Welcome to Piedmont Play School
A cooperative preschool that nurtures and respects each child’s individuality, learning through play since 1948.
Our Philosophy
We believe that children learn best through lively interaction with their environment. Our integrated curriculum includes art, music, science, cognitive games and puzzles, cooking, carpentry, water play, story time, sharing, group games, enriching visitors and field trips. Our goal is to stimulate the children while building their self-esteem and self-confidence. To this end, we incorporate many open-ended and hands-on activities using a variety of materials, and we emphasize art as a process and not as a product.
Our Program
18 children, aged between three and five years, participate in our two-year program before entering Kindergarten. The school meets five days a week from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Piedmont Play School follows the Piedmont Public School calendar, observing the same holidays and vacations, with exceptions as needed. The children are divided into two classes: the Bluebirds (three-year-olds) and the Yellowbirds (four-year-olds). Students engage in activities across three key areas: supervised free play, circle time, and outdoor activities.
Our regular school curriculum is enriched by a program of visitors and field trips. Sulphur Creek’s visits thrill the children with live animals. We enjoy visits to the Piedmont Fire Department and Piedmont Park. We also have taken field trips to the pumpkin patch and Crab Cove. Parents (and Grandparents, too!) enhance our program by sharing their own special talents and hobbies, such as storytelling, drawing, music, and origami.
Supervised Free Play
A typical day begins with a welcoming greeting and an invitation to play at one of the activity stations or ride the school tricycles. During the first hour of supervised free play, the child may also choose to explore:
- A daily activity at the manipulative table
- The drawing table with paper, scissors, crayons, markers, and stickers
- The tactile table with play dough, cornmeal, colored rice or beans
- The science area with larvae the class is nurturing into butterflies, magnifying glasses, and other treasures
- The “playing house” area or the “dress up” area with costumes and hats
- A stimulating variety of puzzles, trains, blocks, trucks, Legos, and other manipulative toys: or
- A good book on a cozy lap in the reading nook.
Circle Time
Circle time begins after free play. The children love to sing songs, listen to stories, do finger plays and musical games and participate in science experiments at circle. Our strong language arts program encourages the children to speak up and share their experiences and to listen to their friends during this special time.
Outdoor Activities
After circle time the children go outside to play. Tricycles, digging in the sandbox, chalk, balls, bubbles and other outdoor activities are available. When the children come in, they wash hands and sit down at the tables to enjoy their snacks. A restful small circle time follows with sharing and books. Afterward, the children enjoy more time outside. The day ends with a closing circle.