Planting Roots Preschool offers children one of a kind learning experiences. In addition to providing kindergarten readiness, we also encourage many hands-on activities. Children will plant, care for their own seeds and watch them grow into strong plants. They will observe the wonders of watching baby chicks hatch. Elder Hour, where local senior volunteers visit for storytelling and reading to the children, creates wonderful multi-generational involvement. Included in their activities are historic field trips, such as a visit to old Fort Laramie.
At Planting Roots Preschool, we focus on academic readiness as well as real life training. In order to do well in kindergarten, there are skills which, when mastered, greatly benefit the child. Concepts addressed include writing, letter recognition as well as letter sounds, counting in order, and reading readiness, such as rhyming and being able to follow right to left and top to bottom. Children will also learn to identify shapes, colors and how to sort.
There are many physical abilities that would be helpful for your child to begin mastering before entering kindergarten, such as fine motor skills, being able to use scissors, focusing and following a set of directions. Socialization is also important, as well as expanding the length of time that they are able to sit still and pay attention. Learning how to recognize and appropriately express their feelings in a social setting will benefit them for many years to come.
In addition to the skills listed above, Planting Roots Preschool includes real life training, as in orienteering, arts and crafts, and how the natural world works – such as learning about a local beetle, how a bird builds a nest and hatches their eggs, and how a plant grows from a seed into a plant. The preschooler’s natural curiosity is nurtured and encouraged in all things.
Children are given guidance on physical aspects, such as eye/hand coordination, using a balance beam, being able to bounce a basketball and kick a soccer ball. Keeping young children active is key to their success. Teaching them about the importance of eating well and being physically active is part of their classroom experience. By focusing on all facets of the whole child, your preschooler will learn to become a well-rounded, confident and independent person who is ready for their journey to academic success.
QUILTING WITH PRESCHOOLERS
In Planting Roots Preschool’s Arts and Crafts Class, children learn the folk art of quilting and the history behind it. They make their own group paper quilt to be displayed at Quilts Along the Platte Quilt Show. Quilting develops fine motor skills, stitchery, color recognition, creativity and cooperative teamwork.
LETTERS ON THE MOVE!
Planting Roots Preschoolers learn letter recognition while playing in the gym.
HOME SKILLS COOKING CLASS
Planting Roots Preschool has an extremely well-rounded curriculum including Home Skills Cooking Classes. The preschoolers recently learned to make homemade smoothies and pizza. YUM!
FARM AND HARVEST CLASS
Where does our food really come from? The dirt you say!
Planting Roots preschoolers learn about vegetables. Some overwinter and magically reseed themselves, while others mysteriously grow underground. They discover that root vegetables come in many colors. They enjoy harvesting, washing and eating heirloom rainbow carrots for a delicious snack!
NATURE DISCOVERY CLASS
PLANTING ROOTS PRESCHOOLERS GO ON A TWO-MILE NATURE DISCOVERY HIKE
Mrs. Laura L. Curtsinger, the founder and director of Planting Roots Preschool, was formerly the director of the Path Home Wilderness Program where she taught wilderness survival, camping skills and orienteering. Her preschoolers now benefit from her wilderness knowledge as she imparts her love for nature through hands-on experience.
They identify animal tracks, examine different seeds, find and discuss beaver shavings. Look at different plants including mushrooms and talk about what is safe to touch. They spend the morning exploring all aspects of nature that they come across on their hike by the river.
HOLIDAY COOKING CLASS
ART CLASS
SCIENCE CLASS
BODY LANGUAGE: MORE WAYS TO LEARN THE ALPHABET
Or did our teacher just trick us into taking a nap?????
A STITCH IN TIME: SEWING CLASS
MAKING OUR OWN TOYS
Today we learned how to sew bean bags and then we played number games with them in the gym.
HORTICULTURE CLASS
Planting Roots Preschool has a new addition to the classroom.
YAY!!! GROW LIGHTS!!! Spring is here early!
Now we are really planting roots!
PRESCHOOLERS IN THE COMMUNITY
In Planting Roots Preschool’s Arts and Crafts Class, children learn the folk art of quilting and the history behind it. They make their own group paper quilt to be displayed at Quilts Along The Platte Quilt Show. Quilting develops fine motor skills, stitchery, color recognition, creativity and cooperative teamwork.
Mayor Joyce comes in to share her love of reading with the preschoolers.
Preschoolers sweep native garden paths as part of community clean up project.
