Co-Curricular Activities
Physical Education
Our physical education program is designed to promote fitness, gross motor skills and large muscle development. One of the highlights of the week is gym class where the children exercise, dance, and play age appropriate sports and games. The classroom teachers provide the children with daily movement opportunities as well as enjoyable kinesthetic learning experiences. The movement activities are intentionally designed to align with events happening in the children’s world; including Chagim, Parasha and seasons.
Music
Music is embedded into our daily curriculum. Children sing as they learn throughout the day. Weekly music sessions led by our talented music teacher increase their excitement about upcoming Chagim and enhance their vocabulary and Ivrit skills.
Trips And Special Events
We take advantage of our central location to explore our community. Children frequently take nature walks, visit the post office and the fire station. Family members and community experts visit the early childhood center to share their knowledge including; A Baal Tokeah who blows the shofar for the children before Rosh Hashanah, EMT’s who give the children a tour of a Hatzalah ambulance, a visiting petting zoo before
Parashat Noach, a Baal Kriah who gives an abridged reading of Megillat Esther before Purim, a matzah bakery before Pesach and more. Special events include Rosh Chodesh Aseifot, musical Chagigot for Chanukah and Purim, our trademark early childhood Purim carnival, a “trip” to Israel and a Chagigah for Yom Haatzmaut, bounce houses and blow up slides for Lag Baomer and an ice cream truck to celebrate the beginning of summer.
Computers
Waterford Institute Early Reading, Math and Science Program Waterford Early Reading and Math Program is a
software based curriculum. The Waterford reading and writing curriculum is designed to promote reading and writing; incorporating literacy skills such as letter mastery, language stories, reading and listening development, and comprehension strategies. The Waterford math program incorporates number recognition, place value, counting, arithmetic computation, geometry, positioning, matching, sorting, data analysis and problem solving strategies. The science program increases the children's understanding of the world around them. The children learn many important scientific concepts that serve as foundations for future work in science. Waterford Institute technology employs exciting graphics, music and game-like components to keep students actively learning through their entire computer session. The software monitors students’ mastery of skills and adapts instruction to meet individual needs. It is used as a supplement to our regular language arts, math, and science programs.
Intergenerational Programming
According to our Mesorah, grandparents play a unique role in their grandchildren’s lives. In his book Man of Faith in the Modern World, Rabbi Besdin quotes Rav Soloveitchik zt’l who eloquently describes the role of grandparents who transmit our precious heritage to their grandchildren and “continue their great dialogue of the generations, ensuring an enduring commitment to the Mesorah. V’hu haketz – this is the secret that will lead to the Messianic redemption”. We are delighted to invite Grandparents into our classrooms throughout the year to spend time with the children and read a story. Grandparents will receive more details from their granddaughter's Morot.