The Discovery Center
Child Care and Preschool

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Facilities

The Infant area

Infants have their own section of the school. The rest area is kept dark and we play soothing lullabies. Younger babies sleep in cribs and older babies that can walk sleep on cots so that they can walk to the play area once they awaken. The infant play area has a lot of toys, including rattles, shape sorters and other manipulatives. Equipment is all sized for infants, including a tiny table and chairs where the babies eat and a small slide for the babies who are able to walk.

The Toddler Area

Like the infant area, the toddler section contains age appropriate furniture and equipment. There is a slide for the toddlers to play on, a small climber and many toys. The tables and chairs where toddlers eat lunch is just the right size for the children and are also used for doing teacher-assisted art projects. The toddlers have their own potty area (supervised by a teacher), with small toilets and sinks that they can reach by themselves. There is also a section of the playground just for toddlers, complete with a playhouse, sandbox, safety swing and a small paved track where toddlers can ride bikes.

The Preschool Area

Transition Kids and Preschoolers share the remainder of the school area. Transition Kids stick together as a group while they move from room to room. Preschoolers are allowed to move freely among the following rooms (provided there is enough space):

The Blue Room

The "blue" room is modified Montessori. Many of the materials and equipment are Montessori, but we encourage the children to use them in respectful but interesting new ways. The children work individually, in small groups or with a teacher. The areas include math, language, geography, book corner, practical life, manipulatives and blocks.

The Science Room

The science room is a large sun room with windows on three sides and skylights. In the science room we do science experiments, cooking and dramatic play. There is a teacher-directed project and also individual projects for the children to do either on their own or with a little help from a teacher. The dramatic play area changes every three weeks and includes themes such as a bakery, restaurant, Hawaii and the circus.

The Brown Room

The toddlers call this the gym, as there is plenty of room to move. We have a playhouse with a loft, a climber, large soft blocks and big plastic blocks in the lower-level. In the upper-level there are duplos, cars, rubber animals and other toys. The teacher in this room sees that the child-initiated activities keep everyone happy and safe.

The Art Room

Twice a day the art room teacher prepares a project for the kids to do. We also have plenty of materials for the kids to use on their own. In addition to art there are three practical life activities set up and independent snack is available for the children to get when they are hungry. The emphasis in our art is process, not product. This makes each child's project unique.

The Playground

A large adventure playground has everything a child could need: paved surfaces for bike riding, a large grassy area for playing ball and running, two large sandboxes and a garden for the kids to plant their own vegetables and flowers.

Dramatic Play

In addition to the playhouse and loft in the brown room we have dramatic play in the science room. We set up such things as a hospital, Hawaii, pizza restaurant, fire station, office and so on to expand children's knowledge and encourage conversation and negotiation. When interest in a particular dramatic play theme wanes (generally after two to four weeks), we set up a new one.

Music

Music is a time for children to gather together with other children their own age. We start with movement activities: dances, marching and songs that require the children to follow directions. After that is singing. In addition to learning musical terms, we work on American Sign Language, phonics skills such as initial sounds and rhyming, math skills like shapes and counting, and sometimes songs in another language. All this is done in a playful manner as young children's learning is primarily incidental.

Cooking

Three or four times a week, the children prepare their own snack. Math skills (volume, measuring, counting), language skills (vocabulary, following directions), social skills (taking turns, sharing the finished project) are all learned by cooking. Plus, we get to eat what we made, which gives the kids a great sense of accomplishment.

Please email discoverycenter@charter.net or call 269-372-0007 to set up a tour.