Itsy Bitsy Inspirations Preschool provides a balance of structured learning and unstructured fun.
Families can choose morning (8:00a - 11:00a), afternoon (12:00p - 3:00p), or full day for the Mon-Fri program. Full day is also available for Tue/Thu or Mon/Wed/Fri sessions.
We also offer wrap-around care before (7:30a - 8:00a) and after (3:00p - 5:30p) our standard preschool sessions.
Reading Nook and Dramatic Play
We have hundreds and hundreds of books, and we encourage the kids to explore them on their own. Our reading nook gives them a space to be alone with a book or two, or to gather in small groups. The book selections will rotate with the seasons, with a few perennial favorites always within reach.
Our dramatic play area includes a puppet theater, dress up clothes, and a kitchen. These are all favorites for preschoolers, and lead to creative, unstructured fun. The dress up area, especially, gives the kids the chance to pretend to be anything they want - from veterinarian to dog, or astronaut to super hero.
Eating and Art Area
Preschoolers tend to treat their food as art projects, so we've combined the spaces.
Snack and lunch times are also social times. Our lunch tables encourage conversation and fun times. And we also use the opportunity to teach nutrition and manners. Maybe you'll even notice a difference at home!
Art is a cornerstone of all early education, and it's also one of our favorite activities. We have all the supplies you'd expect, plus a few non-traditional ones. You will love all the projects your little one brings home.
Science and Discovery Area
As any recipient of a preschooler's endless sequence of "why?" questions knows, this age is full of curiousity. We allow them to ask all the questions they can, and to also find as many answers on their own as possible.
In addition to books and lessons, the kids are encouraged to participate in hands-on activities at their own pace. It's not too early to start with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), even if the kids don't know that's what they're doing.
The kids are able to experiment with light, materials, senses and living things. And they will learn about the world around them - nature and machine.
Group Learning and Blocks & Building Areas
We start each day with the group all together at circle time. This is a chance to greet everyone and discuss the schedule for the day. We will also look at the calendar and talk about the weather outside.
Small group, teacher-led activities occur at the big carpet or at the table. These include stories and games. While a teacher leads, we encourage participation and interaction amongst the kids.
We have several other activity-specific areas for the kids to explore and lead on their own. These include trains, blocks, puzzles, music, and other traditional toys.
Outdoor Playground
Itsy Bitsy is on a hill. Grown-ups don't always like hills. But we know that kids love them. Hills are nature's playground. So, we're building our play area into the hill.
The centerpiece is the embankment slide, which uses the hill's natural incline. The kids can get up the hill the normal way, or up one of the "climbing" ropes.
We also have an amazing music wall, constructed completely of recycled and repurposed instruments. And, of course, there's a sandbox.
We will be adding more elements over the coming months. We plan to use the whole hill!
Indoor Gym
The weather doesn’t always allow for us to take the kids outside, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need to use up a little energy. We are so fortunate at Itsy Bitsy to have our own indoor gym.
This building used to be a church, and we’ve renovated it for our purpose. The kids absolutely love it. We have a large supply of large motor skill activities that we rotate through. And we’ll be using the stage, too.
This space is especially useful in the winter and on rainy days. And it’s also available for our birthday party rentals.