Preschool / Pre-Kindergarten
When Sue Dunkley founded the first New Horizon preschool program in 1971, her goal was to provide an environment that would foster the development of self-esteem for every child. That same Commitment to Excellence continues to flourish in each and every New Horizon Academy preschool classroom today. Our exceptional preschool program includes:
- Our Creative Discoveries Preschool Curriculum, developed exclusively for New Horizon Academy by our team of Early Childhood experts
- Beautifully equipped and well-enhanced classrooms, with careful consideration given to the selection of developmentally appropriate learning materials
- Ample opportunities for your child to work in a large group, small group, or individually on specific school readiness skills
- Daily teacher/parent communication
The New Horizon preschool classroom revolves around nine learning centers. Your child will practice, explore, perfect, and thoroughly enjoy mastering new skills in these important learning areas:
Art: An area for creative and messy activities, including a variety of art materials and an easel for creating unique masterpieces
Sensory:A hands-on area for exploring how things feel, smell, taste, look, and sound. Our sensory table or tubs might be filled with sand and shells one day, water or snow another day, or even bubbles, seeds, or clay!
Blocks: This active area promotes muscle development, coordination, thinking, and problem solving skills, as well as cooperative play. A variety of large and small blocks are complimented with cars, trucks, road signs, and even floor mats of roads, farms, and cities.
Math and Science: This center includes materials to encourage the development of counting skills, numeral recognition, and other math skills like sorting, sequencing, and measurement. Your child will also explore the wonders of science, with experiments involving floating and sinking, balance, or magnetic attraction, as well as a plethora of activities that teach about nature and the world around us.
Language: This is a wonderfully enriched area of the preschool classroom. A wide variety of quality children's literature is available, along with soft seating to encourage children to snuggle up and enjoy a good book. Puppets, flannel board stories, and a listening center make this a special part of our classroom.
Manipulatives: This center is stocked with a variety of toys and materials to enhance the development of fine motor skills and thinking skills. Your child will enjoy explore the colorful toys and puzzles with friends. Our shelves and storage bins are clearly labeled for easy access and clean up.
Large Motor: Preschool children enjoy group games and other active movement experiences. The large motor center gives them the opportunity to jump, hop, march, and play games with their friends either in the classroom or on the playground.
Music and Movement: Strike up the band! This center contains musical instruments, tapes and a tape player, CDs and a CD player, song books, and other musical materials. It's a lively place for fun and motion.
Dramatic Play: Let's pretend! This is an area that encourages creativity and imagination. Children have the chance to try on different occupations, be Mom or Dad, dress a doll, or prepare and serve an imaginative meal. Preschoolers grasp a greater awareness of the world around them through this type of imaginative play.
New Horizon's preschool program offers children many opportunities to develop new interests, explore their world in creative and imaginative ways, master new skills, and build a solid foundation of self-esteem and respect for themselves and others.