Routines and Rituals
Children begin to gain an awareness of time through the routines of preschool. Children become familiar with the routines and feel more secure and safe at kinder-prep/preschool as they know what comes next.  As a part of learning what to expect at kinder-prep/preschool, children will develop personal responsibility and be involved in rituals of daily helping activities.

Arrival/Greeting/Choice activities
Children find their own cubby space to put their belongings in (backpack or bag, coat, etc.). Name recognition is encouraged as children find the space with their name and also take their name to put on a chart indicating they are at kinder-prep/preschool. 

Children will have activities they help with such as:
*Putting the date on the calendar
*Being line leader
*Helping turn the pages for the story
*Helping set the table for snack

 Children then choose play activities in the classroom discovery centers until indication given (specific song played) to clean up and gather together for large group circle time.

 Circle Time
Introduction to letters of the alphabet with The Letter People curriculum.  Children participate in singing songs about the Letter People and make the letter sounds with actions as Animated Literacy
is introduced.  Stories are read and learning activities are completed together as a group (i.e. creating
a graph, doing a science experiment, etc.).  As stories are read, children will see words in print and recognize that words have meaning. Children will have opportunities to develop their attention, listening, predicting and vocabulary. They will hear about what authors and illustrators do.

Outside time/Gross Motor activities
Children need large movement activities and fresh air daily.  When weather allows safe play outside then we:
          *Play on the school playground
          *Ride trikes
          *Play with balls, etc.

Show & Tell
Children will have the opportunity to develop communication skills such as talking and listening in small group settings as they tell about a check out story, tell about something special to them, or show a special item. 

Music circle
Children have the opportunity to sing songs, do actions/movements and listen to a variety of music. 

Snack time
We will have a variety of nutritious snacks (vegetables, fruit, cheese/milk).

Choice activities at Discovery Centers
*Manipulatives (fine motor, cognitive skills, problem solving: puzzles, lacing shapes, stringing beads, matching games)
*Building Blocks (gross/fine motor and problem solving skills, taking turns, cooperative play)
*Dramatic Play (cooperative play, social/emotional: house, dress up, puppets, doll house)
*Table Activities: Art/Creativity (fine motor, following sequence of directions; use of various art supplies/media)
*Writing/ABC (fine motor, rainbow writing name, tracing/writing on top of printed name with different colors, copying words, shapes and letters)
*Sensory/Discovery Table (fine motor, sensory, science exploration)
*Computer Center (cognitive and eye hand coordination: math, science, phonics, letter and word recognition, fine motor, listening)
*Book/Story Center (book knowledge, words on the page, pictures, turning pages one at a time)
*Math/Science Center (cognitive, pre-academic: numbers, shapes, graphing, inquiry)

Pick up time
There are cues given for children to know when to finish their activities and put things away.

Group time/preparation for dismissal
Children will have opportunity for show and tell in small groups.  We will play games as children are picked up at staggered times due to limited parking spaces.