Learning through Play!
At Hendricks Home Daycare and Playschool, we know that every child develops in their own time and our Playschool is designed to serve kids starting around 2.5 to 3 years old. In the playschool room, we expand our exploration of the world. We explore art, science, letters, and numbers. We do circle time, read books, build “inventions”, and spend as much time outdoors as possible. Our playschool room includes our bearded dragon, Lady Flame, and our 5 guinea pigs, Snowflake, Snickerdoodle, Joy, Boy George, and Teddy. The children love growing vegetables for the animals to eat and learning how to care for them.
When the weather is good, which blessedly in the Bay Area is most of the time, we do as many of our activities outside as possible. We have a rich playground area that includes play structures, imaginative play toys, a garden, outdoor art area, and water play activities for the warmest weather. Snacks and lunch may be indoors or out. Science can be more messy fun when it is outside! We also have a van so that we can take field trips. These trips can include parks, local farms, the library, the Oakland Zoo, and more.
Why would a family choose to stay in our care rather than move a child to a more formal preschool?
Pressure to sit in a formal classroom setting is being put on children at younger and younger ages. To be honest, this isn’t supported by research or by most early education teachers. Prior to entering kindergarten, children benefit significantly more from a focus on social and emotional skills. They benefit from time outdoors exploring nature. They benefit from space to create and follow their natural curiosities. They will naturally become interested in the words and numbers around them. We firmly believe that supporting their natural curiosities and interests will set them up for lifelong a lifelong love of learning more than sitting down with a worksheet can.
Kids learn naturally through play. A child building with blocks is studying math and physics. A child given unlimited access to crayons and papers will naturally improve in fine motor and pre-writing skills. Two children racing toy cars down a slide are studying physics and exploring the scientific process as they discover why certain cars race faster and what slows others down. Children playing family or school are exploring social dynamics and modeling the roles they see in the adults around them. A child given the opportunity to feed a small animal is learning about other creatures and how to be kind and gentle. One should never make the mistake of thinking a child is “just playing” – they are always working to discover how the world works.
What makes our program special?
There is not a clear moment when a child stops being a toddler and becomes a preschooler. In our home we can work with children where they are at. They can be included in the activities of the play school, but maintain the flexibility of our infant/toddler program. They can sleep and eat when they need, not on a set schedule. We can work with kids in a wide range of developmental stages in the same setting.
There is also a magic that comes from programs that have children at different ages interacting together. Just as a younger sibling will often talk faster and hit milestones faster, so do children who have older role models to play with at school. The older children get to experience the role of teacher/mentor when they show their younger friends how to do things. We all know the old adage that the best way to truly learn something is to teach it. That holds true at all ages. Children thrive in a community of diverse age groups, and also gain social skills through those interactions.
Want to talk more about our unique program? Call 925-361-7345 today to set up an interview.