St. Stephen Presbyterian Preschool

Recognizing that children grow in predictable stages, we treat each child as an individual by allowing him/her to work and play at his/her own level. We teach a love of learning by allowing children to fully experience their own stage of development without pressure. Both our indoor and outdoor environments are carefully planned to encourage independence and provide choices. A wide variety of activities are offered in the areas of creative art, math , science, cooking, tactile play, music and movement, large motor, practical life, dramatic play, language arts, fine motor and manipulatives.

Our programs are planned:

To develop each childs self worth; To provide opportunities for physical and social development; To develop creative skills To encourage intellectual and problem solving skills; To train each child to handle his/her emotions and to be considerate of the feelings of others; To provide a program which respects the worlds various cultures and religions; To develop a positive attitude toward school; To offer a wide range of experiences to form a foundation for future learning. To promote cooperation. To increase independence in meeting and solving problems. To promote confidence. To promote language development. To help the child develop large motor skills such as climbing, running, jumping, balancing, pedaling, swinging, etc. To help the child develop small motor skills such as cutting with scissors, building with blocks, working with puzzles, stringing beads, manipulating play dough, controlling crayons, holding a paint brush, etc. To foster an appreciation and acceptance of the multicultural world we live in. To further intellectual development by fostering cognitive learning, concept formation, self-awareness and curiosity. To develop the imagination through dramatic play. To foster creativity through open-ended art and music experiences. To help the child learn how to follow directions, complete tasks, and develop impulse control. To encourage the expression of feelings in acceptable ways. To encourage a positive attitude. This, along with competency, develops a positive self-image.