Pre-school and Pre-Kindergarten Enrollment

The Preschool and Pre-K Programs are geared towards your child from 3-5 years of age and are intended to smoothly transition your child into Kindergarten, encourage self dependence, boost self esteem and develop talents. Our programs provide learning experiences to enhance your child's social, emotional, academic, cognitive and developmental growth. The Center's primary objective is to link together your child, your family, and our staff in a balanced approach to learning.

The Environment

Willow Bend's Preschool DayCare Program provides a variety of learning experiences to foster the love of learning through fun, exploration, experimentation and hands-on activities.

The classrooms are bright and cheerful for visual stimulation. The staff takes pride in decorating the room with children's creative art work and projects.

The Preschool environment provides a theme based curriculum, learning centers, and a variety of learning materials. Children are taught to be independent and self reliant.

The room is divided into Learning Centers that focus on different areas like Language Arts, Math, Science, Home Living, Sensory, Large and Small Manipulatives, and Arts & Crafts.

Each room is equipped with a Computer Center, Library, and Listening Centers. Age appropriate computer programs, books and audio tapes enhance the curricular activities.

A posted daily schedule, weekly curriculum, and monthly calendar of special events are posted on the classroom bulletin board, and provide parents the opportunity to be involved in their child's day. Daily take-home worksheets and samples of concept and skill activities keep parents informed of their child's progress. Ability profiles are regularly maintained, and parent-teacher conferences are held periodically to graph your child's progress and ensure that your expectations are being met and exceeded.

Daycare Preschool Curriculum

WBLC, a Child DayCare Center offers an exceptional educational program that introduces academics through fun activities that not only invigorate the mind of a child but also boost independence, confidence and self-esteem. We challenge our children with a curriculum that captures their imagination, and a learning environment where they can make discoveries, solve problems, and think independently.

We believe that no one method of instruction is all comprehensive, we have drawn from several approaches like Whole Languages, Montessori Education, and Phonics, and use traditional and progressive methods of instruction to develop a well rounded curriculum that encourages the social, academic, and emotional growth of the child.

The Preschool Curriculum is theme based and covers Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Along with academics, our curriculum also incorporates Sign Language, Arts and Crafts, Science and Social Studies, Cooking, Computers, and Music.

Fine, Gross and Group Motor Activities are encouraged with a variety of small and large manipulatives, like puzzles, table toys, floor puzzles, pegboards, lacing, tying, folding, buttoning, three finger-punching, and circle time activities, among others.

Sensory and Cognitive Skills like discriminating shapes, sizes, colors, textures, sounds, and smells, are enhanced using award winning materials and developmental toys.

Language Development: Our Whole Languages approach to learning includes Letter songs, Alphabet stories, Verbal dictation, Phonics, Letter formation, Vocabulary building, Journal Writing, and Reading Readiness.

Storytelling, puppets, flannel boards and finger play add to the language experience and build on vocal and language skills.

Math Concepts are taught through integrated approaches, visual presentation, small manipulatives and hands on activities, group activities, counting, critical thinking, problem solving, and one-on-one instruction.

Science and Social Studies are part of the curriculum, and help children explore a different concept each week in a hands-on way.

Topics focusing on Health & Nutrition promote good health and hygiene habits and nutritional awareness.

Music plays a big role in encouraging musical movements and rhythm, language development, group plays, singing and dancing. Apart from daily music and movement, our music teacher conducts a special music class once a week that incorporates puppet shows, catchy lyrics, instruments, singing, and dancing.

Hands-On theme based Arts and Crafts and Nature Walks are fun to do and develop cognitive skills, and refine eye-hand coordination.

Cooking is the most fun part of the curriculum, where simple theme based edible 'projects' are a grand finale to the learning experience.

Recently we introduced "Special Activities" where the children focus on a special co-curricular activity daily with a special instructor. The special activities include TotYoga, Music & Movement, Outdoor Learning, Gardening in the Willowberetum, Computer Lab, and TotOrigami. There is no extra charge for these activities.

The Outdoor Playground is equipped with a variety of outdoor gyms, slides, climbing equipment, and a basketball court. "Willow Bend Village", our indoor play gym, replicates a village square and is meant for socio dramatic play along with slides and ball pits, and is a wonderful refuge especially on days when the weather does not permit outdoor play.

Senior Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten classes go for fun monthly Field Trips to different places like the arboretum, the farm, harvest patch, children's museum and many more. Field Trips provide excellent opportunities for the children to learn while having fun and to put their social and group skills to the test.