Classrooms

Welcome to the Meadowlarks Room!  In the Meadowlarks Room, we provide daily activities that will enhance your child’s development in cognitive, motor, social and emotional, and language domains.  In addition, weather permitting, outdoor play occurs twice a day, both morning and afternoon, to provide children with fresh air, a connection with nature and opportunities for large muscle activities. 

What to expect in Meadowlarks!

6:00-7:30AM: DROP-OFF AND FREE PLAY IN GYM
As parents arrive; they drop off their children in the gymnasium.  Teachers supervise the children while they free play.

7:30-8:00 AM:  TABLE ACTIVITIES
As children arrive; they will be able to choose a preselected activity at the tables.  Table activities include small motor skills such as lacing cards, age appropriate puzzles, etc.

8:00-8:40 AM:  BREAKFAST & CLEAN-UP
In the Pirates Cove classroom we begin our day at approximately 8:00am by sitting at the table and eating breakfast with all of our friends.  A homemade breakfast is served while teachers greet parents and children upon arrival.  After finishing breakfast, we prepare the children for group Circle Time activities. 

8:40-9:00AM:  BATHROOM BREAK/LIBRARY TIME
Each child is taken one by one to the bathroom for a diaper change and hand washing.  As children are waiting their turns, they sit on the circle time rug with a book.

9:00-9:30 AM:  CIRCLE TIME ACTIVITIES
Circle Time consists of everyone sitting on the Circle Time rug and participating in group activities.  We begin Circle Time with a Welcome Song emphasizing face and name recognition, followed by a Weather activity, Calendar Time, Story Time, etc.

• Welcome Song – “Good Morning”
• Weather Song/Activity
• Calendar Time – Learning Days of the Week, Months and Year

One child is chosen to be the calendar helper for the day.  This child uses the special counting wand to help the class count out the numbers on the calendar.  Focus for this age is on “Today is…Tomorrow is…. and Yesterday was…”

• Number of the Week – Focus at this age is on one number, every two weeks; Numbers 1 thru 10.
  Teachers incorporate number songs, number games such as #3 scavenger hunts, etc.
• Letter of the Week – Focus at this age is on one letter, every two weeks; Learning the ABC’s (Uppercase Only)
  Teachers facilitate letter songs, letter activities and games to enhance learning.
• Color of the Week – Focus at this age is on one color, every two weeks;  All Colors
  Teachers incorporate color songs such as “I can spell yellow”; games geared around the color of the week; Naming games such as, “What kinds of things are yellow?” and more!
• Shape of the Week –Focus at this age is on one shape every two weeks;  All Shapes
• Story Time – Teachers read 1-2 stories that correlate with the weekly theme.  Many times teachers incorporate felt board activities and puppets when reading stories to enhance the learning experience.
• Sign Language – At this age we focus on 3-5 basic signs per week (Food; Clothes; Colors; etc.)

9:30-10:00AM:  LEARNING TIME/ART TIME
During our learning time, children are divided into two groups.  One group will engage in an art activity while the other group engages in a learning activity. Both the art and learning activities will be geared around the weekly theme. Typical learning activities will include:

• Introduction to Name Writing (Children will learn to hold a pencil and crayon.  In addition they will begin to trace over their name written in a yellow highlighter)
• Sorting – Matching
• Position (On Top Of; Next To; Under; Over; In Front Of; Beside; etc.)

10:00-10:30AM:  GYM TIME / OUTSIDE PLAY
 Our gym time and/or outside play time consists of both large and small motor activities.  Each ½ hour of gym time and/or outside play time includes 15 minutes of structured play (specific games and activities planned for the children) and 15 minutes of free play.  The activities used are meant to help develop a child’s balance and muscle development.  The games selected for this age group are designed to help develop coordination and balance and help the children integrate using different parts of their body together.  These games also involve other types of skills, such as learning about animals and developing language and comprehension.

• Parachute Play
• Duck-Duck-Goose Game
• Ping-Pong
• Bean Bag Toss

10:30-10:45AM:  BATHROOM BREAK
Each child is taken one by one to the bathroom for a diaper change and hand washing.  As children are waiting their turns, they sit on the circle time rug with a book.

10:45-11:15AM:  WRAP UP ART AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES / READING TIME
As the children finish their bathroom breaks, they will return to the classroom to wrap up any unfinished work. When their work is complete, they will sit on the circle time rug with a book while they wait for lunch.

11:15-11:45AM:  LUNCH TIME
During this time, all children sit at the table and eat lunch with their friends.  A homemade meal is served while teachers initiate conversation with the children. 

11:45-12:00PM:  CLEAN UP /BATHROOM BREAK
As the children finish eating, the teachers will take them one by one to the bathroom to wash their hands, change diapers and prepare them for nap time. As the children return to the classroom, they unwind by sitting on their cots and looking at a book while waiting for nap time.

12:00-2:30PM:  NAP TIME
All children are encouraged to nap and have quiet time.  This time is supervised by a teacher in the classroom at all times.  As the children wake from their naps, they are taken to the bathroom for a diaper change and then are taken to the gym for free play until all other classmates are awake. 

3:00-3:30PM:  SNACK / CLEAN-UP
During this time, all children sit at the table and eat a snack with their friends.  We do encourage the children to serve themselves (learning portions and manners).  Each child will be assigned to bring in a snack for the class once or twice each month.

3:30-4:00PM:  FREE PLAY
After snack is complete, the children are allowed to free play in the classroom.

4:00-4:30PM:  GYM TIME / OUTSIDE PLAY
Our gym time and/or outside play time consists of both large and small motor activities.  Each ½ hour of gym time and/or outside play time includes 15 minutes of structured play (specific games and activities planned for the children) and 15 minutes of free play.

• Ping-Pong
• Duck-Duck-Goose
• Parachute Play
• Bean Bag Toss

4:30-5:00 PM:  FREE PLAY
During this time, children are allowed to free play in the classroom.

5:00-5:30PM: FELT BOARD STORIES/BOOK READING/ TABLE ACTIVITIES
During this time, teachers will facilitate felt board stories, book reading and/or table activities for the children.

5:30-6:00PM:  PICK-UP IN THE GYM/OUTSIDE PLAY AREA
Children are taken to the gym or outside play area (weather permitting) for free play and parent pick-up.