Preschool Programs

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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!

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Children must have a current medical form on file with the Park District and must be fully toilet trained (no Pull-Ups® allowed) except in our Twos Plus classes. Children must be able to separate from parents or caregiver in a timely manner and must be able to communicate their basic needs and follow simple directions.

Two Plus: Children must be 2½ by Sept. 1

This class is designed to make your child’s first preschool experience a calm and comfortable one.  The program focuses on separation and building trusting relationships between child and teacher and teacher and parent.  Your child is exposed to a variety of activities and experiences that encourage social awareness and cognitive development in a gentle, nurturing and playful environment.

Three-Year-Olds: Children must be 3 by Sept. 1

This program focuses on creating a warm and nurturing environment where children are encouraged to explore and interact with one another.  Children are introduced to key early childhood basic skills and concepts though play and hands-on experiences.

Three Plus: Children must be 3 by Sept. 1

This program is designed for children who are ready for an additional day of preschool.  The program focuses on creating a warm and nurturing environment where children are encouraged to explore and interact with one another.  Children are introduced to key early childhood basic skills and concepts though play and hands-on experiences.

Four-Year-Olds: Children must be 4 by Sept. 1

Our four-year-old program is a continuation of our three-year-old preschool program.  Children continue to work on developing their social skills while building their foundation of learning.  Children continue to develop their early literacy, math, science and social study skills through hands-on learning experiences.

Pre-Kindergarten: Children must be 4 by Sept. 1

This program is an extension of our four-year-old program. It is designed for children who are ready to attend preschool for an additional day. Our Pre-Kindergarten program is a continuation of our three-year-old preschool program.  Children continue to work on developing their social skills while building their foundation of learning.  Children continue to develop their early literacy, math, science and social study skills through hands-on learning experiences.

Sample Day from the Things That Grow Unit

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

Registration Requirements

• There is a $75 nonrefundable registration fee.
• Two options are available for preschool payments. Parents may pay for the program in full at the time of registration or enroll in an automatic payment plan through use of a credit/debit card or checking account. If enrolling in the automatic payment plan, the first tuition payment is due at the time of registration.
• If your child is a new student, a copy of their birth certificate is required.
  Please note that you will not be allowed to register without a copy of your child’s birth certificate.
• Preschool spots are available on a first come, first served basis.
• Once your child has been registered for a preschool program, you may not waitlist that child for another preschool program.
• Please note that your child must be 30 months, 3, or 4 by September 1. No exceptions will be made.

Registration Locations

Registration is currently online only

Contacts

Sara Cass
Early Childhood Program Manager
630-848-3571
scass@napervilleparks.org

Payment Options

• Pay the full program fee at the time of registration.
• Pay the first tuition payment at the time of registration and enroll in the automatic payment plan where an additional eight equal tuition payments will be withdrawn from your checking account or charged to a credit/debit card. These payments will occur on the fifteenth of each month beginning September 15 through April 15.

Credit/debit cards that are declined will be charged a $25 service fee by the Naperville Park District and may result in the forfeiture of this payment option.

Program Withdrawal

Enrolling in preschool is a commitment that your child will attend for the entire preschool year. However, we do understand that situations arise that require a withdrawal from the program. The Naperville Park District must receive requests to withdraw from the preschool program by June 15 in order for you to receive a refund of your first tuition payment. First tuition payment refunds will not be issued after this date. The first tuition payment is nonrefundable for preschool program registrations received after June 15.

Program withdrawal requests received after the start of preschool must be received two weeks before your child’s last day in order to receive a refund of tuition paid for days that your child will not attend due to withdrawing from the program. Program withdrawal requests will be accepted October 1 through March 1. Refunds will not be issued for program withdrawal requests received after March 1. Please contact the Program Manager at (630) 848-3571 if you need to cancel your child’s preschool enrollment.