispersed throughout our day and will include everything from circle-time to music and movement (for more details, see “A Typical Day at Lake Country Preschool).  Each month our classes will explore a few different themes such as “All About Fall,” “Healthy Me,” “The Farm,” and “Fire Safety.”  Our projects and activities will be based upon the particular theme we’re exploring.  Our teacher-directed activities will help us meet the listed goals we have for each of our classes (letter and number recognition, following directions, etc.)  We believe the Bible is our most important textbook; Bible stories and principles will be part of our weekly curriculum.

     A special time will be set aside for “Preschool Praise” and “Bible Time.”  The children
     will sing songs and learn a Bible story.  The Pre-K class will have this opportunity
     every
     week and the preschool class every other week.  A special puppet will be brought
     into help lead the songs and art projects, and games and activities will be used to 
     help reinforce the Bible story.  Different biblical principles will be incorporated into
     our circle time.  For example: “God Made Me,” “Jesus Died for Me” and “Jesus Wants
     Us to be a Servant.”

The preschool class will have the same program/curriculum as the pre-kindergarten class, but it will be modified to be age-appropriate and meet their needs.  The preschool class will include longer blocks of time for free-play.