About Bright Beginnings Preschool
PRESCHOOL MINISTRY
The Ankeny First United Methodist Preschool is the result of the beginning efforts of Aileen Godell, a church member, who felt there was a need to reach out into the community to help meet the needs of children. Licensed by the State of Iowa, the four-year-old program has been in existence since 1964, and the three-year-old program since 1981.
Our two, three, four, and five-year-old programs provide meaningful preschool experiences in a social environment. We use The Creative Curriculum to help guide our teaching through interest areas and process-driven activities. We offer children a wide range of learning experiences which focus on themes that are central in the children's lives, such as family and friends, community helpers, seasons, holidays, nursery rhymes, and many other areas of interest. We weave Christian faith, concepts, activities, and monthly Bible verses into our teaching as well. We provide a preschool-appropriate Chapel time each week, introducing a variety of Bible stories and songs.
The first day of preschool is typically the Tuesday after Labor Day. Preschool follows the Ankeny School District calendar regarding vacations and school closings.
The Ankeny First United Methodist Preschool is the result of the beginning efforts of Aileen Godell, a church member, who felt there was a need to reach out into the community to help meet the needs of children. Licensed by the State of Iowa, the four-year-old program has been in existence since 1964, and the three-year-old program since 1981.
Our two, three, four, and five-year-old programs provide meaningful preschool experiences in a social environment. We use The Creative Curriculum to help guide our teaching through interest areas and process-driven activities. We offer children a wide range of learning experiences which focus on themes that are central in the children's lives, such as family and friends, community helpers, seasons, holidays, nursery rhymes, and many other areas of interest. We weave Christian faith, concepts, activities, and monthly Bible verses into our teaching as well. We provide a preschool-appropriate Chapel time each week, introducing a variety of Bible stories and songs.
The first day of preschool is typically the Tuesday after Labor Day. Preschool follows the Ankeny School District calendar regarding vacations and school closings.
PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS
Our preschool programs provide opportunities for a child to realize his or her own potential as a two, three, four, or five-year-old person. Each program is specifically structured for the developmental age level of the child enrolled. Cooperative planning ensures that the programs complement each other. We strive to:
PRESCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Activities to nurture a positive and independent self-concept, as well as cooperation and sharing, are woven throughout the preschool day. Discovery activities are an important part of our curriculum to arouse curiosity and a desire to learn.
Our preschool programs provide opportunities for a child to realize his or her own potential as a two, three, four, or five-year-old person. Each program is specifically structured for the developmental age level of the child enrolled. Cooperative planning ensures that the programs complement each other. We strive to:
- Create a Christian atmosphere for both individual and group experiences.
- Nurture the growth of the child as a total person to enable the child to realize that he or she is special and unique.
- Enable the growth of emotional and cognitive development fostered through creative expression, gross motor activities, open play, large/small group opportunities, science-nature discovery, and experiences with family.
- Encourage the development of meaningful social relationships with other children and with adults.
- We believe the teaching methods and techniques incorporated in our program must be based on a proper understanding of child development. Since play is the foundation of child development, we plan for and recognize its value in our preschool.
PRESCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Activities to nurture a positive and independent self-concept, as well as cooperation and sharing, are woven throughout the preschool day. Discovery activities are an important part of our curriculum to arouse curiosity and a desire to learn.
- During preschool, the children are involved in creative and imaginative play through experiences in home living, block building, using dress-up clothes, coloring, painting, using playdough, and finger painting.
- Musical and circle games, creative movement, climbing, sliding, throwing, finger plays, coloring, writing, and using scissors encourage the development of large and small muscles.
- Skills in language expression are enriched through role-playing, drama, singing, puppets, finger plays, and conversation.
- Counting and letter recognition are a part of many finger plays, rhymes, and daily academic experiences.
- The children have experiences with shapes, sizes, textures, sounds, observation, tasting, and smelling.
- Opportunities for discovery are also created through field trips to places within the community that relate to our weekly themes.
- Children take turns bringing nutritional snacks, and white 1% milk is provided by the preschool.