Nurturing Curiosity, Confidence & Cooperation (Ages 3–5)
Preschoolers are blossoming in all dimensions, sharpening language, exploring friendships, and gaining independence. The CDC emphasizes milestones like naming colors, showing affection, hopping on one foot, helping with dressing, recalling parts of a story, and singing songs to support this growth. At The Gingerbread House, we weave those principles into a nurturing, creative environment supported by teachers who go the extra mile.
- Encourage Development & Playful Learning: Preschoolers thrive through movement, creative play, and routine skills like dressing themselves and recalling story parts.
At The Gingerbread House:
- “Move & Groove” Moments: Host short movement breaks, like hopping or tiptoeing games, to develop coordination and balance.
- Interactive Story Circles: Read aloud and pause to ask children to recall what comes next or to reenact part of the story.
- Self-Dressing Stations: Offer clothes with easy fastenings for children to practice dressing themselves during play, fostering independence.
- Support Language & Social-Emotional Growth: Encouraging play with others helps preschoolers understand sharing, friendship, and emotional skills.
At The Gingerbread House:
- Collaborative Projects: Engage children in building a large block structure or painting together, encouraging sharing, teamwork, and conversation.
- Emotion Coaching: Help children label feelings, “I see you’re excited!”, and model healthy expression: “Let’s use our words or draw how we feel.”
- Peer Narration: During snack or transitions, invite one child to explain what they’re doing, “Sarah is pouring juice; go ahead and pour yours.”
- Set Clear Routines & Positive Discipline: Consistency, clear expectations, and emotional support guide preschoolers well.
At The Gingerbread House:
- Visual “First–Then” Charts: Display routines like “First, clean up, Then, story time,” helping children follow transitions with clarity.
- Positive Reinforcement: Celebrate cooperative behavior, “Thank you for lining up so quietly!”, and guide gently when needed.
- Meaningful Choices: Offer limited, appropriate choices: “Would you like to read with me or build with blocks next?”
- Promote Healthy Habits & Active Play: Preschoolers need 10–13 hours of sleep, balanced nutrition, and limited screen time to thrive.
At The Gingerbread House:
- Wholesome Snack Stations: Provide healthy, visually appealing snack choices and involve children in fruit or veggie prep, teaching both nutrition and independence.
- Active Play Circuits: Use indoor and outdoor spaces for movement, climbing structures, dancing, ball games, to promote physical development.
- Screen-Free Emphasis: Prioritize hands-on learning, stories, and sensory experiences over screens; when necessary, screen use is minimal and supervised.
- Ensure Safety & Secure Environment: Preschoolers need safe environments, supervision, and clear boundaries to explore securely.
At The Gingerbread House:
- Routine Safety Checks: Teachers inspect play areas and equipment daily for hazards.
- Supervised Outdoor Play: Teachers accompany children closely during outdoor exploration and outdoor sensory activities.
- Emergent Safety Lessons: Introduce simple safety rules through fun discussions, “We walk, not run, inside”, and reinforce them gently throughout the day.
- Foster Inclusion & Intentional Environment: Creating a space that invites exploration (“yes environment”) and thoughtful reflection enriches learning.
At The Gingerbread House:
- Accessible Materials: Keep art supplies, books, and toys visible and within reach to encourage choice-driven play.
- Reflect & Adapt: Teachers pause to reflect, “What worked with this group today?”, to adapt environments and activities responsively.
- Mindful Moments: Incorporate short calm-down zones with pillows, soft music, or sensory tools to help children reset as needed (Big Hearts Little Hands).
At The Gingerbread House, we take inspiration from trusted CDC guidelines while tailoring practices to our dynamic preschool classroom. Through interactive play, thoughtful guidance, safe and inclusive spaces, and dedicated teacher reflection, we lay the foundation for confident, empathetic, and creative preschoolers.