Early exposure to books is an important component of a child's development and provides a solid foundation for the expansion of reading skills. Sharing books expands a young child's growing vocabulary, helps them understand the concept of print, introduces phonological awareness through poetry and rhyme, and allows them to discover the people and places of the world. We visit the library each week to read books, retell stories with puppets and felt boards, and give children the opportunity to choose their own books.
In our classrooms, we balance quiet and active times. Young children’s attention spans are shorter and their bodies just want to move. So, in addition to class fun, we provide your child special music and movement activities. We go to the music room each week to play drums, float a parachute, wave scarves, ring bells and just wiggle and dance with our movement teacher.
Life means meeting people who are both like us and those that are different. At FPDS, we love to celebrate different cultures through music, dance, food, and activities! In October, we have a Halloween Hullabaloo. December brings our “No-Rehearsal Christmas Pageant” where we might be sheep, angels, or even wise-people to tell the Christmas story to our families at Christmas Chapel. In February and March, we enjoy celebrating Persian and Chinese New Years’ while we watch dancers and taste different foods. We finish up the year with an “Ole!” as we celebrate the tastes and sounds of Cinco de Mayo. And to end our year — we slip, slide, splash, and blow bubbles at Mud and Water Week!
Outdoor Learning Benefits to Children:
Working in the garden has ample benefits for young children. From learning responsibility to building self-confidence, gaining an understanding of new skills to discovering cause and effect - children grow in the garden alongside the plants they tend.