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The goal of our early childhood curriculum is to create an environment that promotes learning and social skills appropriate for our four-year-olds. Children learn by doing….they use all of their senses to explore and get information. The River Falls School District is committed to promoting a high quality preschool education for all children. Play is the important work of a four-year old.
The teachers for the River Falls 4 Children will use the Creative Curriculum and the Wisconsin State Early Learning Standards (thinkbigstartsmall.com) as a curriculum guide. All teachers have DPI licenses in early childhood/kindergarten and are highly qualified to work with preschool children. In addition the teachers and assistants will continue to attend conferences and workshops on early childhood education.
Each child will be given the opportunity to learn at his/her own pace and in the way preschoolers learn best…through play! Actually, what looks like play has been planned by professionals to develop specific skills that your child will need for later school years and into adult life. Your child’s daily schedule will include a balance between the following types of activities:
- Active and quiet times
- Large group activities, small group activities, as well as time to play alone or with others
- Indoor and outdoor playtime
- Time for children to select activities on their own and time for the children to participate in teacher directed activities
The following are a few examples of how what appears to be play is actually a learning experience that helps the child prepare for school!
| When Children Do This |
They Are Learning To |
| Put blocks in a truck and dump them out |
Understand size, weight, and number concepts (Math and Science) |
| Put pegs in a pegboard |
Eye-Hand Coordination (Reading and Writing Readiness |
| Finish a puzzle, complete a task from start to finish |
(Study Habits and Self-Esteem) |
| Play beside other children |
Get along with others (Social Skills) |
| Follow directions in a recipe by adding |
Understanding measurements ingredients (Math) |
| Turning pages of a book |
Learning to read from left to right |
| Scribble on paper |
Using writing as a means to communicate (Fine Motor Coordination) |
| Listen to a story and talk about what happened |
Love of books, remembering details, expressing ideas (Language) |
| Put on dress-up clothes |
Small muscle development (Writing and Self-Help) |
| Make play-dough |
See how materials change (Science) |
| Following directions |
(Listening and Comprehension) |
| Separate cups and plates |
Grouping objects into categories (Math) |
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