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Programs
3-5 Year Old Program 3-5 Year Old Program The main goal for the children who attend the morning program is to achieve a comfortable separation. Because we view separation as a process and not an event, we recognize that we must continually support and acknowledge both the feelings of the child and the parent by reassuring them that it will be okay, Developing a trusting relationship with the family will help the child to separate more easily by recognizing that there are other adults in the school environment who are there to help. In addition, we try to maintain a consistency from day to day, so that each child feels a sense of routine, predictability and control. For the children who attend the afternoon program, the goal is kindergarten readiness. Throughout the afternoon children have many opportunities to practice language and literacy skills or to work on their math skills by counting or sorting or classifying objects. They have opportunities to talk about similarities and differences and to create patterns. They are encouraged to ask questions as a way to seek out information. In essence, we are trying to model for them how to learn and to problem solve both individually and as a group. We also do an alphabet book during the second half of the year. We talk about letters as upper case and lower case and stress the sound that each letter makes as we create a list of words beginning with the letter of the week. Outdoor play is also an important component of our program. When the children arrive at school each day, we take them outside, weather permitting, to our playground so that they can exercise their large muscles. Whether a child is trying to make his/her way across the monkey bars, ride trykes, pull someone in a wagon, walk across the balance beam, pump on the swings or dig in the sand areas, they are attempting behaviors that involve motor planning, balance and strength. It is a widely held view that unstructured physical play helps to reduce stress in children's lives that comes with having to achieve or needing to learn and research has shown that physical activity improves children's attentiveness and decreases restlessness. Children permitted to play freely with their peers develop skills for seeing another person's point of view by cooperating, helping, sharing, and solving problems. In addition, outdoor play gives children the opportunity to expand their imagination beyond the constraints of the classroom. Parents are also an important to our program and there are many ways that a parent can participate. Do you like to cook, bake or sew or do woodworking? Do you play a musical instrument? Are you a gardener? Are you artistic? Do you have an idea for a project you would like to do with your child's class or come in to read a story? We won't know if we don't ask, but the message is clear. Parent participation is welcomed and appreciated. Two-Can Program The program, like all Ravinia Nursery School's programs, will begin slowly with shorter hours. Although this is not a transition program, parents will be asked to accompany their children during the early days of school. However, when the children appear acclimated and comfortable, parents will not be expected to stay. Planned activities will include music and finger plays, easel painting, block corner, kitchen, and dress up. There will also be sensory exploration, which will include finger paint, water play, shaving cream, play-dough and sand. Physical activities will include using the playground equipment, balls and the parachute. Throughout the day teachers will observe the children and base activities on what they observe, always with attention to healthy separation and transitions. Teachers will read to the children and/or tell stories and will engage the children in age appropriate pre-literacy activities such as drawing, labeling areas of the room and encouraging left to right motor activities. The program will follow Ravinia Nursery School's developmental philosophy, by providing a safe, warm and nurturing environment which allows children to move at their own pace in a self directed manner. We feel it is important for children to feel good about themselves and school. We want them to discover that school is a place where they will be welcomed and accepted by warm and caring adults and find classrooms that are filled with opportunities to learn about the world in which they live. We support their growth and a continuing desire to learn. We believe that through play children are encouraged to interact with peers and to develop a respect for themselves and for others. We see children as family members and serve families accordingly. Parent and Child Two Year Old Program During your time spent in class, we feel it is important for the parent to play with their child. This is a unique opportunity for you to actively participate in your childıs early education. Planned activities will include music and finger plays, easel painting, block play, kitchen, and dress up. There will also be sensory exploration, which will include finger paint, water play, shaving cream, play-dough and sand. Physical activities will include using the playground equipment, bicycles and balls. The program will follow Ravinia Nursery School's developmental philosophy by providing a safe, warm and nurturing environment which allows children to move at their own pace in a self directed manner. We feel it is important for children to feel good about themselves and school. We want them to discover that school is a place where they will be welcomed and accepted by warm and caring adults and find classrooms that are filled with opportunities to learn about the world in which they live. We support their growth and a continuing desire to learn. We believe that through play children are encouraged to interact with peers and to develop a respect for themselves and for others. We see children as family members and serve families accordingly. Lunch Bunch The children will spend time doing a special project, such as art or cooking, a treasure hunt or nature walk, or hear a special story told. They will eat their lunch toward the end of the session before going to their class room or being picked up. The class is taught by the Executive Director, Kathy Olsen, and is assisted by a parent volunteer. Summer Camp Summer camp is open to children ages 3, 4 and 5. Many families send their child to the summer camp before starting our program which serves as a nice transition to the first year. In addition, many families also choose to send their child to the camp between the first and second year of our program so that their child will experience the continuity in environment that is so important to young children. |
Ravinia Nursery School offers an extracurricular "Lunch Bunch" program four days a week, Tuesday through
Friday. Two days are designated for the morning classes and two days are designated for the afternoon. There is a fall session, a winter session
and a spring session. Morning children bring their lunch to school in
the morning and go directly at 11:30 to the Lunch Bunch classroom until 12:15.
Afternoon children arrive at 11:45 with their lunch and go directly from Lunch Bunch to their classrooms at 12:30.
Ravinia Nursery School offers a seven-week summer camp program that meets 5 days a week from 9:00 AM to 12:15 PM.
Much of the program takes place outside on our playground. In addition to the playground equipment, the paint easels and
water tables are also brought outside. Activities involve sand and water play, group games, sport activities, arts and crafts
and special projects. The children also spend time singing, listening to stories, learning about pets, taking nature walks
and gardening. During the camp program the children will bring their lunch and end each day with a picnic on
the playground.