Preschool is delightful! Each day is full of exploration, play, learning, and community, all done under the guidance of qualified teachers who love God and love kids. We have three big goals for our three- and four-year-olds: to deepen their love for the Lord, to grow their love of learning, and to become independent inside and outside of the classroom. Each day, students work on important skills that teachers intentionally help them put into practice.

For instance, three-year-old students were community builders by creating a sign to welcome veterans home from the airport. Over several days, they explored what signs are used for in their classroom and then applied that learning in a meaningful, real-world way.

We also see our place-based preschool class studying water through a variety of engaging, hands-on experiences, from water play to building a rain barrel, while exploring why access to clean water is so important.

To extend learning and share God’s love, teachers challenged students to earn coins for Filters of Hope by completing acts of service outside their normal routines. Children got busy emptying the dishwasher, bringing in wood for a fire, organizing shoes and coats, washing windows, helping grandparents, and more! At school, students eagerly shared how they helped at home and used their earned coins to purchase four water filters for people in need! Our preschoolers reflected that helping others made them feel good.

These experiences are a great example of how teachers design learning that is engaging, meaningful, and connected to real needs so that students see AND live God’s story.