The St. Paul Early Childhood Center consists of play based programs in a Christian setting. Full day preschool care is available year round for children 2 1/2 to 6 years of age. School year preschool is available September through June from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon, but Full day childcare runs throughout the year.
Preschool Schedule (sample)- Liberty Street Campus
7:30 - Full-day children begin arriving. Some have breakfast. After breakfast, children may choose activities in the classroom. These include art (drawing, stamps, cutting, gluing), books on own or read to by teacher, dramatic play, activities with manipulatives involving sorting, sewing, matching, playing games with other children and/or teacher, care for and visit with classroom pets, science exploration, play instruments, use a variety of toys for construction and imaginative play. On occasion the children will do songs, finger plays, or circle games as a group.
9:00 - Preschool (9-12) children arrive. Children continue in free choice time. They may choose any of the activities listed above. The art room will be open for painting, sensory play (water, sand and another tactile materials), dough or clay, story tapes, other art activities.
9:30 - Circle Time! We have a brief greeting, theme-based story, occasional charting / graphing / listing activities, sharing items from home, science demonstrations. The children will be introduced to the day's activities. After choosing the daily helpers, we wash hands and go to snack. Field trips, movement, music and other special activities may happen at this time.
9:50 - Snack - We pray and eat as a group.
10:00 - Free Choice - Children may choose activities listed above. In addition, there will be specific activities, generally based around a theme: dictated writing, small group activities, cooking projects. There will be activities based on specific and mathematical concepts as well. Children may be offered activities, but will have the option to refuse.
11:20 - Clean-up / Religion Circle time - Children put away toys under the teacher's supervision and meet for a second circle time. We will share some activities that the children have participated in. Then we do a daily Bible story or devotion based on the religion theme, do a song or finger play and other activities. On a weekly basis, we will tell a flannel story based on a Bible story. Children learn the basic stories included in the Old and New Testament. Christmas and Easter are major holidays.
11:30 - Large motor play in the gym or outdoors. On occasion, we will begin with a specific motor activity such as parachute play or dance. Children have a free choice of activities: bikes, climbing structure, large blocks, play houses, balls and other equipment in the gym; swings, sandbox, climbers, garden, chalk, and other activities outdoors.
12:00 - Children who attend from 9am - 12pm depart.
12:20 - Lunch for full-day children. Children bring lunches from home, which we prepare. After eating, children use toilet and prepare for a nap.
1:00 - Stories and nap / rest - Children rest on mats and hear stories read by teachers.
2:45 - At about this time, some children begin rising. Children who have finished napping or who do not nap, but rest, get up. They use the toilet, wash hands to prepare for snack.
3:00 - Snack and playtime - All children are offered snack. After snack there is free choice play in the classroom or art room.
3:30-5:30 - Children either go outside for walks in the neighborhood, to the playground, or gym. Parents pick up.