Our Curriculum
Free play is a period of time when a child is free to choose from a wide variety of games, toys, puzzles, or gross motor activities. Children are gaining a newfound sense of independence through mobility and the freedom of choice allows them to further exercise this skill. Games, toys, and puzzles are specifically selected to meet the child’s developmental needs. Some of the free play activities include:
Manipulative- this area includes puzzles, small building blocks, small vehicles, pegboard games, string beads, and so forth. These activities encourage the child’s development of problem-solving techniques and fine motor skills along with knowledge about how objects relate to each other.
Water table/dry pour tables- Allows children to experience a wide variety of textures such as water, sand, dirt, rice, and beans. Objects such as cylinders, measuring cups, bowls, and funnels are placed on the tables to enable children to experiment with pouring, dumping, and scooping. This encourages fine motor skill development in addition to increasing their knowledge about various textures and materials and the characteristics of these objects.
Book Area- This area is established in a quiet corner of the room. Books are available for children to look are and to manipulate. Books are a great language facilitator and a wonderful way to introduce children to the joy that can be found through reading.
Play-Doh/Clay table - These materials are available for children to roll, squeeze, pound, and mold. Play-Doh encourages fine motor strength and manipulation and also encourages the development of knowledge about type or texture and materials. This is another area where language should be used to describe actions, texture, and characteristics.
Music Corner - Musical instruments are available for manipulation for the entertainment of children. Music helps children to begin to develop a sense of rhythm through dance, swaying and clapping. However, music can also become a part of every activity, and adults are encouraged to sing with children many times during the day.
Special Activities- These include art and cooking experiences in which the child can actively participate. Art actives include painting, using various materials and on various textures, gluing a variety of items on paper, Styrofoam, etc. As well as drawing with pens, crayons, markers and colored pencils on various materials. Cooking exercises including simple recipes that enable children to observe cause and effect relationships and to see how things are made. These special activities provide children with an additional learning experience through the manipulation of materials.
Prime Time for Learning Sign Language:
Did you know the best time to learn Sign Language is now more than ever, researchers are confirming what we at Morning Stars Learning Program have known for years-children do their most important learning before the age of five. That's why in addition to lots of love and attention, everything we do at Morning Stars involves early childhood development.
A Program based on the latest research:
Learning familiar Signs Language for greetings; colors, numbers, and terms for a family member, body parts, clothes, pets, and farm animals.
Practicing Sign Language by signing to teachers and other children
Learning in a fun, relaxed manner with music, rhythm and movement, games, puzzles, and picture cards
Discovering Sign Language culture through books, stories, and videos
