Preschool
CUMC Preschool helps children develop and grow with a child led, play-based early childhood education curriculum.
the CUMC Huntington Beach Preschool Program
CUMC Preschool focuses on a developmentally appropriate curriculum with a wide range of social and early childhood education objectives for our 2 ½- 3 ½ year-old preschoolers.
CUMC Preschool takes pride in offering a nurturing environment that encourages positive relationships and celebrates the uniqueness of each child. Our preschool’s early childhood curriculum helps children grow in a distinctive setting through exploration, problem solving and expressive play.
Below is a list of early childhood education goals and objectives for our 2 ½ – 3 ½year-old preschool students. Our program will provide opportunities for growth in all areas, but realizes that each child develops at his or her pace and some children may not master all goals.
What do we do in Preschool?
Everyday, we explore our world and grow through a series of interactive, developmentally appropriate activities designed to foster community, independence, and strong life skills.
A Welcoming Transition
Children ease into the school day by engaging in carefully planned activities, establishing meaningful connection to the classroom environment and one another. In these initial moments of transition from home to school, children are welcomed into a place of safety and belonging.
Initiating the Wonders of the Day, In Community
The focus on individual and small group engagement shifts to establishing community. Rituals of song, movement and wordplay are among the signals that call children to the morning circle. Children welcome each other and review plans for the explorations of the day during a group discussion.
Choice and Independence
Imaginative play and exploration are invited in our outdoor classroom spaces, including a building area, sand area, bikes, climbing area, water and mud play.
Snack: Social Skills, Life Skills
Important social, life and self-regulation skills are reinforced through our snack routines. Children wash their hands, practicing table etiquette and social conversation, clearing the table, disposing of food waste and putting water bottles away.
Activities Centers
Activity centers are set up involving exposure to literacy, art, dramatic play, construction, math, science and/or sensory. These activities are designed to support different developmental levels while introducing them to beginning academic theories. These work stations differ from day to day and will become more challenging as children begin to acquire these concepts.
Exploration Time: Uninterrupted Time to Engage in Purposeful Play
Children begin a process that allows them to investigate the world around them. Experiences are crafted to offer observations in nature, experimentation with materials, imaginative play, and explorations of how things work or are built. Working at developmentally appropriate levels, teacher and students work through phases that initiate a plan, design an experiment, set-up an experience. Within this meaningful context literacy, math, science and the arts are integrated.
Music and Movement
Throughout the day there will be ample opportunity for children to express themselves through music, movement and dance, supporting their gross motor development and coordination.
Closing Circle/Reflection on the Day
In joy, celebration and reflection, the class brings closure to the day with song, sharing highlights, and recognizing accomplishments.
Preschool Goals and Objectives
Social-Emotional Development
Appropriate social-emotional development for a preschooler includes:
- Learns to adjust to new situations
- Enjoys being at school
- Can separate from parent/caregiver with minor difficulty
- Gets along with other children
- Has positive self-image
- Follows directions and classroom rules
- Shows respect for own and others belongings
- Willing to try new activities
- Develops caring attitude
- Communicates verbally with adults and children
- Willing to share and take turns
- Listens attentively
- Puts forth effort
- Cares for materials
Physical Development (Small and Large Motor)
CUMC Huntington Beach Preschool focuses on developing the following small and large motor skills:
- Enjoys exploring with many art materials
- Uses art media effectively
- Demonstrates hand-eye coordination (puzzles, stringing beads)
- Holds pencil and crayon correctly
- Fine motor development (cutting, coloring, pasting, painting, threading, pouring, molding, sorting, collaging, buttoning, zipping)
- Shows dominant hand
- Learns to communicate and master bathroom needs effectively
- Handles clothing without assistance
- Large motor development (running, hopping, jumping, balancing, catching, galloping)
Language Development and Reading Readiness
We help prepare our preschoolers to read with the following objectives:
- Begins to recognize colors and alphabet letters
- Develops a larger vocabulary through stories and discussion
- Participates in oral discussions
- Knows own name, the teacher’s name, and some classmates names
- Speaks clearly
- Speaks in sentences
- Recognizes first name
- Recognizes many upper case letters
- Knows 6 basic colors
- Participate in singing songs
- Listens to and comprehends books/enjoys and values reading.
Math and Science Readiness
CUMC Huntington Beach Preschool prepares children with the following math and science skills:
- Counts orally to 10
- Recognizes the numbers 1 -5
- Recognizes basic geometric shapes (circles, squares and triangles)
- Enjoys experimenting
- Shows an interest in the world around him/her
- 1 – 1 Correspondence
- Begin to identify simple patterns (A, B, A, B)
- Seriates (small to medium to large)
- Understands concepts empty/full, more/less
- Sorts accurately
