Four-Year-Old Program
The Four-Year-Old program is a three-day-per- week program meeting Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:45am. – 1:45pm, with the option of extending the day socially by participating in lunch bunch.
The Four-Year-Old-program’s schedule is similar to the Three-Year-Old Program’s schedule, but two factors stand out; the age of the children and the addition of a third consecutive day. Attending three consecutive days allows the staff to greatly expand on the curriculum and experiences offered to the children. Projects can be started and continued, assemblies can be planned and field trips can be arranged throughout the year.
The children spend one hour of class time participating in Choice Time. Choice Time allows each child to choose what center they want to go to or what activity they want to participate in. It is important to note that the child does get to choose and begins to experience making decisions and practicing self-regulation. The teacher and parent helper(s) are there for guidance and encouragement and to keep those art supplies handy!
The remaining 1.5 hours is divided between Group and Movement. Group Time with the teacher includes stories, songs, poetry and specific activities that support the cognitive areas of math, literacy and science. Movement is spent in the large motor center (LMC) with the teacher or the director who provides a variety of active musical experiences, which support large muscle development.
Finally, at Snack children sit down together as a group and share a healthy snack that a parent has provided or that the children have helped to create during their Choice Time. Conversation with others is modeled and the children are encouraged to be self-sufficient and helpful to other. Outdoor Playground or, should weather become a factor, Indoor Large Motor Time, rounds out the morning. A welcome begins each day and a special closure activity brings the morning’s activities to an end.