Children learn best by doing. Learning isn’t just repeating what someone else says; it requires active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work and to learn firsthand about the world we live in.

In their early years, children explore the world around them by using all of their senses (touching, tasting, listening, smelling, and looking).

In playing with concrete materials, such as blocks, and trying out their own ideas through dramatic play, and the invention of imaginary characters, children learn about sizes, shapes, and colors, and begin to notice and understand the relationships between things.

Eagles’ Nest follows “The Creative Curriculum,” which concentrates on helping children develop skills in the following areas:

* Language: Children learn the words to engage with peers and classroom teachers. How can their words express their feelings, frustrations and joys? Children see a print rich environment and learn that words are beautiful and a powerful means of communication.  

*Social: Children need to feel comfortable in school, trust their new environment, make friends, and feel they are a part of the group. They learn to be part of a group and work together for a common goal.

*Emotional: It is important children are provided opportunities to experience pride in their work to develop self-confidence, independence, self-control, and develop a positive attitude toward learning and life. Having an emotionally rich vocabulary is also important to give words to feelings. 

*Cognitive: Children become confident learners by exploring their own ideas. We encourage students to ask questions, use words to describe their ideas, make observations, and problem solve. 

*Physical: Children are given the chance to work on both their large and small muscle skills in order to grow confident about what their bodies can do.

Learning Centers in each classroom are deliberately designed to develop specific skills for learning and growth. Children are given the freedom to move around and to socialize with each other at different centers, a key concept in early childhood development.  Centers are designed to encourage children to learn and achieve in a way that is developmentally appropriate for their age as well as their physical, social, and emotional level.

As children’s skills and abilities change and grow throughout the year, so do the Learning Centers to continuously offer different levels of challenges – again – age and developmentally appropriate.

Block Area
What is found here: Blocks of all sizes and shapes to build, small animals, cars, trucks, trains, boats and any other object a child can imagine.
Skills being developed: Logical thinking, visual discrimination, problem solving, small muscle control.

Dramatic Play
What is found here: Kitchen, play food, dress up costumes, and puppet theatre.
Skills being developed: Planning, problem solving, identifying, cooperating, sharing, critical thinking.

Art
What is found here: Paint, crayons, glue, play dough, and various sensory materials.
Skills being developed: Creativity, eye-hand coordination, fine motor control, planning, completion of a task.

Manipulatives
What is found here: Puzzles, pattern blocks, and table toys.
Skills being developed: Fine muscle control, visual discrimination, eye-hand coordination, logical thinking, problem solving, classification, sequencing.

Library/Writing Area
What is found here: Books, paper, pencils, and crayons.
Skills being developed: Foundation for reading and writing through word identification and association, respect of books, listening, creative thinking, use of imagination.

Circle Time
What is found here: Singing, stories, group conversations, dancing, counting, and instruments.
Skills being developed: Learning to sit for extended periods, listening, cooperating, self-control, respect for peers, love of music, speaking skills, love of spelling and reading.

Math and Science Area
What is found here: The whole classroom! Counting, measuring, weighing of objects, questions being asked and answered.
Skills being developed: Analytical and logical thinking, problem solving, beginning number concepts.

Playground
What is found here: Slides, swings, bikes, hula hoops, playhouse, climbing equipment.
Skills being developed: Large muscle development, social interactions, observing rules and limits, appreciation of nature, health and wellness.