When joining our Playschool class, your child has the opportunity to develop a positive self-concept while:
- Learning to share.
- Learning to co-operate.
- Enjoying listening to stories.
- Learning songs and rhymes.
- Playing games and finger plays.
- Creating crafts, drawings and paintings.
- Learning number concepts, letter sound concepts and basic printing.
- Learning the days of the week, months of the year and weather calendar concepts.
- Being happy with an adult outside the family unit.
- Learning to accept sharing of attention
and affection.
Monthly themes are incorporated into all aspects
of play, crafts and special events each month. Themes like rain forests,
seasons, space travel, dinosaurs and fairy tales are explored with
games, stories, special guests and/or fieldtrips.
Fieldtrips, either in-class or offsite are taken every month. In the
past we have taken trips to the zoo, the museum, greenhouses, gymnastic
clubs, the pet store and more. In-class fieldtrip experiences have
been visits from penguins, reptiles, law enforcement professionals,
medical experts and local musicians and professional artists. Out-of-class
fieldtrips do require parents to arrange transportation.
Every month, children participate in 'color days'. Focusing on one
color through crafts, play, clothing they wear that day and a special
'color day' snack provided by the playschool, color day helps children
to learn about colors and all the fun and different things that can
be associated with that particular color.
Each year, the teachers send out Canadian cultural packages to playschools
in other countries to give young children the opportunity to learn
about Canada through subjects such as math, science, biology, movement
and physical games. The playschool's traveling friend, 'Bernie the
Bear' falls into a package of Canadian items that makes its way around
the world. Most recently, 'Bernie the Bear' was sent to Australia
and Germany, with the partnering playschool sending a package back
to us. This project allows our playschool children to develop an appreciation
for other cultures and better understand the customs, lifestyle and
landscape of children around the world.
At Giant Steps, we also teach the children about the spirit of giving,
by donating to Santa's Anonymous and the Food Bank at Christmas. Recently,
Giant Steps Playschool was able to donate books through Scholastic
Canada, by reading over 100 books in the classroom.
We
are located directly in Robert Rundle Elementary School. We have found
the children benefit from being in a school setting in many ways such
as:
- Learning at an early age that school is fun.
- Learning how to conduct themselves in a “real” school setting.
- Becoming comfortable with being around older students.
- Seeing both male and female teachers in a teaching environment.
We are also able to take advantage of the amenities a school offers including the gymnasium, library and the playground.
To experience a day at playschool, you are welcome to come in and visit anytime and see the teachers and children at play.
A TYPICAL DAY AT PLAYSCHOOL:
A typical day begins with you bringing your child into the class and
settling them in by reading the monthly-themed books for 10-15 minutes
while waiting for class to begin.
Circle time follows with 'brain-gym' movement and songs to get the
children motivated. This is also the teachers' opportunity to introduce
letters of the alphabet, letter sounds, number counting and the weather
calendar. A story about the day's theme and a tour of the related
games and toys are explored as well as a description of the craft
that has been prepared for that day.
Free-time is next and the children spend the remainder of their class
time playing with toys or games alongside their peers. After clean-up
time, children spend important social time with their friends while
enjoying a healthy snack they have brought from home.
If we are not going outside, to the gym, or doing Gross Motor games
in the classroom, the day ends by spending some quiet time with puzzles
and then a final story to reinforce the theme of the day one last
time. When a parent or caregiver arrives to pick up the child at the
end of the class time, each child receives a hand-stamp from the teacher
before leaving for the day.