PK5

The Pre-K5 Curriculum At Kid Academy In Gulfport, MS

The Pre-K5 year is designed to prepare our students to take the next big step to kindergarten. We use this special time to make sure our students acquire the all-important social-emotional, physical, and academic skills they will need to be successful learners in elementary school. We structure our days around playful, enriching activities that we provide in a safe, loving environment, and we offer plenty of opportunities for parent involvement both in school and at home. The Pre-K5 year is an exciting time because we see so much growth and learning taking place.

DIG: Develop. Inspire. Grow!

At Kid Academy, we are proud to offer the DIG curriculum. It’s a comprehensive research-based curriculum designed to promote development in all the major learning domains and to make sure children are ready to be successful in kindergarten. We focus on the following areas of learning and development in every class, every day.

Social-Emotional Development: Children learn and work together in whole group and small group activities throughout the day. Children are encouraged to share their work and support each other’s successes.

Oral Language and Vocabulary: Vocabulary is a big part of the Pre-K5 program because it’s the foundation of literacy. We encourage you to daily talk, tell stories and use their WOW Words, robust vocabulary words they’ll learn and practice.

Literacy: The DIG curriculum provides a literacy-rich environment. During the Pre-K5 year, children will encounter and engage with hundreds of books, stories, songs, and other materials that will help them develop the language and literacy skills they’ll need to become strong readers. In addition, they’ll meet the Letter People, friendly characters that teach letters and phonics.

Math: In Pre-K5, children will learn all about numbers. They will develop skills such as counting, adding, and subtracting. They’ll also get to practice sorting, measuring, and matching patterns through fun hands-on activities with manipulatives.

Science, Social Studies, Health and Safety: Our goal in Pre-K5 is to make sure children acquire basic knowledge in these areas through an integrated, inquiry-based learning approach. We encourage them to ask questions and guide their exploration.

Gross and Fine Motor Skills: Physical skills are an important part of a child’s overall development, and we promote both gross and fine motor skills through playful activities. Gross motor development refers to the big muscle groups that allow children to do things like run, jump, climb, and throw or catch a ball. Fine motor development is all about the fingers and hands as children learn do things like stack blocks, hold a pencil, and tie their shoes.

A Typical Day

A day in a Pre-K5 class is structured to keep children busy and engaged from beginning to end. Although each day presents its own unique opportunities, we always incorporate the following activities.

Circle Time: Each day begins with a whole group activity with children sitting together in a circle. It’s an opportunity for teachers and children to review recent learning activities, share news, and prepare for the day ahead.

Developmental Learning Sequences: After that, the day is broken into bite-size chunks that alternate learning new material in whole-group circle time and then practicing in small-group center activities. Learning activities integrate different subject matters and involve fun and engaging materials.

Meals: Children will also sit down together for snacks and lunch. Each meal time is an opportunity to learn about important etiquette rules (including table manners and clean-up) and about healthy food choices.

Outdoor Time: Outdoor time is an important part of every day because it allows children not only to release some energy and socialize freely, but also to develop their gross motor skills. Through supervised play-time, they can safely practice jumping, running, throwing, catching, swinging, and all the skills they need in order to be healthy and confident.

Parent Involvement

We appreciate your choosing Kid Academy and trusting us with the care and education of your precious children! We will be communicating with you frequently and regularly about your child’s progress, and we strongly encourage you to ask us any questions you have at any time. Parents play a crucial role in their children’s education, and we want to support you in supporting them. As your children engage with the DIG curriculum this year, these are some of the things you can do to promote even more learning at home.

Read Aloud: Reading books together as a daily routine is one of the best things parents can do to promote a love of books and development of literacy skills. Not only is reading a book together a wonderful bonding activity, but it also introduces children to a wide range of vocabulary that they may not encounter in their everyday conversations. If you have any questions about how to find appropriate reading materials for your child, your child’s teacher will be happy to make recommendations.

Talk and Listen: By asking specific questions about your child’s day, you can encourage your child to reflect on his or her experiences and learning. Ask your child to tell you about the WOW word of the day, the Letter People, or a favorite game. Talking and encouraging your child to talk are great ways to promote oral language skills and vocabulary development.

Do Learning Activities Together: Every week, we will send home a Family Fun Letter with suggestions for activities that you can do at home with your child. Our curriculum also provides online access to many ideas and activities that support what the children are learning in class each week.

We believe in the value of strong school-family partnerships, and we invite parents to visit their children’s classrooms, see what their children are learning and doing each day, and get to know their teachers and friends. The Pre-K5 year is a time of monumental growth in a young child’s life, and we look forward to seeing each one of our students develop the skills and confidence they need to make a successful transition to elementary school.