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Early Childhood

Our “purposeful play” philosophy in Early Childhood cultivates each students' curiosity and establishes their academic foundation in literacy, numeracy, and social emotional learning. Through curated centers and multi-sensory hands-on experiences, children develop a lifelong love of school and learning. Fostering curiosity, critical thinking skills, creative problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and good citizenship are all central to our toddler, preschool and pre-k classrooms (ages 2-5). 

"Play is the work of childhood."

-Jean Piaget, Father of Cognitive Development

The student's day is a developmentally appropriate flow between curated centers, collaborative activities, direct instruction, and creative free play.  Designed to encourage and preserve childhood, these fundamental learning experiences allow students to develop skills, learn new concepts, make connections, deepen prior knowledge, and begin their school experience with joy. Teachers establish close partnerships with parents in order to maintain a strong home-school connection and to help guide them through these formative years.

View the full Park City Day School Curriculum Guide here. 

Early Childhood parents can expect:

  • A safe community in which each child is known and cared for.
  • A commitment to meeting each child's needs.
  • A commitment to nurture and preserve wonderment, creativity, and curiosity.
  • Detailed parent teacher conferences and narrative portfolio assessments twice per year. 
  • Regular home communications.
  • A constructive partnership with the team of early childhood and specialist teachers.
     

 

Early Childhood students engage in:

  • A community of learners with peers and older students, through multi-age buddy class pairings, all-school assemblies, and collaborative activities.  
  • A warm, nurturing environment that inspires a joy of learning.
  • A supportive classroom setting that can meet individual needs while preparing children for the next phase of learning.
  • Ample unstructured creative play time, often outdoors.
  • Specialist enrichment classes in science, Spanish, performing arts and physical education.

Fast Facts

  • Each toddler classroom with a lead teacher and an apprentice teacher welcomes a group of two year olds (turning two prior to Sept.1).
  • Each preschool classroom with a lead teacher and an assistant welcomes a group of three year olds (turning three prior to Sept. 1). 
  • Each pre-k classroom with a lead teacher and an assistant welcomes a group of four year olds (turning four prior to Sept. 1)
  • We maintain a student-to-teacher ratio of 6:1 or less.
  • Parents may choose between the following schedule options:
    • 5 full days is preferred (8:15 AM - 3:30 PM) 
    • 5 half days (8:15 AM - 12:30 PM)
  • All early childhood students must be independent with toileting. View the detailed toileting policy here.