Child Development Center

We know that children learn through play. Below are listed the areas of our room where child initiated play takes place and A FEW of the things that children gain from playing there.

Art 

• properties of art materials
• creativity
• fine motor skills
• critical thinking
• planning and evaluation
• copying
• altering
• representing
• visual discrimination
• texture, color, line, space , shape
• using tools to acquire desired effect

We provide the time, space, materials and atmosphere needed to create the wonderful works of art that only children can create. In valuing a child's first artistic attempts we should appreciate the beauty of the color and design rather than worry about the finished product.  Real art for children is personal, spontaneous, inventive,  imaginative, unique, therapeutic and FUN.

Blocks 

• symbolic representation
• patterns
• symmetry
• planning
• balance
• size relations
• trial and error
• problem solving
• interaction of forces
• pre-math concepts-more, less, number, etc.
• visual perception
• hand/eye coordination
• classification
• cooperation
• self-esteem
• completion

In construction activities, children create models that represent their internal vision of an object or event.  This is the concrete way in which children symbolize the world;  and it is a highly creative process.  When children build out of real materials the models that originate in their minds, they must draw on other abilities as well, such as creativity, imagination, aesthetic appreciation, fine and gross motor and perceptual skills, planning, language and often social interaction techniques.  As children construct something out of paper and paste, clay or blocks, they coordinate all aspects of the self.  It is this synthesizing characteristic that explains the importance of construction within our program.

Books

• creativity
• imagination
• visual discrimination
• language skills
• left to right tracking
• top to bottom progression
• sequencing
• picture /word association
• exposure to many concepts beyond immediate environment

Children learn to read by being  read to.  Research shows that early and  good readers come from homes and schools where reading is valued and experienced regularly.  The desire to read starts with the early enjoyment of being held in a lap and cuddled as a story is read. Setting aside a time for stories at home and at school demonstrates parents' and teachers' commitment to the value of reading and books. The quiet, comfortable atmosphere of the reading area at school gives children a pleasant place to escape from the  noisy, vibrant classroom.  This is a place for kids to rest and to have some time alone. Children have the opportunity to slowly leaf thorough good books , familiar or unfamiliar, enjoy the artwork, retell a favorite story or make up a new one.

Computer

• small motor shills
• hand/eye coordination
• introduction to technology
• cause and effect
• alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors, etc.
• storytelling and listening
• self-concept
• working with others

We believe that computers are a valuable asset to our program but only because our approach to computer use is geared to the way young children learn and develop. For example, we know that young children are  developing social skills during these years, so two chairs are at the computer to allow for collaborative problem solving and and sharing of ideas.  Children have the opportunity to feel competent because the software we use has verbal cues or picture menus that allow children to work with little adult intervention.  Young children learn by doing and our software allows children to explore concepts, determine the pace and direction of the experience and use their creativity.

Dramatic Play 

• symbolic play
• planning play episodes
• taking and assigning roles
• problem solving
• lengthened attention span
• cooperative interaction
• taking turns
• sharing
• experiencing social expectations and attitudes of others

The ability to pretend is very important to a child's future success.  To pretend, children must be able to recall and picture experiences in their minds, and then recreate them.  These first dramatic experiences often focus on familiar home experiences.  Kids pretend to cook, and care for younger children which is why our dramatic play area has props and equipment that represent the home setting.  We also have Prop Boxes, each holding items that pertain to a particular theme such as beach, styling salon, or grocery store, to extend pretend play to familiar situations beyond the home.  Children like to try on different roles, to act out experiences, recall past events, and work out anxieties. They develop interpersonal skills, particularly cooperation and conflict resolution and improve their language and problem-solving abilities.  Research indicates that children who have many opportunities to participate in dramatic play use more sophisticated language and become better readers and writers.

Manipulatives 

• matching
• small motor skills
• hand/eye coordination
• visual discrimination
• completion
• classifying
• sequencing
• number concepts
• directionality
• reading readiness skills

Puzzles help develop hand-eye coordination;  learning to control hands and fingers according to information received from  sight is a coordination skill that aids children in early attempts at reading and writing. Figuring out which piece goes where, trying a piece here, turning it, trying it again there, and seeing completion is a sequence children enjoy again and again due to the rewarding nature of the process.  Development and coordination of wrist and finger muscles-necessary for handwriting later-come slowly and require lots of practice. Activities such as legos and other building sets, playdough, puzzles, pegboards, beads and other table toys are great motivators. Such engrossing activities are better than tasks at which the child may "fail" or those that are very repetitive. Though these fun, natural activities, children improve their cognitive and fine motor skills without frustration or boredom.

Music & Movement

• pitch
• rhythm
• sound discrimination
• creativity
• diversity in music
• large motor
• group participation
• recognize that music and dance express moods and feelings
• learn words and concepts through songs and movement
• perceptual motor skills

Fingerplays and action songs are a fun way to learn.  They are also a great way to pass a few minutes of transition time-while you are waiting in the car or in line at the grocery store.  Children love repeating familiar rhymes, so feel free to come back to the same songs often enough for your child to learn the words of the rhyme as well as the movements that accompany the words.  Perhaps you have a song or fingerplay from your childhood that you could share with us.

Outdoors 

• large motor skills
• small motor skills
• hand-eye coordination
• balance
• spatial awareness
• persistence and endurance
• social skills
• nature awareness
• cause and effect
• stress reducing

The outdoor environment is an extension of the classroom and usually the children's favorite period.  Running and shouting are allowed, they can get dirty, take healthy risks, climb, throw, ride fast, and play actively. We often bring classroom equipment outside and messy activities like drippy painting or goop are much easier to manage. Some children prefer to engage in dramatic play possibilities not available inside or to simply sit quietly under a tree.  Children are fascinated by nature and the outdoors, and these can supply an endless source of wonder, even in a city.  You don't need countryside to investigate weather, birds, ants or grass growing through the cracks in the sidewalk.

Science

• properties of materials
• observing
• experimentation
• predicting
• inquiry/investigation
• problem solving
• cause and effect
• critical thinking
• process of living things
• creativity

Children learn scientific concepts through real experiences, it is a natural and spontaneous process.  Teachers and parents can enhance children's understanding of science by allowing kids to "mess around" in the physical world.  Our program promotes the development of the processes that are integral to science, observing, classifying, communicating, measuring, inferring, and predicting.  A young child's natural curiosity and willingness to explore new things make the preschool years the perfect time for beginning the science curriculum.

Snack &
Cooking

• sequencing
• self-help skills
• pouring, serving
• estimating
• properties of foods
• intro to new foods
• measuring
• mixing
• manners
• social skills
• language skills

Cooking is an important part of our curriculum. Children have the opportunity not only to learn about food but to be creative, take care of their own needs, and engage in meaningful activities and conversation with adults and peers.  Lots of discoveries take place during cooking activities. When children see dough rise, they learn about science; when they measure flour, they learn about math; when they peel carrots, they develop small motor skills; when they follow picture cards, they learn sequencing and when they make multicultural dishes, they learn about other people and cultures. One of the most appealing aspects of cooking for children is that they are doing what grown-ups do, not just pretending.  The eating-your-work aspect is a definite plus also.

Water Table

• relaxation
• conversation
• sensory experience
• manipulation
• experimentation
• imagination
• problem solving
• investigating materials
• pre-math skills
• pre-science skills

Children, like adults, have a natural attraction to sand and water which makes them perfect for the early childhood classroom.  Children's exploration with sand and water naturally help build various skills.  By sifting sand and scooping water, children improve their physical dexterity.  By joining others in blowing bubbles or making a sand castle, they develop social skills.  At the same time, they enhance their cognitive skills as they explore why certain objects sink in water and others float.

Woodworking

• hand/eye coordination
• small motor skills
• creativity
• planning
• critical thinking
• visual discrimination
• problem solving
• safety
• self esteem

Children delight in having "real "tools that actually cut wood, drive nails and make holes.  Activities with tools and wood can be as sophisticated as working at a workbench with tools, lumber and glue or as simple as banging nails into a large tree stump. Younger children are satisfied to operate the tools and see the changes, while more experienced children start to have ideas about what they want to make and how to put it together.