A typical day at Natural Start Preschool begins at 9:00am when the children arrive for preschool. This is a time when parents or caregivers drop off their child and help them transition from home to preschool, with support from the teachers as needed.
Our daily preschool routine unfolds in a number of settings, both outdoors and in the classrooms, with a range of developmentally appropriate activities. A typical schedule is as follows:
Welcome to Preschool, 9:00am
Sign in, greet teachers and friends, transition into day with free play
Free Choice Time
Free play at various learning stations to include sensory and fine motor activities, dramatic and large motor play, arts and crafts, sandbox and mud kitchen, gardening, and exploration of natural materials
Teacher Time
Individual and small-group learning with the teachers to explore kindergarten readiness skills (letters, numbers, science, art, writing and scissor activities, etc.)
Group Time
“Good Morning Song”, weather, calendar, Letter of the Week, and introduction to our daily theme which may include a story, song, music, and movement activities
Clean-Up, Restroom Break, Snack Time
Nature Exploration and Play
Outdoor activities may include a hike in the woods to observe and listen, playtime in the meadow to support independent discovery, group games and activities with a focus on exercise and cooperation, as well as activities using natural materials to sort, count, and have fun while learning!
Closing Group Time, “Goodbye Song”, 12:00pm Dismissal
"Time in nature is not leisure time; it's an essential investment in our children's health"
- Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods