A Typical Day in Pre-K

8:30-8:40 a.m. ARRIVAL & DEVICE CHECK

8:40-9:00 CIRCLE TIME: The children and teachers welcome one another with the “Hello Song” to a large circle of greeting, sharing, trusting and belonging. The children explore the week’s theme through a variety of activities emphasizing the use of language, pre-math skills and alphabet knowledge. The children learn the days of the week, months, seasons, etc.

9:00-9:30 Speech & Auditory Training: The children move into the classrooms in small groups for targeted work to develop speech and listening skills.

9:30-10:00 CREATIVE MOVEMENT: The children explore the joys of movement while developing motor skills and body awareness. Instruction focuses on encouraging each child’s creative process, using imagination and energy to move intuitively and spontaneously.

10:00–10:40 Snack & Conversational Language: As they sit together enjoying wholesome food, the children learn manners and skills for getting along, good health practices and eating habits. After snack, the children participate in a variety of art, cooking and experiential activities focused on improving their conversational language.

10:40–11:05 SMALL GROUP / CHOICE TIME: The children are engaged in a variety of activities that stimulate and challenge their thinking and problem-solving skills as they explore the weekly theme. Rhymes, poems and fingerplays build the understanding that sounds make up words in our language. This knowledge is called phonological awareness and is one of the first and most important steps to becoming a successful reader.

11:05–11:30 EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE CLASS: The children move into classrooms in small, ability-based groups where teachers work on each child’s language skills. Our teachers build on the children's successes and encourage target vocabulary, phrases and sentences based on the ongoing assessment of each child's progress. Toys, games and group activities encourage natural conversational expression. 

11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Lunch & recess supervised by Washington University School of Medicine graduate students working on their master's degrees in deaf education and audiology. After lunch, 3-year-olds nap with a favorite stuffed animal; 4- and 5-year-olds go to gym class. Under the direction of a trained physical education instructor, the children run, jump, climb, play with balls and engage in group games and activities to develop physically and socially and to build confidence. 

1:00–1:30 EARLY LITERACY / STORY TIME: As they enjoy a wide variety of wonderful children’s stories promoting cultural diversity, family, self-esteem and other values, the children develop thinking and language skills. The children make predictions, recall story events, relate the story to their own lives and retell or act out the story. Children engage in a project or activity that extends the story and provides more opportunities to improve language.

1:30–1:45 Music: Children sing and move to music and play with musical instruments.

1:45–2:00 GROSS MOTOR ACTIVITIES: The children engage in play that supports their developing abilities in movement, balance, coordination and creative movement. These abilities develop through unstructured activities such as running, jumping and climbing on playground equipment as well as through cooperative games and guided activities in the gym.

2:00–2:45 CENTERS TIME: The discovery room is divided into different areas, such as art, blocks, dramatic play, library, sand/water and writing. The children use manipulatives to explore concepts and build on their language, math, science, social and creative abilities. They also learn simple skills for playing games, such as taking turns, spinning a spinner, winning and losing. Teachers promote and facilitate pragmatic language skills as the children explore.

2:45–3:00 CLOSING CIRCLES: The children gather to reflect on and discuss what they learned during the day.