Charity’s 3-Year-Old Preschool Class
Our 3-year-old class reflects the same loving Christian environment that defines our school, while focusing on building strong developmental foundations for lifelong learning. At this age, we emphasize social-emotional growth, language development, early literacy and math exposure, and hands-on exploration through play.
We blend the Play to Learn Preschool curriculum with the STREAMin³ framework to create a classroom experience that is both joyful and intentional. Children learn through themed centers, guided small groups, outdoor exploration, music, art, and meaningful teacher interaction. Rather than pushing early academics, we focus on building confidence, curiosity, and foundational skills that prepare children for Pre-K and beyond.
Our small class size allows teachers to truly know each child — how they learn, how they communicate, and how they grow. We support independence, emotional regulation, and cooperative play while introducing early academic concepts in developmentally appropriate ways.
The 3-year-old program runs from September through May, with Summer Camp option available in June and July.
We blend the Play to Learn Preschool curriculum with the STREAMin³ framework to create a classroom experience that is both joyful and intentional. Children learn through themed centers, guided small groups, outdoor exploration, music, art, and meaningful teacher interaction. Rather than pushing early academics, we focus on building confidence, curiosity, and foundational skills that prepare children for Pre-K and beyond.
Our small class size allows teachers to truly know each child — how they learn, how they communicate, and how they grow. We support independence, emotional regulation, and cooperative play while introducing early academic concepts in developmentally appropriate ways.
The 3-year-old program runs from September through May, with Summer Camp option available in June and July.
What We Build All Year |
Rather than teaching skills once and moving on, we develop them steadily through daily routines, guided play, and intentional conversations.
Our program builds the foundations children need for future success in:
Our program builds the foundations children need for future success in:
Relationships
- Building secure teacher relationships
- Turn-taking and cooperative play
- Recognizing and responding to others’ feelings
Self-Regulation
- Following classroom routines
- Managing transitions
- Naming emotions
- Beginning self-control
Communication
- Expanding vocabulary
- Speaking in longer sentences
- Listening during stories
- Asking and answering questions
Thinking Skills
- Problem-solving during play
- Predicting outcomes
- Exploring cause and effect
- Flexible thinking
Physical Development
- Fine motor strengthening (cutting, grasp, early writing skills)
- Gross motor coordination and balance
These skills deepen from fall to spring as children grow in independence.
Academic Foundations
Academic learning is woven naturally into centers and thematic units. For our 3-year-olds, the goal is exposure and understanding, not pressure or early mastery.
Early Literacy
Children explore:
Children explore:
- Name recognition
- Rhyming and sound awareness
- Letter exposure (especially in their names)
- Story listening and retelling
- Early writing attempts
Math Development
Children build:
Math is embedded in play — not worksheets.
Children build:
- Counting with meaning
- Sorting and classifying
- Shape recognition
- Patterning
- Comparing amounts (more/less)
- Beginning number recognition
Math is embedded in play — not worksheets.
Science & Exploration
Through seasonal themes and inquiry, children investigate:
Through seasonal themes and inquiry, children investigate:
- Weather and seasons
- Living vs. nonliving
- Plants and animals
- Simple experiments
- Observing and predicting
Social-Emotional Growth
This is a central focus of our 3’s program.
Children learn to:
This is a central focus of our 3’s program.
Children learn to:
- Identify emotions
- Share materials
- Use words instead of physical reactions
- Develop empathy
- Begin resolving simple conflicts with support
Creative Expression
Children engage in:
Children engage in:
- Open-ended art
- Dramatic play
- Music and movement
- Imaginative storytelling
Our Approach
Play to Learn provides rich themes, literacy and math exposure, and engaging centers.
STREAMin³ adds intentional interaction, thoughtful questioning, and strong support for self-regulation and deeper thinking.
Together, they create a balanced, developmentally appropriate preschool experience that prepares children for future learning while protecting the joy of childhood.
Play to Learn provides rich themes, literacy and math exposure, and engaging centers.
STREAMin³ adds intentional interaction, thoughtful questioning, and strong support for self-regulation and deeper thinking.
Together, they create a balanced, developmentally appropriate preschool experience that prepares children for future learning while protecting the joy of childhood.