Preschool
Additional Preschool Offerings
Creations by Kids
The art class “Creations by Kids” will visit each preschool class once a month. The method will be process art, which encompasses all of one’s senses. Process art, not product art, means that the child is free to experiment with different art materials and enjoy what
happens. There are no concerns about right or wrong or copying an example. Each child is the artist, whatever they create is right and most times more exciting than what we as adults imagine. The CBK curriculum rotates monthly with the “Monet Michelangelo and Me” program and is administered by Debbie Smith, coordinator of CBK.
"Monet, Michelangelo and Me"
When looking at art, children tend to focus on the subject of the art rather than the aesthetics. Monet, Michelangelo and Me helps to develop children’s language skills by talking about shape, size, color and texture. Teachers ask questions and engage in meaningful conversation about specific artists and their creative styles. Preschoolers will participate in Monet, Michelangelo and Me classes four times a year, learning to have fun with visual imagery. Both “Creations by Kids” and “Monet, Michelangelo and Me” classes help develop fine motor, cognitive, language and social skills.
Another program available outside of our preschool day is a Monday AM & PM Creations by Kids process art class offered by Debbie Smith.This optional program is open to children currently enrolled in the 4’s and 5’s preschool classes. Spring classes are offered for our 3’s. If enrollment is not filled by preschool children, it is opened to church and community members.
Music Is Fun!
In addition to the music the children experience daily in the classroom, Jenny Hull, our music teacher, visits each class once a month. She follows the key experiences in the High Scope music guidelines, including:
- moving to music
- exploring and identifying sounds
- exploring the singing voice
- exploring musical instruments
- singing songs
Jenny provides wonderful opportunities for family participation with the annual Christmas Sing-A- Long!
Movement Is Fun!
The Movement Is Fun (MIF) program was developed for use in preschools to enhance normal growth and development. Using concepts of movement exploration embedded in a framework of sensory integration development, children learn how to move their bodies through space. They also learn about how muscles work and how to visualize body movement and then plan and execute the ideas (creative movement). Because of the emphasis on a sensory integration framework, the activities concentrate on enhancing the basic sensory systems - activities which are at a much lower level than most movement exploration programs.
A curriculum has been developed for use in preschools that provides each child with the MIF program once a week for the school year. The Village Preschool has two occupational therapists, Joy Anderson and Martha Sparks, who work with our children. A minimum of equipment is utilized, so that the children will concentrate on their body movements rather than on a piece of machinery.
Snacks with Stacey “SWS”
Stacey El Attar, a Master Food Volunteer through the K-State Research and Extension, has developed a wonderful preschool nutrition program to be used along with our early childhood curriculum at Village. Visiting our classrooms monthly, sharing a fun lesson about eating right and following the USDA Food Pyramid, Stacey teaches the children the importance of a balanced diet. Family partnerships are created by her parent classes, her nutritional website available to families and the informational handouts available on the parent board.
Speech and Hearing Screening
We offer, through Children’s Therapy Group, a screening test for articulation to assess speech sound development, an observation of the child’s expressive and receptive language skills and a hearing screening. All test results are reported to parents by the speech pathologist performing the screening. This screening is done in the fall for our 4s and 5s and in the spring for our 3s.