Preschool Programs

Goal: Foster cognitive development, independence and school readiness through teaching and routine. We believe preschoolers thrive in nurturing environments where play is purposeful.

Goal: Provide meaningful opportunities for preschoolers to express themselves, build confidence and encourage their imagination.

Goal: Burn off energy while building essential gross motor skills. Through active games, music and movement, kids develop coordination, balance and body-awareness all while having fun.

A parent/guardian of a child enrolled in a class marked with a “P” (for parented) are required to stay with the child for the duration of the class — unless stated otherwise in the class description.

For all other classes, we kindly ask parents/guardians to assist by:

• Hanging up outdoor clothing, taking off boots, etc.
• Helping participants get their snack out of their bag.

After this, we ask parents/guardians to say goodbye and promptly exit the room to allow all preschoolers the opportunity to settle into their class. Please note: it’s completely natural for a preschooler and their parent/guardian to feel upset during separation. Please rest assured that our instructors and assistants are well-trained, experienced and compassionate. They are skilled in handling these moments with care and will do their best to comfort and support each child as they adjust to the classroom routine. There are a variety of techniques that they will use to see which one best works with your child.

Parented classes have a “P” (for parented) after the title of the class. Often it will be noted in the description as well.

Please bring snacks in reusable containers that are easy to open for little hands. Our intent for most classes with snack is to help participants learn independence and get them ready for school. To help us keep organized, please label all containers with your child’s name or initials. Thank you for being environmentally friendly.

Please be mindful when selecting snacks for your preschooler: we are a nut-aware program. We kindly ask that participants do not bring nuts or nut products into class. If there are other types of severe allergies for anyone in the class, we may also require you to adjust your choices so that we can keep everyone safe.

We recommend healthy, easy to eat snacks (e.g. apple slices, apple sauce, crackers, cheese, granola bars, berries, veggies, etc).

Water in a reusable water bottle is a good choice for a drink.

You know your child best. If there are things that you believe will help your child feel more comfortable and confident, we encourage you to begin preparing them before the class begins.

• Talk about what to expect (e.g. meeting the teachers, meeting new friends, etc).
• Be honest with your child. Let them know that you are leaving but that you will return. Remind them that you won’t be coming into the class but you will be excited to hear about their experience when you pick them up.
• Speak positively about the class. Show excitement for your little one.
• If this is the first time – or the first time in a while – being away from each other, please expect some difficulty with separation for the first few weeks. Feelings of sadness, anxiousness and tears are normal emotions for both children and parents. Working through these emotions is an important part of your child’s development. It helps them build resiliency and confidence. Our staff are there to support your child with care and encouragement as they learn independence in a safe and nurturing environment.
• Each child is different, therefore the number of classes that these negative emotions can happen will vary and depend on the child. However, after a few weeks, these emotions should ease. Some children experience this and others do not.
• Plan an activity for your child to look forward to after class.

Preschoolers should wear something comfortable that can get messy. In most of our programs we have crafts, sand/water/rice tables, and may have sensory bins. These activities may get on your preschooler’s clothing so please send them dressed in items that you are ok with getting messy.

Sometimes we also do theme days. Parents will be made aware in advance, so if your little one wants to come dressed up, they are able to. Please speak with the instructor on the first day to note dates of any theme days in your child’s class.