Thank you for showing an interest in our school. The use of the word "play" in our name is not incidental. Our program is based on the premise that play is the work of children. Play gives children first-hand experiences that help them learn about their world and the people who inhabit it. Most importantly, it helps them find their place in it.

For many children, the early childhood program is the first experience outside of the extended family. Children need to feel as though they are moving into a safe and predictable environment. The Playschool is small enough so that a teacher and a parent assistant can keep every child in view. Our daily routine is unvarying during the early months and our rules are clear cut and based upon child safety.

Our program balances child-initiated and teacher-directed activities. The first hour and a half is called Activity Time. The classroom is set up with activity centers. In a typical day the children have the following choices: easel painting, water table, sand table, block play, puzzles, art activites, play dough, housekeeping, dress-up, musical instruments, office/work center, language area with books, audio tapes and headphones, flannel board stories, and finally, a science table. The children move through these activities, as they choose, with teachers participating and assisting along the way. The children are getting first-hand experiences in exploration, struggle, discovery, problem solving, socialization, compromise and negotiation.

Clean-up Time is one of the most important learning opportunities. We spend at least 12-15 minutes, with each child actively involved. The children then gather together in the language area for a teacher-directed group time where theme-related songs, stories and activities are presented. During this time, the class is actively involved in learning more about the weekly theme, as well as name recognition, colors, shapes, numbers and spatial concepts.

Following group time, the children then wash up in preparation for a shared snack time. Parents provide nutritious snacks on a rotating schedule. The children assist with the set-up and clean up.

The morning ends with outdoor play, weather permitting. The Playschool has access to four outdoor areas near the school, all located on the RPI University campus. One is a fenced-in area just outside our classroom door. Another is a paved courtyard which allows us to use roller skates, tricycles and other wheeled vehicles. The RPI campus also has made available to us two other play areas within walking distance of the school. Whenever the weather does not cooperate, we have several large motor pieces of equipment for indoor play, which are set up around the room.

The ages of our children are mixed - three to five years - and we have many for whom English is a second language. We have a rich, multi-national, multi-cultural mix of families. Everybody in the school learns about different
languages and customs.

Come see us in action! We are located in the basement of the Bryckwyck Apartments (Entry E) of the RPI Married Student Housing area. We invite you to visit us any morning from 8:30 to 11:30am.

To learn more about our teacher at the Playschool, please visit
Chrissie's blog at TheChildhoodTutor.com