Three-year-olds are going through astonishing, exciting changes: cognitively, verbally, socially, emotionally, and physically. They brim with imagination and burst with curiosity, every day testing the new waters of their rapidly expanding world.
In the Garrison Forest Preschool Threes classrooms, the children continue to explore their world and growing independence as they progress from solitary and parallel play to cooperative play. Whether a child attends the Three-Day program (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) or is enrolled in the full-week, Five-DayThrees, he or she is part of a secure, stimulating, and caring community where respect for peers, adults, and materials is stressed. The children are supported in their willingness to try new activities and experiences and helped to comfortably follow routines with increased independence and responsibility.
The Language Arts and Math curricula nurture the inquisitive nature of young children. With a multi-sensory approach, they are encouraged to speak, listen, comprehend, follow directions, and develop a longer attention span. Stories, poetry, songs, and related activities enhance vocabulary and expressive language skills, reinforce the ability to classify and sequence, nurture an appreciation for literature, and introduce print and phonemic awareness. Fine and gross motor skills are developed as precursors to writing. Math and number sense are also integral to our goals. Planned experiences foster the development of mathematical concepts such as spatial relations, shapes, patterns, counting, numbers, and measurement. Math Their Way is the basis of the program, and these skills and concepts allow the children to move confidently and successfully into the next age level.
Through hands-on activities, skills are developed with a true enthusiasm for learning. From nursery rhymes, poetry, finger-plays, and Caldecott Medal children’s books to pattern blocks, clay, and individually-made books, the activities all serve to reinforce our academic, social, and emotional goals for the children.