Kindergarten Prep

A teacher is sitting on the floor with two children engaged in playing with colorful educational toys shaped like beads and geometric figures in a classroom setting.

The Apple Tree kindergarten prep education applies a holistic approach – fostering curiosity, problem solving and collaboration – seamlessly supporting and guiding each student’s preparation for Kindergarten.

Ages: 4 - 5 years
Maximum Classroom Size: 12
Hours: 6:30 am - 6:00 pm

Education Philosophy

Apple Tree kindergarten prep is a community of individual growth, character development and joyful learning. Students feel a sense of security and support that enables them to find their talents and interests in foundational academic areas.

Three kindergarten prep students are sitting on the carpeted floor, playing with colorful interlocking toys together. One student is showing another what she built.

Cognitive & Emotional Growth

Students develop preliteracy and early math and science skills. The classroom daily rhythm builds social and emotional understanding, problem-solving and self-regulation.

A teacher and a student sit on the floor playing with a tower of colored building blocks. The student proudly shows the teacher his creation.

Expanding Horizons

Teachers celebrate each child’s talents and interests. Imaginative, informative and fun lessons seamlessly introduce structured learning. Students engage in math, literacy, science and the arts. Teachers encourage children to ask questions, make predictions, and express their ideas.

Four young students are playing and running in a playground with a slide, climbing wall, and sandbox, surrounded by trees and a fence.

Community

A strong sense of community enables curiosity, creativity and problem solving. Students feel confident in trying new experiences and making new friends. Master teachers foster independence and self-help skills that build initiative and enthusiasm for new experiences.

Curriculum

The Apple Tree kindergarten prep curriculum is thoughtfully designed to prepare students for the academic and social expectations of kindergarten. Students develop in seven key areas, using daily routines and imaginatively themed, incredibly engaging lessons.

A young girl with curly hair wearing a pink shirt, sitting at a light-colored wooden table, working on a wooden puzzle. There are various pieces of a cartoon-style human body scattered on the table around her.

Academic Subjects

Language and Literacy: Students recognize and name upper- and lower-case letters, develop phonemic awareness, and build vocabulary and comprehension through stories, songs, and conversations.

Early Math Concepts: Counting to 20, recognizing numbers, identifying shapes and patterns, and comparing size, weight, and quantity lay the groundwork for future math success.

Science and Discovery: Children observe, predict, and describe the world around them, exploring nature and physical properties through hands-on experiments and outdoor learning.

Creative Arts: Artistic expression is woven into each day, with opportunities for projects, music, and imaginative play that sparks creativity and joy.

Students holding hands in a circle, playing together on a playground with playground equipment in the background.

Community Skills

Social and Emotional Development: Children practice identifying and managing emotions, sharing, taking turns, and following group rules, building the social skills essential for kindergarten.

Motor Skills: Activities like cutting, building, tracing, obstacle courses, and dancing help children refine both fine and gross motor skills.

Life Skills: Independence is encouraged through routines such as cleaning up, setting the table, pouring drinks, and hand washing.

A group of students and a teacher on the floor, playing with colorful building blocks and toys in a classroom. The background features photographs of children on the wall.

Weekly Lesson Plans

These imaginative, interesting and fun lesson plans orient students to kindergarten learning, expand knowledge and develop critical thinking. The classrooms transform to fit the curriculum with décor, learning aides and environments that reflect the lesson themes.

Specific themes include: new friends/old friends, farm animals, five senses, fine arts, simple machines, dinosaurs, growing height/weight, insects, the sea, letters in my name, giving and sharing