Curriculum

Mayfair utilizes a play based curriculum that combines dynamic teacher lead circle time  activities with plenty of station based free choice time.  Circle time is divided into instructional circle time and movement circle time.  During instructional circle time, children learn through a variety of fun songs, stories, rhymes, calendar, and alphabet games. They practice turn taking, as well as speaking and listening skills.  Movement circle time provides high energy instruction through song, dance, music and motion.  A variety of activities incorporating shakers, rainbow ribbons, parachute play,  and other intriguing objects get the children up and moving and learning to the beat!

In addition to circle time activities, children learn through exploratory play during free choice time.  Each class incorporates a minimum of 45 minutes of indoor free choice time.  During this free choice time, students circulate freely about the room and work in the areas of their choice.  Free choice time consists of 12+ stations each day.  These stations facilitate academic, social, and emotional growth in a variety of ways.  The class ends each day with gross motor free choice time on our outdoor playground equipment.  During inclement weather, the class utilizes our indoor gross motor equipment.

Stations

  • preschooler painting at easel

    ART STATION

    Experiences with paper, crayons, markers, paint, scissors, glue and other art materials promote creative expression and fine motor development, as well as pre-writing skills.

  • stacks of large children's blocks

    BLOCK STATION

    Blocks and construction materials provide many learning experiences, particularly in math and physics. Children measure, practice problem solving skills, estimate, add, subtract and create. They learn the principles of balance and spatial relationships. Large and small blocks are available, as well as other building materials and props to aid dramatic play.

  • table with science items

    DISCOVERY / SCIENCE STATION

    Discovery and problem solving will be enhanced as the children experiment with magnets, rocks, magnifying glasses, prisms, scales, etc. The items on display are consistently rotated in support of the learning associated with each daily theme.

  • reading area with books and couch

    READING STATION

    Books supply the most valuable experience for future reading and writing skills. A variety of books will be available for the children in our reading area. We also provide a “print-rich” environment for the children, modeling a variety of ways writing is used daily.

  • play kitchen and dress up clothes

    DRAMATIC PLAY STATION

    This is the prime area for socio-dramatic play where children can act out a variety of situations and roles. Dress-up and other dramatic play experiences are available as well.

  • shelves full of preschool manipulatives

    MANIPULATIVES / MATH STATION

    Manipulatives and puzzles enhance small motor development as children sort, count, classify, experience size and spatial relationships, create and copy patterns, problem solve, measure and learn to recognize numbers.

  • table with paper and craft supplies

    Mess Around Table

    The mess around table has different fine motor activities based around the day’s theme. Our parent/tot students experience using stamps, cutting paper, and using daubers for fine motor practice. Our 3s and 4s class complete crafts and engage in age appropriate writing such as tracing or decorating letters, numbers, and shapes. Experiences with writing materials strengthen fine motor skills and help children practice their pre-writing skills.

  • wood working bench

    SENSORY / WORKBENCH STATIONS

    Using playdough, the sand table, the water table and the fully-stocked workbench are very important as they promote a variety of skills. Children measure, pour, fill, sift, cut, hammer, saw and manipulate. They develop motor skills, social skills, and math and science concepts.

Math and Language Arts

 

Math concepts

Math concepts including numbers, counting, estimation, shapes, measurement, graphing and patterns are introduced through: art, exploring with sand, exploring with water, stringing beads, cooking, literature, calendar, singing songs, playing games, group graphs, sorting and classifying, balance scales, building with blocks, unit blocks, pattern blocks, puzzles

Language Arts

Language arts play an important part of our daily program. Our teachers’ love of literature is shown through their many enthusiastic and thoughtful books presented daily to the children. Pre-writing and pre-reading skills are promoted in the classroom by the following activities: art, painting, dictation, drawing, reading, playdough, sand, class books, felt board stories, visible print in room, calendar, fingerplays/songs, playing games, poetry, letter recognition, name recognition, writing center, copying words, creating lists, journal writing, pencil and paper for dramatic play