Ready. Set. Kindergarten!
The Pre-K experience is an important year to prepare for Kindergarten. Our students will spend their day strengthening their fine motor skills, letter recognition and sounds, basic math skills, and the structure and rules of a classroom. All mixed in with free play, outdoor time, and daily enrichment classes.
Jr. Kindergarten Program Highlights
Reading Readiness
Developing early literacy…Enjoying books to read, look at, and listen to.
Photo: The children are celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday with handmade hats, refreshments, and listening to his stories.
Basic Math Skills
Sort or categorize, put things in order, notices patterns, counts out loud, writes numbers.
Photo: One-on-one time with Miss Maria.
Social Studies
Learn about their immediate community, develop a respect for our natural environment, and become contributing members of a diverse classroom community.
Photo: Special guests from a local vet.
Art
Use a wide variety of media such as clay, paint and collage to allow children to explore and develop an appreciation and love of artistic expression.
Photo: Our classrooms are always bursting with color and creativity with the children’s art work always on display.
Physical Education
Develop gross motor coordination through a variety of movement activities…Develop listening skills, an awareness of space and how to move in it.
Photo: Hula Hoops are always a big hit!
Attitudes & Work Habits
Build relationships, becoming “other centered”, take turns, follows classroom rules, and shows increasing responsibility.
Photo: A “random act of kindness.”
Outdoor Time
Plays alongside and with others, builds relationships, runs with ease, throws a ball, practices sporting skills.
Photo: Two friends, just “hanging out.”
Science
Awareness and appreciation of science are developed through a focus on hands-on investigations.
Photo: The children are saying goodbye to the butterflie
Park Exploration
Bidwell Park at our doorstep… Encourage respect for Bidwell Park, its animals, and its visitors.
Photo: The Jr. K class is taking a break to pose in front of their favorite park oak tree in full autumn color. The whole preschool enjoys park walks every Friday morning.
Gardening
The children are experiencing how fun it is to feel the dirt, inspect insects, watch a seed transformed into food and then to eat it!
Photo: The garden “belongs” to the children!
Cooking
Help children learn some basic concepts of good nutrition and to encourage children to prepare and nutritious food.
Photo: Making tostadas for this week’s lesson.
Music
Weekly Kindermusik lesson…Exploring music through songs with manipulatives, dancing, listening, and singing.
Photo: The cow girls prepare to dance to some Western tunes.
Writing
Spell name, use appropriate speech, and follow a 3 step direction… Know some letters (upper and lower case), learning letters represent speech.
Photo: Daily writing practices and drawings.
Field Trips
This summer they are going on a weekly field trip to various Chico playgrounds, Chico Nature Center, library, etc. They love riding in the Parkside vans!
Photo: The children enjoy an October outing to the patch picking out pumpkins.
Year End Graduation Ceremony
We furnish the caps and gowns, diplomas, and refreshments. The parents and families add their laughter, tears, and applause!
Photo: Miss Maria poses with one of her students.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”