Lombard Park District

Kiddie Campus Preschool Parent Handbook 6 Environment of the Kiddie Campus Program The environment of the Kiddie Campus classroom is child centered. Presenting all materials and activities at a child's level enables the child to choose activities and allows them to be responsible for clean-up. The instructor/child ratio is 1 per 8 in the Junior and 1 per 9 in the Senior Kiddie Campus programs. This ratio enables the instructors to provide positive guidance and spend quality time with each child. With respect for each other, the instructors work well as a team. The instructor's role is that of a facilitator and caregiver. Our instructors have knowledge of growth and development, have a commitment to children, and respect children's rights and feelings. The learning centers are the focal point of the classroom. They include: dramatic play, manipulatives, creative art, blocks, books and puzzles, writing table, math center, science center, sensory table, computer and climber. Philosophy and Goals The philosophy of the state-licensed Kiddie Campus preschool program is Learning Through Play. Children learn best through hands-on exploration of materials and their environment. Throughout the Kiddie Campus program, children are encouraged to solve their own problems and emphasis is placed on independence and responsibility for ones actions. Activities offered throughout the Kiddie Campus program are success-oriented, open-ended, age and individual appropriate. The program aims to promote a healthy self-esteem within the child. The Kiddie Campus Goals are as follows: Physical Development: • To acquire physical skills appropriate to each individual child through strengthening of large and small muscles, practice in motor coordination, and developing awareness of balance. Social Development: • To experience interactions, develop empathy and recognize similarities and unique qualities in others. Emotional Development: • To develop a sense of self-esteem as they begin to form trust, experience autonomy (independence) and develop initiative (determining what they want and how to get it in an appropriate manner). • To acquire inner control as appropriate for the individual child. Intellectual (cognitive) Development • To acquire knowledge through self-initiated, hands-on exploration of materials and environment. • To produce more than one solution to a problem. • To develop confidence from their own ideas and to experience success. • To acquire learning skills using words to describe ideas, observations, and feelings. Creative Development: • To express feelings through music, movement, art, and dramatic play. Curriculum The Lombard Park District Kiddie Campus Preschool uses the The Creative Curriculum for Preschool as our curriculum. We have chosen the Creative Curriculum for the following reasons: • It is consistent with the Kiddie Campus Preschool philosophy that children learn through play. • Provides assessment tools and family friendly explanations of learning centers and how learning occurs (please see enclosed Creative Curriculum information). Kiddie Campus Daily Schedule The Kiddie Campus schedule provides for a balance between self-selected learning experiences and participation in small to large group teacher initiated activities. The quiet and active times in class are alternated. Although Kiddie Campus is a themed-based program, the teachers also plan activities that consider the interest of the child. Arrival: Attendance of the children is taken daily. At this time there is a discussion of the weather, activities for the day and the calendar is updated. Children also work on books and puzzles at this time. Discovery Time: This is the largest block of time to enable the children to get involved in play. The children choose from a variety of options including individual and small group activities, sensory table, dramatic play, creative art, manipulatives, math readiness, large muscle, writing table, books, puzzles, science and music. The instructor acts as a facilitator, whether initiating small group activities, working one to one or directing child to explore a variety of learning experiences. Group Time: Consists of a variety of storytelling styles (books, flannel board, cut n' tell, draw n' tell, big books, puppets), music and movement activities. Depending on the activity, the instructor either initiates and leads the activity or participates along with the children. Snack: Children are provided a healthy snack during class. Children have a choice of where to sit and can refuse a snack if they do not wish to eat. They are also offered a choice of beverage (100% juice or water). The instructors sit with the children and encourage conversation. Instructors also use snack time as a learning experience for pre-math skills (counting pieces, sorting, etc.) and learning good table manners. Outdoor Play: Weather permitting, classes will go outside to the playground area, or participate in outdoor activities to strengthen gross motor skills. The children are encouraged to dress themselves as they are able. The instructors help them dress as needed. The Kiddie Campus Preschool Program follows the Illinois Early Learning Standards which can be viewed at www.isbe.net and The Creative Curriculum for Preschool Goals and Objectives.

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