Drawing, painting, lacing, and sensory/tactile writing centers (sand, shaving cream, rice, clay etc.) are all activities that not only provide a medium for artistic expression, but develop dexterity and fine motor coordination. FOUNDATIONS is proud to use the award winning and child friendly writing readiness program, “Handwriting Without Tears”. Body awareness, good habits, grip, coloring, drawing, and beginning handwriting skills are all taught using music, movement, and multi-sensory manipulatives. *Please visit www.hwtears.com to learn more about this fun, multi-sensory writing readiness program. Click on the Readiness icon.

Gross/sensory motor skills are such an integral part of development that they are intertwined in EVERYTHING we do. Children start their day each moving through a themed obstacle course designed to work on gross motor skills and regulate the child’s attention and arousal level to prepare for the day. Dramatic play and fun songs promote motor planning, strengthening, ball skills, and body awareness. Students participate in group auditory perception games and physical activities.

Building a positive self-esteem is a priority of the Foundations curriculum. Cultural/themed dramatic play centers help develop cooperative and imaginative play. Social studies and community field-trips foster a learning, love, and appreciation for the community and world we live in. Discussions and celebrations of different cultural holidays encourage working together, respect for oneself and others, and the community and world we live in. Children are exposed to music, movement, art, and community as part of structured theme activities and free play.

Symbols, written language, and numerals take on meaning as children begin to make their own symbols. The child who makes 8 legs on a play-doh spider, finds 8 shells in a sandy beach(table), and counts 8 girls in the class, understands that the word or symbol 8 has a constant meaning. Teacher directed activities encourage the development of ordering by size, comparing similarities, matching, estimating, and classifying by one or more attributes. Science is everywhere in a classroom of young children and hands-on science experiments give children the opportunity to explore themselves and their environment. Children make exciting discoveries as they watch a snowman melt, watch a pinecone open in the sun, or observe grapes shrivel into raisins.

Individual differences in young children are great. We have created a center time that accommodates these differences by offering a balance of free choice centers and our unique VIP center. Toys and activities at free choice centers change regularly according to themes and interests of the class. VIP center provides teachers the opportunity to tailor activities according to individual strengths and needs.

Literature and books are entwined with everything we do at Foundations. It is not a separate learning experience but it is incorporated into every activity and play situation throughout our program. Literature is used to expose children to the joys of reading and storytelling. Dramatizing stories and book making build the relationship between spoken words and written language. Language arts activities are explored by listening to and creating stories, cooking from recipes, and literature connection activities.