Introduction to the Pre-School Dayc Care Curriculum
(2 - 3 years old)
Preschoolers are energetic, eager learners who are starting to refine the skills and knowledge they have acquired during their toddler years. Our curriculum here at The Kids Rule Academy helps to guide preschoolers to the next step in their development as they prepare to get ready for school. In preparing for school, it is important that children begin to develop readiness in all areas of academic learning and social skills and our program is designed to help preschoolers accomplish just that.
At The Kids Rule Academy, our preschool daycare programs are enriched and filled with investigation, discovery and fun experimentation. Our teachers and caregivers foster a learning environment that is fun, joyful, and engaging allowing children to learn through purposefully designed spaces, enriched activities and a curriculum tailored to their needs at this stage of development. We strive to make sure your child is prepared and ready when they enter school. Our programs are designed to help your preschooler achieve success in the following areas:
- Beginning reading and writing skills
- Beginning math and science concepts
- Further development of large and small muscle skills
- Social and emotional development and nurturing
Language Skills
During the preschooler years, your child’s vocabulary expands an amazing amount! When language and word comprehension take off, your child’s vocabulary word bank of hundreds becomes thousands! And during this time, language skills are exceptionally important. Our program seeks to nurture this period of development through engaging children in reading, writing and speaking continually and by assisting children one-on-one with language development.
At The Kids Rule Academy we offer a comprehensive approach to teaching all aspects of language and literacy so that your child can prosper. Our caregivers and teachers carefully weave activities that involve reading, writing and speech into the daily curriculum so that your child receives regular practice and exposure to new language skills. There are numerous ways that children can have fun and actively engage in learning new language skills; activities such as composing stories, reading and listening to simple stories, playing vocabulary games, creating signs and posters, and completing word puzzle all help in actively sparking children’s interest in interacting with vocabulary.
Listening:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Participate in two way, responsive conversations
- Start to develop auditory memory and improve listening skills
- Recall and follow two and three steps instructions
- Recognize common phonemes (word sounds)
- Differentiate between letter sounds
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Speaking and engaging with caregivers, teachers and peers about topics of interest
- Answering open-ending questions asked by caregivers and teachers: “What do you think about the story?”
- Regularly listening and singing along to stories, rhymes and songs
- Engaging in tasks that have two and three step instructions
- Playing rhyming games and language games
Speaking:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Expand their vocabulary usage and understanding
- Describe and explain their feelings, needs and various events
- Distinguish between different times; past, present and future tenses
- Ask detailed questions
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Hearing new words in daily conversations and during story time
- Sharing stories about daily activities and themselves
- Retelling basic stories in event order
- Regularly hearing books read out loud that have rich and diverse language in them
- Asking and answering questions about a story during story time
Pre-Reading and Reading:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Enjoy and have fun reading stories and listening to them during story time
- Begin to understand that printed words and symbols have meaning
- Recall and retell stories and ideas
- Use photos, pictures and visual clues to read stories and gather clues
- Identify letters and a few simple sight words
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Hearing and listening to favorite and familiar stories repeatedly
- Recognizing and identifying classroom labels and signs
- Creating stories and books then reading them aloud to others
- Playing letter games and word flashcards
- Viewing books that use common sight words
Pre-Writing:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Refine and strengthen small muscle groups
- Illustrate and draw images with more details
- Make purposeful marks, letters and shapes
- Use writing and written symbols to communicate
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Learning to complete small tasks such as lacing cards or stringing beads which help to refine small muscle groups
- Using a variety of writing and drawing tools
- Practicing the creation of different shapes: angular shapes, loops and curves
- Starting to write their own names on their projects and work
- Expressing ideas and thought to teachers and caregivers about their artwork and projects
- Engaging in group tasks such as the creation of thank you cards, graphing children’s eye colors, or making a sign for parents
Making Math Count
At this age, children are surrounded by and often captivated by mathematical concepts. Preschoolers are constantly using math skills in their daily lives; Whether they are explaining that they are second in line for the water fountain, asking for more milk, counting toys, comparing the size of various blocks or filing various containers, children are engaging with mathematical concepts.
Our Making Math Count program has been designed to develop children’s awareness of their use of math skills every day. Our classrooms are designed to engage children in activities and environments that encourage the development of quantitative reasoning and mathematical thinking. We have built this curriculum in a way that children don’t just memorize numbers, instead they learn to use critical math skills and reasoning skills to solve problems and use math in everyday, real life situations. Our core areas of focus include time and spatial relations, classification, understanding numbers, and geometry and measurement; All designed to help your child development a strong foundation in mathematical skills and reasoning.
Classification, Sorting, and Grouping:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Find and gather two or more objects from a variety of objects
- Sort items according to one or more characteristics
- Create and follow simple patterns and visual steps
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Completing tasks by category: Cleaning up by saying “Let’s put all the large blocks away first”
- Sorting items by size, shape and color
- Stringing beads into a color or shape pattern
Time and Spatial Relationships:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Understand differences in time: past, present and future
- Use spatial concepts in daily speech and vocabulary: under/over; up/down; inside/outside; in/out; around/above
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Talking about concepts of time such as past, present and future and using them in everyday conversations: “Yesterday it was sunny. Today it is raining. What do you think it will be like tomorrow?”
- Using and looking at the calendar daily
- Hearing time words regularly in conversation: “You can use the blocks after Susan”
- Following clues and hints to find hidden objects: “It is near the sink” or “The red ball is just around the corner”
Understanding Numbers:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Understand and make sense of quantities connected to numbers
- Identify numerical sets (numeration)
- Sequentially count and identify numbers
- Comprehend one on one correspondence
- Make sense of equal and unequal parts (introduction to fractions)
- Make estimations and guesses about numbers
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Role playing situations such as ‘grocery store’ with pretend money and cash registers for buying and selling items
- Counting out objects within the center ( for example crackers) and matching the correct amount with a numerical card
- The creation of a bar charts of the monthly weather
- Assisting during snack and meal times with giving set amounts of items to each child ( for example ‘one cup per child’)
- Solving math problems verbally
- Playing guessing and estimation games, such as ‘which jar has more beans in it?
Geometry and Measurement:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Recognize and become familiar with basic concepts in geometry: for example more/less; longer/shorter; lighter/heavier.
- Understand volume
- Identify different shapes by name
- Use both standard and non-standard units of measure
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Experimentation and play with measuring cups and different materials ( sand, water, rice, beans, etc…) all while describing quantities, “This cup has more water than that cup”
- Experimentation with weights, scales and deciphering between heavier and lighter objects
- Engaging in program shape hunts and other games that encourage children to locate specific shapes amongst others
- Measuring objects in one form of measurement and then converting it to another ( for example, inches to feet)
Awesome Science
Science plays a big part in the daily experiences of children and they are constantly experimenting with the scientific world around them. They are already little scientists experimenting, testing hypotheses, exploring properties and materials, making discoveries and learning about how things work. Our program works with the natural curiosities of children to introduce them to a wide breadth of scientific discoveries and opportunities to explore. Whether taking apart an old toy, caring for classroom plants, or cooking for meal and snack time, we make sure that students are actively engaged in projects that spark their scientific minds. We aim to encourage an attitude of discovery and inquiry in children to lay the crucial foundations for future scientific learning and knowledge. Not only do we work to introduce your child to basic scientific ideas and concepts, but we encourage them to think critically, engage with the natural world, and have an inquisitive approach to learning.
Investigating Properties:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Recognize and identify the physical properties of objects such as shape and texture
- Indentify the properties of living things such as plants or classroom pets
- Understand and recognize the life cycles of living things
- Understand and be familiar with weather concepts and conditions
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Exploring items such as pine cones, plants, shells, snake skins and stones
- Playing with and exploring items on a light table or in a light box
- Growing a terrarium, growing plants from seed or setting up an aquarium
- Making guesses about the daily weather and then comparing to see if the prediction was accurate
- Exploring the different properties of various solids and liquids at the sensory tables
Learning the forces of nature:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Acknowledge and explore the presence of magnetic force
- Describe and discover the concept of gravity
- Recognize the various characteristics of motion and movement
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Playing with magnets and by using items such as magnetic wands to test the magnetism of various materials and items
- Dropping items onto the floor and measuring their bounce and movements
- Collecting objects such as toy cars, wooden trains, round blocks, and bouncy balls to test and experiment with the speed at which they travel down ramps
Investigation and Discovery:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Use tools in a purposeful way to complete tasks
- Independently seek information and answers
- Document and describe observations and ideas in pictures
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Using items such as magnifying glasses to observe insects
- Mixing colors using food coloring and eye-droppers
- Exploring non-fiction materials such as maps, photos, globes, non-fiction picture books and magazines
- Engaging in votes on favorite foods and recording class preferences on a chart
- Recording weekly our observations of our gardens and the outdoors
Scientific Inquiry:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Ask questions appropriately using ‘what, why, when, where and how’
- Create a hypothesis and develop conclusions
- Demonstrate a commitment to problem solving
- Explore different forms of technology
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Regularly making charts of activities: garden and plant growth, the weather, the height of students in the class, etc…
- Responding to open-ended questions asked throughout the day and during various activities
- Working independently and with peer groups to solve problems and to finish classroom projects
- Following the problem solving prompts of teachers and caregivers: “ I see those two blocks are not stacking well together, what else could you try?”
- Assisted and independent access to various types of technology that can add in discovery such as flashlights, CD players, safe tools, light tables and children’s microscopes.
Creativity and Arts
By nature, preschool children are interested in creating and participating in arts. Engaging in the arts not only helps your child expand their creative, artistic side, it also enhances your child’s learning and development in other areas of study. Participating in various arts encourage exploration of critical skills such as flexible and open thinking, adaptation, problem-solving skills, follow-through, and creative innovation.
Creativity and Arts here at The Kids Rule Academy is designed to nurture your child’s own artistic abilities and interests in the visual arts, music, dance/creative movements, and drama. By including the arts in the preschool curriculum and placing the arts in the classroom, we enhance the cognitive development, expression of self, and creativity in each child.
Visual Arts:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Create purposeful and creative art using various materials and tools
- Experiment with various materials and medias to create art
- Observe, explain and describe features of artwork, photos and illustrations
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Using a wide variety of different materials and tools: scissors, watercolors, etching tools, tempera paint, crayons, glue, fabric, stencils, paint brushes, markers, and clay
- Drawing self portraits using a variety of materials and tools
- Working on long-term art projects that require multiple steps
- Associating stories and descriptions with artwork and classroom creations
Music:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Listen to and enjoy music from a variety of diverse cultures and genres
- Recognize rhythms and reproduce/mimic beats
- Start to become familiar with musical terms such as beat, rhythm, melody, pitch and chorus
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Listening and dancing to music from all around the world and from all different genres
- Sing along with songs during daily group time
- Creating instruments form natural materials and forming bands to play music with
Creative Movement and Dance:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Physically respond with movement and dance to various tempos, meters, and genres
- Express themselves through dance to a wide variety of music and sounds
- Further develop large muscle group skills
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Listening to music from various cultures while participating in other activities such as painting or snacking
- Dancing during break times
- Dancing and moving with scarves and other fabrics
Drama:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Engage in play and dramatizations with peers, teachers and caregivers
- Assign and take on various pretend roles
- Act out stories and plays with peers, teachers and caregivers
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Playing imagination and role playing games such as ‘house’ with peers
- Planning and organizing themed play areas for playing ‘grocery store’, ‘office’ or ‘house’
- Using props, objects and puppets to act out favorite stories or events
The World Around Us
Research tells us that people who are more successful in life have positive self-identities and feel valued in the world. The process of developing these positive feelings and attitudes begins in early childhood and preschoolers are at a developmental stage where they are being to cultivate a sense of self, who they are in the world and independence. Understanding their place in their communities and the broader world helps children to develop important social and emotional tools to foster more positive relationships with others, environmental responsibility , and appreciation for diversity and difference.
Here at The Kids Rule Academy we provide children with unique and illuminating experiences that help them to understand the diverse and global world that they inhabit and are a part of. We strive to enhance their sense of compassion and responsibility for peers, neighbors, family and even those abroad by stressing interconnectedness and strength in cooperation and care. Our teachers and caregivers nurture the development of these competencies through activities, games, stories, modeling and maybe most importantly, by creating an environment that is respectful, compassionate and diverse.
Development of Identity:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Develop a stronger sense of self
- Display and express an awareness of personal traits and characteristics
- Appreciate their personal abilities to impact the world and others through their actions and words
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Decorating the play areas and classrooms with the photos of the children, their family, and their friends.
- Having projects, art and other works displayed on the walls of the center for all to see and admire
- Consistently learning new words and vocabulary to describe feelings
- Working with peers and classmate to undertake tasks to help the community such as trash pick-up at local parks, making birdfeeders or getting involved in fundraisers for important causes
Emotional Intelligence:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Cooperate with others and engage in give and take
- Be able to put themselves in the shoes of others; to empathize
- Display compassionate towards other people
- Offer and receive emotional support when needed
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Thinking ahead and making decisions about where to play during times when choices are available
- Hearing stories about everyday situations and asking children questions about how the characters feel
- Experiencing the compassionate and comforting words and gestures of the caregivers and teachers at the center
Thinking about Diversity and Appreciating Difference:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Explore new cultures in exciting and authentic ways
- Consider the ideas, experiences and perspective of others
- Practice and exhibit acceptance of, and appreciation for others
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Partaking in dramatic plays with props from around the globe
- Celebrating and learning about holidays from multiple cultures and nations
- Adapting and modifying games so that they are more inclusive to others
- Examining and engaging with photos of children and adults who are similar and different from them
- Working, playing and cooperating with all peers regardless of gender, culture, language, ethnicity, religion, appearance, or abilities
Caring for the Environment:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Understand the connection between living and non-living things
- Comprehend their impact on the environment and how to be good environmental stewards
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Helping to take care of classroom plants and pets
- Growing and harvesting a small garden at the center
- Cleaning up after themselves when indoors and outdoors
Safe and Aware
In this program, we promote physical development and wellness in children so that they can become adults who make healthy and beneficial choices for themselves and others. Because children are growing up in a world that offers numerous options, it is imperative to give them the tools to make healthy, smart and safe choices for themselves. Helping children develop an affirmative attitude towards positive self-image, respect for their bodies, and healthy nutritional decisions all assist in laying the foundation for lifelong behaviors.
At The Kids Rule Academy, our preschooler program grants children numerous opportunities and materials to develop concepts of wellness, along with the knowledge and skills to practice healthy choices. The Safe and Aware curriculum helps children to develop their physical abilities, improve and enhance their self-esteem, and develop healthy habits; all of which play an important role in preparing children to learn new skills and master new challenges both now and in the future.
Good Nutrition:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Understand the idea of healthy eating and nutritious foods
- Serve themselves and other independently
- Identify and recognize healthy and nutritious foods
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Letting children make their own choices during snack and meal times
- Providing child size utensils and serving utensils
- Providing charts and information to children about the different foods in the food groups
Health and Safety Knowledge:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Follow the safety rules
- Take responsibility for their own hygiene and care
- Keep themselves safe and avoid danger
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Following procedures and directions during fire and tornado drills
- Taking responsibility for safety actions such as zipping their own coats and properly washing their hands
- Practicing and learning their phone numbers and address
Motor and Fitness:
At our Academy we teach preschoolers to:
- Improve and strengthen the small muscle groups
- Improve and strengthen the large muscle groups
- Engage in physical activity with peers
At our Academy Preschoolers will learn these skills by:
- Activities such as cutting with scissors, placing pegs in a pegboard, writing, and drawing with detail
Regular physical activities such as skipping, climbing, hopping, jumping, stretching, obstacle courses, and even yoga; a variety of these activities happen daily both indoors and outdoors!