Preschool classrooms are arranged with “Discovery Areas”, allowing free play while exploring and experiencing the various themes in our curriculum. Our Toddler room, for children 12-24 months, provides daily supervised floor time, individual cuddle time throughout the day, music and dancing experiences, stories, songs and finger play, discovery time, arts and textural experiences, and an age appropriate circle time, and signing time. Child to staff ratios are 4:1 Our Junior Preschool space, for 2-3 1/2 year olds, offers areas for both quiet and active play. Experiences include block play, table toys, pretend play, fine motor development such as lacing, peg board puzzles, and coloring, and gross motor development indoors and outdoors. We include activities in the arts, dance, music, simple spanish and early phonics experiences. Stories, songs and fingerplay are included daily. The class is separated in the morning into two groups ( 2 year old & 3 year old groups). This allows more one on one in a small group, and time for an age appropriate circle and arts experience developed with each child's development in mind. Staff ratio is no less than 8:1, but averages 6:1.
We have two separate Senior Preschool classrooms. The Senior Preschool 2 is for 3 1/2- 4 year olds. Senior Preschool 1 classroom is for children age 4-6. Our arts and culturally enriched theme-based curriculum  offers experiences in visual and dramatic arts, creative movement, music, children’s literature, early childhood physical education, phonics, an early exposure to Spanish, and cultural awareness and diversity. The curriculum is created with age appropriate themes each week. Projects and classroom play focus on these themes. Each week Creative Movement, Music and Yoga classes are offered with a visiting instructor. Additional optional experiences and activities, such as Pre-Ballet, are also available. Mornings in the Junior and Senior Preschool classrooms consists of breakfast, free play in discovery areas, circle and story time, project or other arts experience, and outdoor play. Lunch and "quiet time" are followed by snack, stories, free play in discovery areas, outdoor play and an afternoon arts experience.	Multicultural Center - (Located in the Senior Preschool 1 classroom) This area provides children the opportunity to explore the world beyond our own. The area is designed to provide a stimulating experience with pictures and discussions about other cultures and people of our world. Every 3 or 4 months we will pick a country to focus on. We will look at their language, customs, and way of life in an age appropriate and fun way.
	Circle Area- A place to gather for calender, stories, songs,and other learning activities that foster listening, language development, creativity and social development. Pretend/Dramatic Play (House Area)- Provides a place for your child to act out events in their daily life or their imaginations, developing language and social skills. Library/Reading Area- A quiet place to read or look at books encouraging early reading skills and language development. Arts Area- Allows children to express themselves imaginatively,while developing fine motor and other skills using a variety of tools and materials.
Block Area- Exploring building and math concepts (ie. shape, balance) and dramatic play. Science/Sensory Center- Here children explore basic science concepts such as weight and volume, they are provided with real objects to feel, observe, and explore. Your child will explore magnets, kaleidoscopes, prisms, discovery bottles, shells, rocks, plants, and more. Math/Manipulative Area- From sorting, grouping and counting, creating patterns and shapes,constructing puzzles and lacing beads, this area promotes math concept development, while increasing fine motor development. Music and Movement Experiences- Weekly experiences in music and movement allows children to express themselves, increase self esteem, and increase fine and gross motor skills.   Pre- Ballet Class ( option)- is taught by an experienced teacher who also teaches in a Missoula dance studio. There are two classes offered once a week, ages 2 1/2-3 1/2 and 3 1/2 and up.    Spanish- An introduction to Spanish, for children ages 3 1/2 and older, is provided twice a week in the Senior Preschool classrooms. In the Junior Preschool spanish is incorporated into the daily circle time.