Pre-Kinder Program

Our pre-kindergarten classes are 5 days/week, and for children turning five during the school year. We offer both half-day (8:45am - 12pm) and full day (8:45am - 2:30pm) options, and have a 6:1 child to teacher ratio.

To compliment our emergent, child-centered curriculum, we offer weekly specialist-led studio sessions that nurture self-expression, cultural awareness, and creativity.

  • Performing Arts Studio (all classes): invites children to explore music, movement, storytelling, and dramatic play, offering joyful opportunities to express ideas and emotions through the arts.

  • Spanish Studio (full day class): introduces language through songs, stories, movement, and play—honoring the natural way young children acquire communication skills.

  • Visual Arts Studio (full day class): encourages exploration of materials—such as clay, paint, collage, natural objects, and found materials—to express their ideas, emotions, and observations. This time honors the creative process and supports sensory exploration, fine motor development, and visual storytelling.

2025-26 Tuition (9 months):

5 Day/Week (half day): $867/month ($7,803/yr)

5 Day/Week (full day): $1,440/month ($12,960/yr)

Optional add-on for half day classes:

Extended Day $115/month (per week day)

A Day in the Life of a Pre-Kinder Child

  • Children are welcomed into the classroom, put away belongings, and engage with the morning post.  This may include “signing in” for the day, responding to the daily question, or interacting with a provocation.  Parents are welcome to connect with the educators and/or support their children as they transition into the school day.

  • This community building time engages children in daily mindfulness and social emotional learning.  The educator supports children in this practice through modeling, role play, puppetry and storytelling.  This time often “sets the stage” for the class investigation by facilitating and documenting a group discussion, as well as establishing meaningful connections through shared reading.  

  • Children visit centers as they explore materials, problem solve, practice skills, and build on ideas through provocations.  Provocations allow children to explore tools and materials in an open ended way - often igniting engagement and curiosity in our topic of investigation.  During this time, children may work individually or in a small group with the educator to strengthen developmental skills, specifically in the areas of language, literacy, and cognitive development.

  • Children sit together & connect as a community while enjoying a mid-morning snack.

  • Children engage in open-ended exploration in nature, rain or shine!  There are opportunities for unstructured play as well as moments of teacher facilitated investigation.  This is a wonderful time for children to practice social-emotional skills, engage in problem solving, and explore healthy risk taking.  

  • Children have the opportunity reflect on the day’s learning through journaling, documentation & discussion.  It may be a time to make plan for future project work, problem solve an issue, celebrate a success, or practice a social-emotional skill.  This time is directly connected to the needs of the group.

  • Extended day is offered as an option for our half day families, and meets from 12pm - 2:30pm each day of the week.  During this time children enjoy lunch and rest-time, participate in a themed activity, as well as engage in open-ended play, both indoors and outdoors.  

  • Children sit together & connect as a community while enjoying a packed lunch from home.  They will listen to a story as they rest after lunch.  

    During afternoon investigation time, Children develop key skills as they engage in meaningful project work connected to the investigation.  Projects allow children to apply skills and make meaning of new ideas.  We integrate the arts (music, visual arts, dramatic play) into project work in a way that encourages creative expression and supports children in communicating about new ideas and concepts. 

A Glimpse into Development…

We are looking forward to an exciting year of development for your pre-kindergarten child!  This is typically an energetic and sociable year for children this age.  Your child is most likely feeling more confident with skills such as running, drawing, building new things, and communicating with adults and peers.  Even more reserved children will be motivated by playtime with both adults and other children.  Here is a glimpse of your child’s development over the year to come!  

Habits of Mind: Throughout the school year, we will focus on developing not only skills, but also mindsets that support lifelong learning.  Our learning experiences are designed to spark children’s curiosity, encourage cooperation, build persistence and engagement over periods of time, cultivate creativity through open-ended material exploration, and foster problem solving in a real life context.  

Social and Emotional Development: Your child will engage in cooperative play with individual children and small groups.  They will begin to initiate friendships, and learn to manage routines and transitions.  Emotionally, your child will begin to identify and verbalize a wide range of emotions, as well as recognize and respond to emotions of others.  In addition, we will work on developing calming strategies and mindfulness exercises.  

Health, Wellness and Physical Development: At this stage, children make significant strides in both gross motor and fine motor development!  Children will begin to run, jump, skip, as well as refine their ability to balance on one foot and even hop.  Your child will develop the skills needed to roll, throw and catch a ball.  In addition, your child will begin to develop the ability to manipulate objects with their hands.  Children will begin to draw recognizable shapes and pictures, build with blocks and other materials, string large beads, and even put on shoes, coat and hat!  

Creative Expression: Creativity is encouraged and honored as a necessary way for children to make meaning and communicate about their thinking and learning.  Your child will explore creativity through music and movement, visual arts, and dramatic arts.  Throughout the year, your child will use instruments, sing songs with verses, move freely to music, try out a variety of materials and media, as well as explore real and make-believe through imaginative play.  

Language and Literacy: This is an exciting time for language development!  Your child will begin to identify letters, as well as recognize some beginning sounds and common print in our environment.  During read alouds, your child will become comfortable asking and answering simple questions about a text, as well as begin making personal connections to characters and stories.  Your child will continue to practice their emerging writing skills using a variety of media, including sand, water-paint, markers, playdough, and more! 

Cognitive Development: Your child will begin to develop early number concepts, such as counting objects and recognizing numerals through 10.  They will begin to identify, describe and draw basic shapes.  Children at this stage will develop their ability to compare, categorize, sort and order various objects, as well as develop scientific thinking skills, such as observing, asking questions, and making predictions.