Middleton Preschool

At Middleton Preschool, Inc (MPS) our goal is to prepare children for success in kindergarten and beyond. To succeed in school, young children need to develop socially and emotionally and establish a good academic foundation. Our MPS curriculum is designed to achieve these goals.

We include free play in our curriculum because children develop many of their social skills, and even academic skills, through play. Playtime also provides an opportunity for teachers to observe the childrens interactions. By observing each child at play we learn which social and academic skills a child already has and which ones need improving.

The day starts with 4560 minutes of free play. During this time, children are allowed to freely choose what activities are interesting to them. Teachers observe and interact with the children so they can better plan future learning activities. The teachers encourage children to try new activities, write their names, and interact positively with other children.

The classroom is arranged to include the following play and learning centers:

The large motor space is perfect for climbing, sliding and jumping. Studies show that large motor development is necessary before small motor skills can be sharpened. The playground is a natural extension of this area. The block area has large window blocks and small unit blocks. Here children explore math concepts such as bigger, smaller and geometric shapes and science concepts such as balance and perspective. The dramatic play area allows children to gain more understanding of the world around them. They can be astronauts, fire fighters, restaurant workers and more. The housekeeping and dress-up area encourages children to explore different roles relating to family (such as mom, dad and baby). This kind of play is familiar and comforting to many children. The creative art center is the place for free expression. Different art mediums are rotated for the children to manipulate. Divergent thinking is encouraged as children think of how to connect things in different ways. The library is always stocked with books relating to current learning topics and the time of year. The writing area has a variety of writing utensils, stencils and worksheets to encourage writing and fine motor skills.