The 4’s Preschool Experience

Congratulations on being in our 4’s preschool program.  This is an important year - getting ready for Kindergarten and the start of big-kid classes! This year, we spend 26 weeks learning about letters - a letter a week - and practicing their sounds and shapes.  But don’t worry, we still get circle time and learn other fun things like basic money, geography and math.  The best way to imagine what life in the 4’s will be like is to share a day with a student.  Let’s visit Aiden on a typical day in class.

Aiden starts his school day with his classmates in Circle Time.  For the 4-year-olds, Circle Time is faster-paced than it was last year, with more to learn.  Today, they will start off by practicing their math skills: calculating how many children are in class, starting on the number line with the total number of children and counting down for each absent student.  Calendar Time follows this, and the class discusses the day, date and the weather.  Next, since the students are learning about the letter S this week, they practice their song about the Silly Snake - a song their parents will know quite well by the end of the week!  Finally, Aiden’s friend Ava brought in the letter bag to show a few “S” things she has found around her house.  She shows her classmates a shell, a stuffed bear, a straw and a stamp.

Aiden is starting to get a little hungry.  Fortunately, it’s time for a snack.  Aiden’s teacher asks each student for a word starting with S, then sends them off for a snack.  Aiden eats his quickly, since he knows recess is next.  No swings or climbers for him today - he can’t wait to play tag with Logan and their friends.

After some fun play time, it’s back to class.  In Art, today’s special, Aiden and his classmates will be making snakes.  Aiden colors his snake, cuts out the pieces, glues them together, then glues on the eyes.  It’s such a good time, he doesn’t even realize how much fine-motor-skill practice he is getting.  Aiden liked music earlier in the week, but his favorite special is P.E. on Friday.

Lunch time has come around now, so Aiden pulls his lunch out of his cubby and sits to eat with his friends.  After they finish, it’s off to the playground again.  This time, he and his friends play a little soccer.

After lunch today is Science, another of Aiden’s favorites.  Continuing with the S theme this week, today’s Science class is about snakes and other reptiles.  Aiden is excited when the Herpetological Society comes in with a few reptiles for the class to touch and learn about.

Finally, at 2:00 PM, the school day is over, and Aiden says goodbye to a few of his friends.  Several are, like Aiden, staying for after-school Enrichment Activities.  Today’s is Karate.  Before he knows it, it is time to go home and tell his family about all of the exciting things he learned today.

At the end of the 4’s program, students are ready, both academically and emotionally, to be successful in Kindergarten.