Naperville Park District Preschools are guided by the philosophy of learning through play. Play nourishes every aspect of a child’s development. It forms the foundation of intellectual, social, physical and emotional skills necessary for success in school and in life. Play paves the way for learning.

Our curriculum is anchored in literacy and focuses heavily on cooperative learning, social-emotional well-being, problem-solving, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, math and science. The curriculum consists of 5 thematic units: Family, Friends, Wind & Water, Shadows and Reflections and Things That Grow and maintains a scoped and sequenced progression of both literacy and math.

Through hands-on learning experiences, children develop critical thinking skills, learn how to effectively communicate with one another, learn how to navigate a classroom (group) and develop independence skills.

The child’s imagination is stimulated through finger play, storytelling and dress up. When children engage in dramatic play, they learn how to cope with feelings, how to bring the large confusing world into a small manageable size and how to become socially adept as they take turns and cooperate with each other.

A carefully planned program allows the preschooler to freely explore their environment, themselves and others.

Thank you for choosing one of our Preschools at the Naperville Park District. Our entire preschool staff is looking forward to another great year!

Arrival: put away belongings, wash hands and writing activity

Morning meeting: hello song, go over schedule of the day, introduce the garden center in dramatic play and introduce categorizing and inspecting seeds center

Read Aloud:  “The Ugly Vegetable” first read (this is the only time the story is read in its entirely). It is the basis for all of the activities that happen throughout the day.

Centers: snack, reading center, garden inspirations in art, soil in sensory table, building a garden in blocks, garden center in dramatic play and categorizing and inspecting seeds
•    Snack occurs during center time. We teach children to follow their body signals and eat when they are hungry.
•    The reading center is full of books that relate to plants, spring and gardens.
•    Garden inspirations returns. Children use a variety of paintbrushes, colored pencils, crayons, markers and clay to create a garden.
•    Top soil is in the sensory table with a variety of gardening tools and plastic pots for children to fill and plant with.
•    Using a variety of images of different gardens, children create a garden of their own out of wooden blocks.
•    The dramatic play area is turned into a garden center complete with plants, pots and gardening tools. Children create the signage for their store.
•    Categorizing and Inspecting Seeds: Children separate a variety of seeds based on their observations using their eyes and again with a magnifying glass.  They then write about the different characteristics of the seeds.

Small Group: Seed Experiment
Children are given a lima bean, paper towel and baggy. They plant a lima bean seed and place it in the window. Children will record its growth in an observation journal.

Thinking and Feedback: The class gathers on the carpet to discuss and reflect on the activities just explored in centers.

Gross Motor/Nature Hike: Count and Move
Children practice counting while moving a set number of times.
SWPL (songs, word play and letters): little letter/big letter pocket chart activity
Teachers pass out alphabet cards to students. A large alphabet card is then shown. Whomever has its match stands up and  says its name and sound.

Dismissal: gather belongings and good bye song