Program Details

Learning Centers

La Petite Academy's Early Preschool Classroom features seven Learning Centers that are equipped with inviting, age-appropriate learning materials, manipulatives and theme-oriented activities that encourage learning and independence.

Construction and Design Center - including a complete set of unit blocks; large and small vehicles; animals, people and traffic signs; recyclables such as cardboard boxes, paper towel tubes and oatmeal containers.

Dramatic Play Center - including dramatic play furniture (materials available depend on the current theme), dishes, utensils, place mats, pots, pans, food sets, telephones, computer keyboards, old typewriters, dressup clothes, purses, wallets, shoes, menus, a cash register, paper, and pencils.

Writing Center - including children's journals; pens, pencils, colored pencils, crayons, markers; various paper supplies, index cards; recycled magazines (that have been reviewed), menus, books, newspapers, clipboards and notebooks; magnetic letters; and examples of print, including sentence strips with the children's names on them, properly labeled items and alphabet strips.

Creativity and Art Center - including painting supplies, pencils, crayons, markers and easels; recyclables such as wallpaper samples, fabric pieces and collage materials; glue and scissors; and various paper supplies.

Reading and Listening Center - including children's literature (with the current theme-related literature), magazines, newspapers, song and poem charts; an audiocassette or CD player, headphones, stories recorded on tape and/or other tape-recorded songs; stories and poems; and soft elements such as rugs, pillows and beanbags.

Math and Manipulatives Center - including calendar, weather and number charts; magnetic numbers, puzzles, games and flash cards; safe manipulatives for sorting (large buttons, stamps, stickers, etc.); paper, pencils, notebooks, index cards; measuring cups and spoons, cookie cutters in varying shapes and other materials used to weigh and measure.

Science and Sensorial Center - including sand and/or water table; Wonder Bottles (recycled water bottles with water and oil mixed together with small shells, rocks, sand, food coloring, etc.); magnets and magnetic items; feathers, leaves and other items from nature; magnifying glasses and mirrors.

Circle Time Wall

La Petite Academy's Circle Time Wall reflects your child's daily routines. Here, you will find:

• Morning Message - a place where the teacher previews the upcoming daily activities, models handwriting and reinforces literacy skills
• How Are You Today? - time set aside for your child to let his teachers and classmates know how he is feeling by choosing an emotion card with real photographs of children that show five different emotions
• Daily Schedule - hands-on charting experience that describes what's planned for the day
• Kids of Character - features the character trait of the month

Children's Artwork

Our teachers love displaying your child's artwork in the classroom. Public display encourages our budding artists and reminds them that their hard work has meaning and conveys their thoughts and creativity. The teacher will date and label all projects so that you can quickly and easily understand what your child's thoughts were as she worked on her creation.

Setting the Stage

Research shows that when children are in an attractive and inviting environment, they're happier, get along and concentrate better, and have a more positive attitude about themselves and school. To ensure that the classroom is inviting and exciting for the children, we get the classroom ready, or "set the stage," for each theme and day. The classroom will seem to change overnight, as teachers switch from one theme to the next. They might change out many of the learning materials, decorate the classroom based on the theme, and add children's literature that helps to make the theme come alive. For example, during the "Days of Dinosaurs" theme, the teacher might create a prehistoric feel by hanging paper vines and leaves in the classroom, or placing special rocks and fossils in the Science and Sensorial Center for the children to explore. The teacher might also enhance the Dramatic Play Center with pet dinosaurs, dinosaur food and dinosaur learning displays. We invite you to get a firsthand look at the early preschool classroom at La Petite Academy. Make an appointment today to visit.