3’s Program
The 3’s program meets from 9:00am to 11:45am, offering options for two days (Tuesday/Thursday), three days (Monday/Wednesday/Friday), or five days a week. Each classroom is led by a head teacher and two additional teachers.
The 3’s Curriculum
Our goal is to inspire curiosity, encourage cooperative and social play, and foster a strong desire to learn and explore. In early childhood development, social learning is key. Our focus is to reinforce positive behavior, manners, and helping children understand how to interact with others. We teach them to recognize emotions, solve problems and to be kind. Basic skills are an essential part of their development setting the foundation for a positive school experience. The year is organized around thematic units and lessons.., such as the life cycle of a butterfly, and an art study of famous artists, among others. We use these themes as gateways to lessons on fine motor skills, letter and number recognition, and social interaction.
-
Children in the 3’s program are becoming increasingly sociable, transitioning from parallel play to collaborative interactions. Our 3’s teachers focus on helping children express themselves through language, engage in conversations, and form meaningful relationships. For example, learning to share materials during an art project teaches valuable lessons about collaboration.
Show and Tell is a favorite activity, allowing children to ask each other questions about their special items. In the winter, children bring their favorite stuffed animals for a “check-up” from the “doctor,” helping them understand what to expect during a typical doctor’s visit.
-
Early in the year, we focus on colors and shapes. Discovering colors becomes an exciting adventure as children use color books to explore various shades and identify corresponding objects.
In the 3’s program, children receive their first introduction to letters by starting with the letters in their names. This foundation is reinforced through a "Letter of the Week" approach and various letter recognition activities. Depending on each child’s skill level, they may progress to writing those letters. Early numerical identification is enhanced through engaging counting games during center time.
-
Fine motor development is essential for strengthening the muscles needed for handwriting, and is a key focus of the 3’s program. Children practice with scissors, lacing cards, peeling stickers, solving peg puzzles, and engaging in sensory play, such as sculpting with shaving cream, sandbox activities, and playdoh, to refine their fine motor skills. At least three days a week, children participate in thematic activities that incorporate specific fine motor goals.
Additionally, during outdoor play children have the opportunity to enhance their gross motor development, which is crucial for muscle growth and learning how to move and control their growing bodies.
-
The joy of music is celebrated through our twice-weekly Music classes. Spanish and Gymtime are much-anticipated components of each week.
A Typical Day in the 3’s
Upon arrival at school, children quickly learn to hang their backpacks and jackets in their cubbies. They then enter the classroom, where they find their magnetic picture/name cards on the table. After checking in by hanging their cards on the whiteboard, they can choose from two to four engaging learning centers that promote fine motor skill development. These centers include a puzzle station, a building and creating area, an easel for drawing, as well as kitchen and dress-up stations. Alternatively, children can enjoy a book in the reading area.
Next, we gather for circle time, where we discuss the day’s activities, news, and goals. This group gathering fosters a sense of community, establishes a daily routine, and sets a positive tone for cooperative learning throughout the day.
Following circle time, children participate in one of our “specials,” such as Spanish, Music, or Gymtime on Tuesdays, where they enjoy a gross motor gym experience equipped with mats, slides, and climbing structures.
Upon returning to the classroom, students often transition to the secondary activities room, where a hands-on lesson is set up. These may include guided experience led by a teacher, a sandbox, or a playdoh table. During story time, we gather to read a book, encouraging children to ask questions and share personal experiences related to the story, which helps build early reading comprehension skills.
Weather permitting, we strive to take the children outside almost every day to enjoy running, jumping, sliding, and balancing on one of our two playgrounds.