Preschool or Early Enrichment Program (EEP)?

If your child is 3 yrs. old you may be wondering how to decide between the two programs. This is a basic guide which focuses on: age/hours,  emotional readiness (social skills), and amount of attention span for extended  activities that is expected in the two classes. There is more detailed information about the activity differences in the Preschool Daily Schedule and EEP Daily Schedule  (click on those words to link to those pages).

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                          Preschool
Age: 3-5 yr olds
8:30am-12:30pm
Tuition: Mornings-$25 a day M/W/F
​                Afternoons-$20 a day M/W
3x week a.m option/2x week p.m option
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Activities that require more advanced language, attention span and complex thinking skills: science experiments, dictating stories in journals, boardgames, and group work.

Circle Time- which has the expectation that the child has the maturity to sit in a group for 20 mins. as well as the interest to participate in longer discussions and group games.

For children that are more independent and have basic self help skills. This is because we do more complex activities which require more time.

Messier Activities Indoors-playing with water, sand, flour, etc. Learning to cook in a group setting. Older children have more self control skills and developmentally able to be responsible and understand expectations of tidiness. (i.e. not throwing it all over the floor)

Friday Walk Day & Gardening (front yard)
Both of these activities have no fenced in safety, so children need to be able to have listening and basic safety skill awareness.

Special Group Activities-Creating a Talent Show and other activities require the ability to follow directions in a group situation and be developmentally ready for that kind of activity.

     ​Early Enrichment Program (EEP)
Age: 2 & 3 yr olds
8:30am-12:30pm
Tuition: $25 a day T/Th
2 day a.m option only
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For those children who have not had much previous social interaction in groups of children.

Learning these fundamental skills for the first time:  sharing
                    taking turns
                    imaginative play
                    being around loud activity
                    and loud children

First time being away from parents.

Shorter attention span.

A 3 yr old that has less verbal skills and needs time to catch up by being in a social context.

A child that is turning 3 yrs old after
Sept. 15th. This child will have two additional years before kindergarten so there is no hurry to start preschool.

Is an older 3 yr old but the parent thinks it might be helpful for him/her to get be the "older one" at school, maybe that child is the youngest at home.

Children usually begin the year doing more parallel play, not as focused on friends yet but more on toys. This gradually changes as the year goes on, and the EEP children form friendships and seek each other out.

One last reason that you may sign up your child for the EEP is if you really want your child to attend Discovery Cottag (but the Preschool Class is full) and your child is 3 yrs. old. 

Preschool

Early Enrichment Program