At Four Seasons Pre School, we believe that children learn best through hands on experiences and using the world around them. We have created a curriculum that focuses on social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. The teachers take time planning their activities and develop lessons that will make the children feel successful while at the same time challenge them.
Our infant and toddler program focuses on four areas:
Communication Language, and Early Literacy skills are fostered through speaking with children during routine tasks, stories, and music.
Social development is largely a function of babies’ interaction with adults, however, their development in enhanced through physical contact, interaction in play, and structured group activities.
Physical development is the foundation upon which cognitive development is based. Responsive adults provide the most significant experience, but the environment and physical activities are structured to maximize development. Infants are supported and encouraged in their natural inclination for independent physical activity.
While the developmental issues for infants and toddlers are similar, certain differences are addressed in the toddler program. Toddlers are more mobile, more capable, and are experiencing significant language development. Because toddlers’ attention spans are short and rapidly shifting, the program is highly flexible and individualized.
We encourage you to visit often and share your skills and talents with us. Four Seasons Pre School is always ready to listen to parents and eager to involve them whenever possible.
Infant Program
Our infant program provides a safe, nurturing environment for the youngest ones in our care. This specifically designed setting, along with our caring teachers, will work cooperatively with you to nurture your baby through their early stages of development.
Our teachers provide age appropriate curriculum for each child’s developmental stage, such as tummy time, sitting up, crawling, walking, talking, as well as activities such as projects, baby sign language, singing songs, and just exploring their world. We offer babies comfort, hugs, positive interaction, and play time. We listen and respond to their coos and babbles, we play on the floor, we cuddle, we feed each child on their own individual schedule, and we enjoy the time we spend with your baby. Weather permitting; teachers will take children for walks to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.
In our infant room, you will find mirrors and rugs, baskets filled with soft fabrics or natural materials, sensory tables, and lots of great books. The classroom has many age appropriate toys that will help the children explore their world around them using their senses. We have objects of various textures, rattles and other toys that make noise, colorful toys and objects in the room, and much more!
Keeping your baby’s health and well-being in mind, toys and equipment are sanitized throughout the day and the infant room follows a strict “No Shoes” policy to reduce the amount of dirt, salt, and germs entering the classroom.
*Communication is Very Important*
As parents, you deserve to know everything that happens while your baby is in our care. We have an Infant Daily News that will tell you about your baby's day with us. We also send home frequent photographs of your baby’s day. Regular phone calls, conferences, and emails are all part of this important communication.
Toddler Program
Toddlerhood is an exciting stage in your child’s development. They are full of energy as they struggle to “do it by myself”. It is a time when language, social, physical, and cognitive skills begin to flourish. Toddlers are learning during every[ moment of their day, using all of their senses to explore. They need lots of physical activity and sensory play. Our toddlers love music and story time. We engage our toddlers in conversations, we listen, we share our feelings, we jump and dance, we play outside, we experience new materials, and we offer a hug whenever it is needed.
Teachers engage your young explorer with an interactive, hands-on curriculum that channels their energy and excitement into positive learning experiences. Our classroom is designed with age appropriate toys and equipment in various learning centers including dramatic play, manipulative, art, sensory tables and circle time. Children and encouraged to explore the different centers independently, as well as working cooperatively with their friends.
The toddler group also has a music teacher come twice a month!
*communication is very important*
We like to keep our parents in touch with their child’s day with our Toddler Daily News, detailing your child’s learning experiences and daily activities. Newsletters are also sent home monthly, containing detailed curriculum information and happenings around the school. Regular phone calls and emails are also an important part of this communication.
Preschool
We believe that children learn all the time. The staff at Four Seasons feels that with teacher organized and structured activities, as well as the child’s free choice in activities, that we provide an environment that is well rounded in meeting each child’s needs.
The goal of our curriculum is to provide children with the skills that will help them to learn and to love learning. The unique individuality of each child is respected and the children’s strengths and weaknesses are always considered. We strive to build the children’s self-esteem and help them learn to appreciate their own special gifts.
All Pre School classroom teachers use Engage New York, Lively Letters and Handwriting Without Tears in their everyday classroom environment. Engage New York is a Mathematics program that is aligned with the common core. Lively Letters is a program that helps children hear the sounds each letter makes. The children listen to music, create puppets and participate in many other sound activities this program offers. The Handwriting Without Tears program helps the children learn to write the letters, draw shapes, create portraits and more!
Each of our classrooms has theme-based centers that are geared to the children’s interests and skill level.
Literacy- In the early years of a child’s life, it is important that they have multiple opportunities to experience literature. Children begin to recognize that print reads from left to right and top to bottom, and that pictures help to tell a story. Books also broaden a child’s cultural awareness. Children have an opportunity to dictate their own stories from pictures they have drawn; they are encouraged to share that story with a friend enhancing their communication skills.
At Four Seasons, we offer a listening center with individual headsets so that children can listen to and follow along to the story individually and accompanying activities on audio cassette. We also have a wide variety of books to support both individual and group reading times. We feel it is very important for us to help your child develop the skills he or she needs to become a successful reader.
Art- Our art center includes many projects such as painting, drawing, gluing, cutting, working with play dough, plaster of paris, and clay. All art activities encourage self-expression, creativity and imagination. These activities are often related to our weekly themes.
Music and Drama - Some of the best fun at Four Seasons Pre School revolves around our music time. From creating a marching band around the school to playing musical games, music inspires children to sing and dance. Our music program provides a great learning experience that allows for personal expression, which can make a huge difference in a child’s life. A few of our drama activities include: acting out short stories, putting on puppet shows, and role-playing.
Creative Movement- Strong exercise habits that children develop now can go a long way. Creative movement teaches things like coordination, strength and endurance. At Four Seasons, we offer a well-organized program of movement activities that help benefit your child in so many ways. The development of physical skills contributes to cognitive, social, and emotional development. Movement skills help children develop self-confidence and provide them with the opportunity to be physically fit and to successfully participate in recreational games and activities. Our goal is to provide children the opportunity to develop physical skills.
Science - Whether it’s building clay volcanoes, freezing water into ice, mixing primary colors of paint to see what happens, making paste, or a cooking project, children are so curious about a lot of things and just love our science center.
Circle Time- During circle time, the discussion focuses on the days of the week, the alphabet, the weather, and the day’s theme. Singing and sharing stories provide opportunities for socialization and communication while learning to respect others.
Math Center- Math occurs many times throughout our day as well as at our math center. At circle time, we count the days in the month, graph the weather, or even count the number of days we have been in school. While the children eat snack we might count how many pieces are on their napkin. At our math center, children will learn about classification, creating patterns, one to one correspondence, spatial relationships, recognizing and creating shapes, graphing, measuring, estimating, and much more!
Building and Manipulative Center- Playing with blocks assists children in learning numerous concepts. Science, math, art, and language skills are applied at this center. While constructing a tall tower, a child has experience with gravity, stability, weight, and balance. As the blocks become a castle, a child will say with extreme pride, “Look what I built!” Manipulative items help develop a child’s fine motor skills. Solid fine motor skills are the start to writing and enhancing a child’s interest in learning. Snapping, buttoning, sewing, and tying knots are all daily skills that promote small muscle coordination.
Outdoor Play- Outdoor play gives a child an opportunity for both gross and fine motor skills and to enjoy the fresh air. We do go outside everyday; please dress your child appropriately.
Pre-Kindergarten
Our pre-kindergarten program is designed for children that miss the kindergarten cut-off date or who need one more year socially and/or academically before entering kindergarten. This program is an extension to our current preschool program with a more advanced curriculum. The children will continue to learn hands-on and through play just as they did at age three and four.
How is this different from the three and four year old curriculum? A lot of things will stay the same but will be more challenging. The children will continue to learn different math concepts each month as well letters concepts. We will also do many pre-reading and pre-writing activities throughout the year. As with all of our age groups, we will incorporate all areas. All content is planned using the state guidelines for pre-kindergarten. This group has a solid foundation for kindergarten and we often receive compliments from the kindergarten teachers when they see how prepared the children are! Join us today!
Kindergarten
Four Seasons Preschool is happy to announce that we will be offering a private kindergarten curriculum for the 2020-2021 school year. Our kindergarten classroom routines and curriculum will mirror those used in public kindergarten classrooms in the Watertown and surrounding areas. Our kindergarten is grounded on the MA Kindergarten Standards, also known as the Common Core. Students participating in our kindergarten program must turn 5 by August 31, 2020. Students participating in our program will be able to transition to grade 1 in a public or private setting. Listed below is a brief explanation of the programs and structures that we use in our kindergarten curriculum. For more information, please email or call our school to book a tour and informational meeting.
Morning Meeting- It is important to begin our day gathering the class to greet each other and participate in a morning message and whole group activity to build our classroom community. Our morning meeting involves movement, song, rhymes and much more! This will of course be done in a manner that children can keep a safe distance to abide by all recommendations by CDC.
Choice Time - The children will have structured choice time where they can choose from a variety of small group activities. Many of the items they use will be their own to limit sharing. Any items that are shared will be sanitized between uses.
Literacy - We use a balanced approach to literacy that incorporates a blend of programs, including: Fundations, a phonics program; and Reader’s Workshop and Writer’s Workshop, a program that focuses on early reading skills and critical thinking skills. The blend of the programs will incorporate handwriting, shared reading and writing, poetry, writing, letter recognition and phonemic awareness.
Math Workshop - We will use Eureka/Engage NY for our math curriculum. This program helps children learn math in a hands on way and carefully sequences the mathematical progressions into expertly crafted modules.
STEM - The kindergarten class will have various opportunities to participate in STEM activities and they will be embedded throughout the curriculum year.
Social Studies - Social studies is woven into many areas of our curriculum. During literacy, morning meeting and even choice and recess time. We have several thematic units on family, community, and team builders.
- Infants and Toddlers
- Infants
- Toddlers
- Pre School
- Pre-Kindergarten
- private Kindergarten
Our infant and toddler program focuses on four areas:
- Self-esteem and personal awareness
- Communication, Language, and Early Literacy Skills
- Social Skills
- Physical Development
Communication Language, and Early Literacy skills are fostered through speaking with children during routine tasks, stories, and music.
Social development is largely a function of babies’ interaction with adults, however, their development in enhanced through physical contact, interaction in play, and structured group activities.
Physical development is the foundation upon which cognitive development is based. Responsive adults provide the most significant experience, but the environment and physical activities are structured to maximize development. Infants are supported and encouraged in their natural inclination for independent physical activity.
While the developmental issues for infants and toddlers are similar, certain differences are addressed in the toddler program. Toddlers are more mobile, more capable, and are experiencing significant language development. Because toddlers’ attention spans are short and rapidly shifting, the program is highly flexible and individualized.
We encourage you to visit often and share your skills and talents with us. Four Seasons Pre School is always ready to listen to parents and eager to involve them whenever possible.
Infant Program
Our infant program provides a safe, nurturing environment for the youngest ones in our care. This specifically designed setting, along with our caring teachers, will work cooperatively with you to nurture your baby through their early stages of development.
Our teachers provide age appropriate curriculum for each child’s developmental stage, such as tummy time, sitting up, crawling, walking, talking, as well as activities such as projects, baby sign language, singing songs, and just exploring their world. We offer babies comfort, hugs, positive interaction, and play time. We listen and respond to their coos and babbles, we play on the floor, we cuddle, we feed each child on their own individual schedule, and we enjoy the time we spend with your baby. Weather permitting; teachers will take children for walks to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.
In our infant room, you will find mirrors and rugs, baskets filled with soft fabrics or natural materials, sensory tables, and lots of great books. The classroom has many age appropriate toys that will help the children explore their world around them using their senses. We have objects of various textures, rattles and other toys that make noise, colorful toys and objects in the room, and much more!
Keeping your baby’s health and well-being in mind, toys and equipment are sanitized throughout the day and the infant room follows a strict “No Shoes” policy to reduce the amount of dirt, salt, and germs entering the classroom.
*Communication is Very Important*
As parents, you deserve to know everything that happens while your baby is in our care. We have an Infant Daily News that will tell you about your baby's day with us. We also send home frequent photographs of your baby’s day. Regular phone calls, conferences, and emails are all part of this important communication.
Toddler Program
Toddlerhood is an exciting stage in your child’s development. They are full of energy as they struggle to “do it by myself”. It is a time when language, social, physical, and cognitive skills begin to flourish. Toddlers are learning during every[ moment of their day, using all of their senses to explore. They need lots of physical activity and sensory play. Our toddlers love music and story time. We engage our toddlers in conversations, we listen, we share our feelings, we jump and dance, we play outside, we experience new materials, and we offer a hug whenever it is needed.
Teachers engage your young explorer with an interactive, hands-on curriculum that channels their energy and excitement into positive learning experiences. Our classroom is designed with age appropriate toys and equipment in various learning centers including dramatic play, manipulative, art, sensory tables and circle time. Children and encouraged to explore the different centers independently, as well as working cooperatively with their friends.
The toddler group also has a music teacher come twice a month!
*communication is very important*
We like to keep our parents in touch with their child’s day with our Toddler Daily News, detailing your child’s learning experiences and daily activities. Newsletters are also sent home monthly, containing detailed curriculum information and happenings around the school. Regular phone calls and emails are also an important part of this communication.
Preschool
We believe that children learn all the time. The staff at Four Seasons feels that with teacher organized and structured activities, as well as the child’s free choice in activities, that we provide an environment that is well rounded in meeting each child’s needs.
The goal of our curriculum is to provide children with the skills that will help them to learn and to love learning. The unique individuality of each child is respected and the children’s strengths and weaknesses are always considered. We strive to build the children’s self-esteem and help them learn to appreciate their own special gifts.
All Pre School classroom teachers use Engage New York, Lively Letters and Handwriting Without Tears in their everyday classroom environment. Engage New York is a Mathematics program that is aligned with the common core. Lively Letters is a program that helps children hear the sounds each letter makes. The children listen to music, create puppets and participate in many other sound activities this program offers. The Handwriting Without Tears program helps the children learn to write the letters, draw shapes, create portraits and more!
Each of our classrooms has theme-based centers that are geared to the children’s interests and skill level.
Literacy- In the early years of a child’s life, it is important that they have multiple opportunities to experience literature. Children begin to recognize that print reads from left to right and top to bottom, and that pictures help to tell a story. Books also broaden a child’s cultural awareness. Children have an opportunity to dictate their own stories from pictures they have drawn; they are encouraged to share that story with a friend enhancing their communication skills.
At Four Seasons, we offer a listening center with individual headsets so that children can listen to and follow along to the story individually and accompanying activities on audio cassette. We also have a wide variety of books to support both individual and group reading times. We feel it is very important for us to help your child develop the skills he or she needs to become a successful reader.
Art- Our art center includes many projects such as painting, drawing, gluing, cutting, working with play dough, plaster of paris, and clay. All art activities encourage self-expression, creativity and imagination. These activities are often related to our weekly themes.
Music and Drama - Some of the best fun at Four Seasons Pre School revolves around our music time. From creating a marching band around the school to playing musical games, music inspires children to sing and dance. Our music program provides a great learning experience that allows for personal expression, which can make a huge difference in a child’s life. A few of our drama activities include: acting out short stories, putting on puppet shows, and role-playing.
Creative Movement- Strong exercise habits that children develop now can go a long way. Creative movement teaches things like coordination, strength and endurance. At Four Seasons, we offer a well-organized program of movement activities that help benefit your child in so many ways. The development of physical skills contributes to cognitive, social, and emotional development. Movement skills help children develop self-confidence and provide them with the opportunity to be physically fit and to successfully participate in recreational games and activities. Our goal is to provide children the opportunity to develop physical skills.
Science - Whether it’s building clay volcanoes, freezing water into ice, mixing primary colors of paint to see what happens, making paste, or a cooking project, children are so curious about a lot of things and just love our science center.
Circle Time- During circle time, the discussion focuses on the days of the week, the alphabet, the weather, and the day’s theme. Singing and sharing stories provide opportunities for socialization and communication while learning to respect others.
Math Center- Math occurs many times throughout our day as well as at our math center. At circle time, we count the days in the month, graph the weather, or even count the number of days we have been in school. While the children eat snack we might count how many pieces are on their napkin. At our math center, children will learn about classification, creating patterns, one to one correspondence, spatial relationships, recognizing and creating shapes, graphing, measuring, estimating, and much more!
Building and Manipulative Center- Playing with blocks assists children in learning numerous concepts. Science, math, art, and language skills are applied at this center. While constructing a tall tower, a child has experience with gravity, stability, weight, and balance. As the blocks become a castle, a child will say with extreme pride, “Look what I built!” Manipulative items help develop a child’s fine motor skills. Solid fine motor skills are the start to writing and enhancing a child’s interest in learning. Snapping, buttoning, sewing, and tying knots are all daily skills that promote small muscle coordination.
Outdoor Play- Outdoor play gives a child an opportunity for both gross and fine motor skills and to enjoy the fresh air. We do go outside everyday; please dress your child appropriately.
Pre-Kindergarten
Our pre-kindergarten program is designed for children that miss the kindergarten cut-off date or who need one more year socially and/or academically before entering kindergarten. This program is an extension to our current preschool program with a more advanced curriculum. The children will continue to learn hands-on and through play just as they did at age three and four.
How is this different from the three and four year old curriculum? A lot of things will stay the same but will be more challenging. The children will continue to learn different math concepts each month as well letters concepts. We will also do many pre-reading and pre-writing activities throughout the year. As with all of our age groups, we will incorporate all areas. All content is planned using the state guidelines for pre-kindergarten. This group has a solid foundation for kindergarten and we often receive compliments from the kindergarten teachers when they see how prepared the children are! Join us today!
Kindergarten
Four Seasons Preschool is happy to announce that we will be offering a private kindergarten curriculum for the 2020-2021 school year. Our kindergarten classroom routines and curriculum will mirror those used in public kindergarten classrooms in the Watertown and surrounding areas. Our kindergarten is grounded on the MA Kindergarten Standards, also known as the Common Core. Students participating in our kindergarten program must turn 5 by August 31, 2020. Students participating in our program will be able to transition to grade 1 in a public or private setting. Listed below is a brief explanation of the programs and structures that we use in our kindergarten curriculum. For more information, please email or call our school to book a tour and informational meeting.
Morning Meeting- It is important to begin our day gathering the class to greet each other and participate in a morning message and whole group activity to build our classroom community. Our morning meeting involves movement, song, rhymes and much more! This will of course be done in a manner that children can keep a safe distance to abide by all recommendations by CDC.
Choice Time - The children will have structured choice time where they can choose from a variety of small group activities. Many of the items they use will be their own to limit sharing. Any items that are shared will be sanitized between uses.
Literacy - We use a balanced approach to literacy that incorporates a blend of programs, including: Fundations, a phonics program; and Reader’s Workshop and Writer’s Workshop, a program that focuses on early reading skills and critical thinking skills. The blend of the programs will incorporate handwriting, shared reading and writing, poetry, writing, letter recognition and phonemic awareness.
Math Workshop - We will use Eureka/Engage NY for our math curriculum. This program helps children learn math in a hands on way and carefully sequences the mathematical progressions into expertly crafted modules.
STEM - The kindergarten class will have various opportunities to participate in STEM activities and they will be embedded throughout the curriculum year.
Social Studies - Social studies is woven into many areas of our curriculum. During literacy, morning meeting and even choice and recess time. We have several thematic units on family, community, and team builders.
