Kindergarten is a place that serves the needs of 3, 4, and 5 year old children. We do this by offering them experiences adapted to their developmental needs at these age levels. It shares with parents the responsibility for promoting sound growth and learning in a period when growth is rapid and significant. Respect for the individual child and his/her needs and interests are the basis for the program.

Your teacher is a trained Early Childhood Educator, and is responsible for your child's program working in collaboration with your assistant teacher and child. As early childhood educators we are committed to assisting your child to develop to the best of his/her ability in all areas of development. We believe it is important to challenge ourselves to provide the optimum learning environment to achieve this goal.

Through an Indoor-Outdoor Program:

• The children get to choose if, and for how long they will play indoors and outdoors.
• The children have more control over their environment and learning. We are more open to learning when we are self motivated.
• The number of children in each space is generally halved and therefore the resources are doubled.
• Each space is quieter and calmer and therefore more conducive to learning. Children are able to spend longer amounts of time at experiences- uninterrupted by others needing a turn.
• Children will often explore new areas that they would usually avoid due to overpopulation.
• Communication between adults and children is of much better quality and a lot less rushed.
• Children are trusted as capable, strong, and competent people who know what they need to learn best.
• Both indoor and outdoor environments are truly valued.
• Children are allowed the opportunity to be more active in both spaces as there is less overcrowding. It is in these years that children are at their most active and need to be active, yet so often we are always requiring them to sit still. Learning does not necessarily occur through sitting still!

You can expect to see your child learning and developing skills through 'guided play'. That is, the environment is set by the staff, considering children’s interests, with materials and additional equipment accessible to the children.

The children are challenged to direct their own play, learn from peers, and think for themselves. We provide a happy, secure, friendly, and inviting environment where a child's self-esteem is of the highest importance.

Everyone is an important member of the group and has a valuable contribution to make. We provide activities that allow the child to easily succeed along with activities that provide that little extra challenge.

The children will be developing skills in many areas such as physical development, social/emotional development and awareness, intellectual skills, and language skills through their own interests and ideas.

Physical Development

The children will be developing small and large muscle skills such as:

• Coordinating hand and eye for drawing, writing, and reading,
• Climbing and balancing,
• Handling scissors, brushes, staplers, sticky-tape, etc,
• Better co-ordination in general, and many other skills.

Social/Emotional Development

Children will develop skills of:

• Sharing, taking turns, listening to others,
• Helping each other and being a part of the group.

Emotionally they will

• Grow in independence,
• Learn to make simple choices and decisions for themselves,
• Develop confidence within the group, and,
• Begin to understand and accept others feelings.

Intellectual Development

Many activities are based on literacy (pre-reading and pre-writing exercises) and numeracy skills. Many science, art, music, social studies, mathematics, and language (stories and poetry) concepts are immersed in the program. Most activities involve a variety of skills and learning opportunities. No areas of development are mutually exclusive, they are all interrelated! Children are constantly absorbing information through a stimulating environment that caters to both their needs and their interests.