Children at play are really hard at work. The Pre-Kindergarten Program builds upon the play-based focus of the Junior and Senior programs to prepare children for learning beyond Ross Valley Nursery School. Our unique program balances this age-group’s continued need to move and play with the need to increase self-discipline and expand understanding of academic concepts. We nurture each child by building self-esteem and emotional health, increasing their ability to express thoughts orally, and accepting the needs of others through democratic problem solving and group planning.
Our whole-child learning curriculum balances quiet and active periods, and child- and teacher-directed activities, with an emphasis on independent work, cooperation, and acquisition of readiness skills. Leveraging the children’s longer attention spans and learning capacity, learning games help in the formation of basic math and language concepts, sorting, seriation, individualized cooking, book-making, and more complex crafts. It encompasses social/emotional development along side cognitive development. Most importantly, we plan activities around areas of particular interest to the children that emerge through exploration and conversation.
Class Overview
Class Age: Older four-year-olds and five-year-olds
Days: Monday through Thursday
Hours: 1:00 – 4:15 pm
Class Size: 20-25 Children
Teachers: 3 plus Head Teacher and Director
Class Schedule
1:00 – 1:45 - Small Group Discovery Time
1:45 – 2:25 - Outside Play & Activities
2:25 – 3:10 - Inside Activities: Art, Science, Cooking, Blocks & Dramatic Play
3:10 – 3:30 - Music
3:30 – 4:15 - Snack & Story
4:15 - Dismissal