Each day, as part of St. Gregory the Great School’s early childhood program, our 3-year-olds combine hands, hearts, and voices to learn about the world around them and express themselves as individuals. As the children arrive for their two-hour class session, they hang up their coats and school bags and then get to work on activities such as coloring, sorting, stringing beads, and putting together puzzles. They enjoy playing and working together, talking and interacting with friends until the class officially begins. We mark the start of our morning with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. We then move on to a discussion of the weather and God’s Time. The focus of our morning is play and small group activities, giving the children an opportunity to explore different modes of learning and enriching their social skills. After play time, the children clean up the toys and enjoy a snack, a story, and music and movement.

As our children enter the Preschool, the quiet halls become joyful and they enthusiastically demonstrate their independence by managing their own coats and book bags, daily communication folders and attendance bears.  We begin each day with prayer and a sign of peace, the pledge and a patriotic song (music being an integral part of our day).  The first third of the day includes time spent learning Math and Religion and enjoying music/movement activities.  The middle third of the day is Center Time including (among others) fine motor, language, imaginative and large motor play.  Children also enjoy a snack and art activities and work individually or in small groups developing skills and concepts.  The final third of our day places emphasis on learning in the Language Arts and Science and Social Studies content areas.  The day ends, as it begins, with prayerful song and joyful hearts.