First Discoveries
Academy

During Circle Time, children and teachers gather together to sing, talk and prepare for an amazing day together.  We pray together, sing the Pledge of Allegiance, and introduce important learning concepts, from social skills to academic skills.  Our “Brain Smart Start” helps the children begin the day ready to learn!

“Please pass the mashed potatoes!”  Our breakfast and lunch are served “family style.” Children and teachers sit together at the table to share the meal, and children learn how to pour their own milk and serve their own food.  The children set the table and learn how to clean up their own messes.  During meals, we practice social skills and learn about nutrition.  Our menus include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins, and whole grains.

Our program is truly nature-inspired and we understand the importance of children playing outside everyday!  In our outdoor classroom, children run, climb, swing, and balance, building gross motor skills and enhancing both brain development and socio-emotional skills.  Our Outdoor Classroom features a gazebo for group activities, organic gardens so children learn how food grows, and the “Lil’ Goat Academy” – with friendly Nigerian Dwarf goats!

Gathering together around a book is a magical experience for young children!  During story time, teachers select high-quality children’s literature and as we read, we travel to new places, meet new people, and learn more about ourselves and our world!  Story time is an opportunity to gain important literacy skills, from word and alphabet knowledge, to making predictions and comprehending stories.  Even more important, though, is the opportunity to inspire a life-long love of learning!

Every week, the children participate in a cooking project, from making individual pizzas to washing and preparing vegetables for a salad.  We learn about nutrition, read recipes, and use math skills.  Children learn how to use utensils and tools safely, and they develop fine motor skills.  They understand how food grows as they help harvest vegetable and herbs from our garden, and they learn to work together as they follow the directions of a recipe.  Cooking is so much fun … and eating food that we helped make is even more fun!

Wooden blocks are such powerful learning tools!  Children use creativity, solve problems, and work collaboratively as they build in the Construction Zone.  They create bridges, towers, zoos and towns, using creativity and problem-solving as they work.  During clean-up time, they sort and compare, learning about shapes and sizes.  Blocks build spatial awareness, a critical foundation for math, literacy and science.

Dramatic play is a staple of childhood!  Our dramatic play area includes many interesting props that encourage children to dress up and pretend.  Throughout the year, the children explore the grocery store, doctor’s office and lots of other interesting themes.  Children apply their emerging skills to dramatic play, using literacy skills to write shopping lists and math skills as they make price tags for the store.  As they play together, they also practice social skills, use language to solve problems and develop symbolic representation.

Art activities are so important for children!  Every day, our children have the opportunity to paint at the easel, explore playdough, draw pictures, and make collages.  They learn how to use scissors and they clean up their own messes.  Children benefit from lots of open-ended, child-directed art experiences as well as teacher-directed art activities.  Through art, children build fine motor skills, develop their creativity, and learn to use symbolic representation.   Children’s artwork is always displayed in the classroom, and we love to watch how their artwork matures throughout the year.

We know that children need many experiences with concrete materials to develop important early math and literacy skills.  As children explore pattern blocks, they build spatial skills and use problem solving.  They use magnetic letters to build their names and interesting words.  They use shells and sticks to count and compare sets as they develop their understanding of numbers.  Hands-on activities keep children engaged as they build important skills for school readiness.

We incorporate music throughout our day as we sing songs and dance with the children.  Music reduces stress and helps children focus their attention as they participate in group activities.  It also inspires creativity, teaches new vocabulary words, and helps them remember facts and concepts.  Most importantly, music is fun!  And a relaxed environment is good for children’s healthy brain development!  Let’s sing and dance!   

Fridays are our enrichment days and they are full of interesting experiences!  We take field trips throughout the community, from visiting the pumpkin patch to touring the post office.  We also invite guest speakers to visit our classrooms and teach children about animals, music, and lots more.  These experiences enhance children’s learning in so many ways!