What is your preschooler learning?

skibunny59 · November 2015

Just wondering what other preschool programs are like. DD age 3 started preschool in September. She goes 3 full days a week. I feel like she's not really doing much besides playing with toys. For example, they did playdoh once the first week she started and have never done it again. They never do things like play with sand table or any tactile things like that. Arts and crafts they were doing quite a bit in the beginning of the school year but now it's been awhile since they brought home an art project. They have never once used scissors with the kids which I think is odd.

I can log in and watch her and I do see them doing circle time, story time, snack time, outside play, free play in the classroom. They do letters and numbers and practicing tracing letters and numbers. She comes home with a worksheet at least once a week.

I know they need lots of playtime at this age but I guess it just bothers me that they don't do more creative activities with them. Otherwise I am happy but many other preschools I toured said they do art everyday, cooking, playdoh etc

tracij12 · November 2015

My DD is almost 4 and has been going to her preschool/daycare since she was 1. We get a newletter every month that provides details on which letters, number, shapes and colors they are working on for the month and what "theme" they will be using to guide circle time discussions and story/book selections.

I know when I try to do anything with my DD at home she only has so much attention span and I am sure the same is true at school and that is magnified by having so many other kids and distracted so it doesn't bother me that structured "learning" time is probably on the lower side.

Our center also has a philosophy that nothing is "just play" (using quotes not to call out anything you said but because they actually have a poem they send to us a few times a year to remind us). Rather everything they do is stimulating some kind of learning or growth in the children and they utilize age appropriate toys to foster that.

Also, I learned that just because the art isn't coming home doesn't mean they aren't doing it. Sometimes they send home with friends or teachers or they display it and it will come home in larger batches.

I would say as long as you feel like your little one is happy and generally becoming a smarter and more capable little human, I wouldn't worry about exactly what they are doing at school. But, if you are really bothered by it, I would try to spend a few hours a month (if you can swing it) helping in the class to get a feel for what they are doing and have a talk with her teachers. I know my little girl's teachers love to share how they are structuring activities and play time to bring the best out in the children.

BabySeaTurtles · November 2015

DS is 3 and what you are saying sounds very similar to what we are experiencing except I think it's totally fine. Mastery of letters and numbers is what should be happening now. Holding a crayon correctly. Learning days of the week and months of the year. I would be upset if I heard they had been handling scissors at this point. I do not feel 3 year olds are mature enough to handle them unless there is legit one-on-one time with an adult going on and that cannot happen in a classroom setting most of the time. Lots of learning still occurs during play and they soak up so much during story time and through singing. I would just ask the teacher when you pick up your DD what specifically was worked on that day and if there is anything they have noticed that needs more focus at home.

skibunny59 · November 2015

Thanks Ladies! For the most part we are happy. Her teachers are very sweet. I just wanted to make sure what she is doing is normal for a preschool program.
In regards to the scissors, DD already is familiar with cutting and can cut straight and curved lines on paper by herself so I had no idea it wasn't appropriate for this age. I can understand why they wouldn't do scissors yet though in a class setting at this young age.

Bigboobsmcgee · November 2015

I answered on the other thread but I'll post it here too:

My son is 3.5 and just moved up to pre-k so his curriculum has changed a bit BUT I am very pleased with the activities at the school he goes to. I liked what I saw when I did the tour and that helped me make the decision to put him here rather than just a play centered daycare type place.

In his preschool class they focus on certain subjects or areas for about 3 weeks at a time then move on to something else. Some things they've learned about are transportation, nature and seasons, buildings/architecture and then friendship/feelings. Besides these items, they practice letters, drawing, writing, etc. They also take nature walks, have outside play and then learn basics about socialization and sharing through the use of "stations" in the classroom.

The things he now does in pre-k are more advanced than what he did in the preschool class I get a daily sheet outlining the days activities and what they focused on and a weekly sheet letting me know what they would be doing and working on each day.

If you are concerned about what she is learning or doing can you talk to the director?

KyCade3013 · February 2016

Hey, my daughter is 3.5 and in preschool. They mostly play and do art. They teach them the calendar, how to count in English, French, Spanish and Japanese but only to 10. However* the only numbers they can identify by words and not just sequence are the English numbers. In my opinion, it's all play in preschool and should be about social interaction. Counting and even reading is like teaching to memorize a song, any toddler can do it.

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