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) |
| Turn pages of a book |
Learning to read from left to right |
| Scribble on paper |
Use 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) |
| Follow directions |
(Listening and Comprehension) |
| Separate cups and plates |
Grouping objects into categories (Math) |
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