Comprehensive Child Care Programs at Iliff Preschool & Kindergarten
Our Programs
Toddler (1-2Yr)
We understand that toddlers learn best in a nurturing environment where they feel secure, allowing them the confidence to explore and discover.
The toddler curriculum encompasses all aspects of the child’s day. For instance, diaper changes present perfect opportunities for learning experiences: engaging in language, gently singing to the child, conveying that it’s not a hurried experience, and emphasizing the child’s value. Throughout the day, teachers capitalize on these caregiving moments, crucial in early life, transforming them into meaningful and positive experiences for healthy child development.
In addition to individual caregiving moments, teachers carefully plan and organize environments to provide experiences that enhance:
- Motor Development: reaching, crawling in and out, jumping, throwing, and pulling.
- Cognitive Development: understanding object permanence, cause and effect experiences, language acquisition, listening, and responding to sounds and voices facilitated by reading and sharing picture books.
- Social Development: engaging in play with others, fostering positive peer interactions, and expressing emotions towards others.
Planning for toddlers doesn’t necessarily involve “lessons” but rather opportunities for experiences. Teachers consider children’s individual differences and their knowledge of child development when organizing materials for the room. Planning is informed by observations and assessments of the children, incorporating their interests, new skills, and reactions to materials. As children grow and change, teachers adapt the classroom environment accordingly. They may introduce more challenging equipment or incorporate different materials to align with weekly themes. A classroom may look significantly different at the end of the year compared to the beginning!
Toddlers (2-3Yr)
Drawing from the latest research, children aged 2-3 develop crucial social skills as they engage in various activities, learning about their classmates. They grasp the concepts of trust and being trusted, while also acquiring techniques for interpersonal interactions and understanding the importance of contributing to a community.
The curriculum, centered on play and themed activities, integrates literacy, math, science, social studies, and creative arts. Purposeful exploration centers are designed to feature art, small manipulatives, drama, blocks, music, library, science, and writing/interactive media. Some curriculum explorations include: School, Me and My Family, My Five Senses, Colors, Measurements, Numbers, Community Places and Helpers, Safety, and Social Studies.
Each day commences with a welcome circle, incorporating calendar activities, weather discussions, job assignments, and daily events. Large group activities encompass story circles, engaging children with books, puppets, finger plays, felt board activities, games, and songs. The day concludes with a closing circle, providing a quiet reflection time introducing literacy activities, reflecting on the day’s experiences, and preparing for the arrival of parents and guardians.
Recognizing the common concerns parents have regarding potty learning, teachers share resources emphasizing patience, timing, and consistency to ensure a positive experience. They encourage potty use at each diaper change, ensure access to the potty, aid parents in transitioning to underwear, and teach children how to change their own clothing.
Classroom management employs principles from the Love and Logic approach developed by Jim Fay and Charles Fay, Ph.D. Teachers allow children to learn from the consequences of their actions, utilizing redirection, a cozy corner, key phrases, and positive reinforcement to help children internalize rules for appropriate behavior.
Early Preschool (2½-4 Yr)
Curriculum in early preschool is child-centered and play-based, encompassing various domains including physical, health and safety, cognitive and language development, emerging literacy, math, science and technology, the arts, social studies, and interactive media. Teachers tailor plans according to the diverse interests and abilities of the children in the classroom. This flexible approach allows for easy modification of the curriculum in response to daily occurrences. An unexpected question may spark an interesting discussion or provide an opportunity for a teacher to share a special skill with the children.
To support the children in developing their emerging literacy skills, teachers have adopted Building Language for Literacy, a researched, play-based program designed to prepare children for reading success. Characters like Nina the Naming Newt, Leo the Letter Loving Lobster, and Reggie the Rhyming Rhino engage children in fun activities while building foundational skills in oral language, phonological awareness, concepts of print, and alphabetic knowledge. Integrated with “Building Language for Literacy” are child-initiated experiences centered around learning centers, including dramatic play, blocks/construction/large motor activities, creative arts, writing table, library, sensory and science exploration, math, interactive media, and small manipulatives.
Acknowledging that parents often have questions regarding potty training, teachers are available to share resources while emphasizing patience, timing, and consistency to ensure a positive experience. They encourage potty use at each stage of diaper changes, always provide access to the potty, assist parents in transitioning their child to wearing underwear, and teach children how to change their clothing independently.
Preschool (3-4 Yr)
Curriculum in our preschool program is child-centered and play-based, covering a range of domains including physical development, health and safety, cognitive and language skills, emerging literacy, math, science and technology (STEAM), the arts, social studies, and interactive media. Teachers craft plans based on the unique interests and abilities of the children in their classroom. This flexible approach enables teachers to adjust and adapt the curriculum easily in response to daily occurrences. An unexpected question may spark an engaging discussion, investigation, or provide an opportunity for a parent to share a special skill with the children.
We have selected the Learning Beyond Paper curriculum for our preschool program. It is a hands-on curriculum designed to cater to children with diverse developmental needs and interests. Children’s skills flourish when they actively participate in their learning, fostering problem-solving abilities and encouraging them to inquire with questions like “why.” Integrated with this curriculum are child-initiated experiences centered around learning centers, including dramatic play, block play, large motor activities, creative arts, writing activities, library time, sensory exploration, math activities, interactive coding technology, and small manipulatives.
Pre-kindergarten (4-5 Yr)
Our pre-K program is meticulously crafted with a comprehensive curriculum and staffed by highly qualified and trained educators. Our overarching goal is to nurture the holistic development of each child by providing enriching experiences that promote intellectual, social, emotional, and physical growth.
Enrichment Components:
- S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)
- Yoga and meditation
- Creative movement
- Music activities
Educational Approach:
Our teachers are dedicated to cultivating a positive self-identity, fostering respect for others, encouraging self-expression, nurturing curiosity and imagination, and promoting responsibility. They employ a comprehensive yet flexible curriculum to organize daily learning activities. While we acknowledge that no single curriculum is superior, our program is structured around curricula with specific objectives that seamlessly integrate learning across cognitive, physical, social, and emotional domains.
Learning Opportunities:
We provide a diverse array of daily opportunities for children to make choices within various learning centers, including language and reasoning, science, math, block play, dramatic play, art, music, and interactive media. Each day, children engage in whole-class activities, small group sessions, and individual interactions with the teacher. This approach ensures that every child can reinforce their unique strengths while embracing the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of our students.
Academic Foundations:
Throughout the year, pre-kindergarteners are introduced to phonemes, the individual sound units in words. They may engage with the Letter People program, a thematically organized curriculum aligned with national and state standards, to develop phonemic awareness through playful activities such as singing, storytelling, reading, finger plays, poetry, and rhymes. Printing skills are honed using Handwriting Without Tears, a program that incorporates play, singing, and building letters to develop essential printing skills. Mathematical concepts such as counting, shapes, patterns, calendar, and money are introduced through Everyday Math. We also prioritize the development of large and small motor skills, as well as self-expression through art and dramatic play.
Our Kindergarten Classroom: Inside a Real DC7 Airplane
Our kindergarten classroom, set within a REAL DC7 Airplane, embodies the thrill of learning. At this age, children eagerly join the “community of learners,” yearning to read and write, add and subtract, delve into science and technology, and embrace cultural and familial diversities. Harnessing this enthusiasm, we select curricula that not only fosters a love for learning but also lays a foundation to serve them throughout their lives.
Curriculum Approach:
Drawing from Denver Public Schools Modules, which align with Colorado Kindergarten Standards, and leveraging our experience with 5-6-year-olds, we’ve crafted a play-based curriculum. This curriculum blends exploration and discovery with the perfect mix of reality and imagination. Children engage with teachers in whole-group and small-group settings, immersing themselves in literature, songs, read-along tapes, games, poems, art posters, maps, pre-decodable and decodable books, and take-home packets. These activities foster print awareness, phonological and phonemic instruction, alphabetic word recognition, vocabulary development, reading fluency, and comprehension. Writing naturally emerges as children incorporate it into their pretend play and journals. Our literacy program is enriched by resources such as Reading from A-Z, an internet site offering a comprehensive reading curriculum, along with literacy activities inspired by practices from Debbie Miller and Lucy Calkins.
Discovery Centers:
Our discovery centers are strategically arranged to integrate literacy with social studies, science and technology, health and safety, fine arts, mathematics, and interactive media. Outdoor centers promote exploration and the development of more challenging gross motor skills, often incorporating science and math activities.
STEM Education:
Each week, we invite a professional teacher in STEM to contribute to our curriculum, making science engaging through the four disciplines of STEM education: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Children experiment with balance, symmetry, material properties, bridge building, fossil creation, windmill construction, and explore the effects of water corrosion on the earth, among other activities.
Summer Adventure Day Camp (Post KG-12Yr)
Our unique Summer Adventure Day Camp, catering to post-kindergarteners and school-age children, is designed to emphasize fun, recreation, adventure, creativity, and learning. Our dedicated camp counselors focus on creating experiences that foster positive peer relationships through engaging activities like swimming, sports, and
exciting field trips that complement our weekly themes.
Operating Hours:
Camp runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. The start and end dates of the camp coincide with the Denver Public School schedule, which varies each year. We observe Independence Day by closing on July 4th or the weekend preceding it. Registration forms are available in January preceding the first day of camp. Due to the popularity of our Summer Adventure Day Camp, you can reserve a spot for your camper by calling us before January. For further information, please contact us at 303-757-3551.
Qualified Staff:
We take pride in the warmth, diversity, and expertise of our camp counselors, many of whom have been with us for years. Our counselors have backgrounds in education or related fields. They are trained and experienced in understanding and meeting children’s developmental needs and are certified in CPR/First Aid and Universal Precautions.
Enriching Curriculum:
Our curriculum acknowledges that children who have completed kindergarten through the ages of 12 thrive on challenges, friendships, and responsibility. We offer a wide range of activities, including scaling our climbing wall, exploring creative arts and crafts, engaging in exciting science experiments, hiking in wilderness parks, and much more – all tailored to enrich our unique weekly themes. Campers are encouraged to contribute to activity planning, ensuring that our programming reflects individual and group interests as well as cultural backgrounds.
Exciting Field Trips:
Campers enjoy field trips 2-3 times a week in our privately owned bus, equipped with cell phones and driven by staff with current Commercial Driver’s Licenses. Destinations such as Observatory Park and Bible Park are just a short bus ride away. Other favorite trips, which align with our weekly themes, include visits to reservoirs for sunning, exploration of various parks, and hikes through scenic spots like Lair O’ The Bear.
Our staff believes in the significance of the outdoor classroom, understanding that learning occurs here in ways that cannot be replicated within the confines of indoor walls. We boast eight playgrounds, each individually fenced and tailored to different age groups. Children seamlessly transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, where they are encouraged to explore and discover their environment.
Staff members plan open-ended activities for children to:
- Refine their motor skills.
- Experiment with and manipulate natural and man-made materials.
- Focus attention on sounds and sensory experiences.
- Classify, group, compare, and describe objects in nature.
- Engage in meaningful conversations reflective of their experiences with the environment’s materials.
- Actively participate in games and activities that promote physical wellness, balance, and coordination.
- Develop a sense of safety outdoors, fostering self-confidence.
- Initiate new activities independently or with friends.
