Programs & Daily Schedule

We offer a morning and an afternoon program for children ages 2 years nine months through five years of age.

You may choose five, four, three, or two days per week as follows:

5 day (M-F)   |   4 day (M-TH or T-F)
3 day (M-W-F), (M-T-TH), (T-TH-F)   |   2 day (T,TH)

Morning class hours are 9:00-11:30 AM
Afternoon class hours are 12:15-2:45 PM

LUNCH BUNCH 11:30-12:30

 

Kindergarten Program (M-F) is available as a full or half day option

Children's House of Exton is a state-licensed, private, academic preschool/K, which has taught children the joy of learning since 1973.   Our program offers a carefully planned and stimulating environment where children 3 through 5 years of age can progress at their own pace and level of readiness / development. Through the blended age groups, children learn from one another, as well as from the gentle guidance and presentation of lessons by the teacher and assistants. During the school day, there are opportunities for social interaction within a wide age and maturation range. The children may choose to interact one-on-one or as part of a larger group. They may also choose to "work" alone or with friends.   A well-rounded and carefully integrated curriculum introduces the children to math, reading and writing readiness, sensory development, everyday life skills, geography, and science. Theme based learning, art, Spanish with sign language, music and creative movement are inviting for children of all ages. Appropriate current events and cultural awareness through weekly themes, music, literature, and art about people of other nations, brings the world a little closer to home. Our classroom is dynamic to meet the changing needs of the child and supports all kinds of learners - auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. The small student to teacher ratio of 6 to 1 and spacious classroom allow for direct one on one or small group instruction to foster and encourage happiness and to experience new learning opportunities. Active learning through independent exploration and discovery typify the Montessori classroom. Children offer random acts of kindness, and engage in conversation and companionship with peers, both younger and older, which help instill social competence and compassion for others. Montessori education nurtures intellectual and social development. And by the nature of this method, our children grow toward independence and show confidence and inner-discipline.   We are a member of The American Montessori Society.

 

Daily Schedule

Circle Time ( Beginning of Day )

1. Attendance - Children identify their name via name card and sing a good morning or good afternoon song.

2. Calendar - Children review days of the week and months of the year. They count the days of the month.

3. Weather - Children peek out window to check weather conditions and place the appropriate pictures in our weather display.

4. Theme - Integrates Math, Language, Geography, and Science. Themes may include holidays, people/animals of the seven continents, dinosaurs, food groups, seasons, community helpers, spiders, insects, Native Americans, and much more.

 

Work Time

Based on their level of readiness/development children are given lessons individually or in small groups. After they have received a lesson they may explore the material on their own. These hands-on activities encompass learning experiences in the following areas:

1. Practical Life - Care of self (hand washing, dressing frames, cloth scrubbing), Care of environment (polishing, flower arranging, plant washing, sweeping, mopping, folding cloths, chair scrubbing, table scrubbing), Control of movement (hand transfer, scooping, spooning, wet pouring, dry pouring, lock and key, opening jars, sewing), Food preparation (measuring, carrot washing, apple coring, banana slicing, fruit squeezing, carrot grating), Grace and courtesy (greetings, blowing nose, walking around mat, peace rose).

2. Sensorial Activities - Activities which refine the child's sensory perceptions, foster visual and auditory discrimination, and strengthen powers of observation.

3. Manipulative Activities - Perceptual / fine motor activities including puzzles, pattern / parquetry blocks, pegboard, etc.

4. Language / Writing - Activities range from pre-language skills (classifying, sequencing, matching, rhyming) to language development (learning sounds and shape of letters, identifying beginning and ending sounds of words, learning phonetic words), and writing activities (metal insets).

5. Math - Children are introduced to numbers through a variety of exercises. They work with our base ten number system, and explore all math operations (addition, multiplication, subtraction, division).

6. Science & Geography - Incorporated into weekly theme and actual class experiments (such as growing plants & watching life cycle of real butterfly). Activities include identifying parts of our body, plants, insects, etc. Other activities include puzzles of the U.S.A. & continents, animal / continent matching, land / water forms, etc.

7. Culture - Children explore different cultures, and geography, conduct experiments, and witness life cycles (butterflies, frogs, apples, pumpkins).

 

Art Activities ( Fine Motor )

Formal art education includes drawing, cutting, pasting, painting, and study of the famous artists.

 

Music Activities

Songs & Fingerplays

 

Physical Movement Activities ( Gross Motor / Perceptual )

Outside play time weather permitting. Indoor playtime in inclement weather.

 

Circle Time (End of Day)

Story & Songs
Spanish
Sharing Time
Guessing Game (Phonics / Sound Game)
Mystery Reader