Play is often talked about
as if it were a relief from
serious learning. But for children play is serious
learning.
-Fred Rogers
Our Philosophy
Little Oaks’s approach centers around a few key ideas: play-based learning; following daily, weekly, and seasonal rhythms; a focus on simple toys that spark a child’s creativity and curiosity; and fostering emotional intelligence and self-regulation. This approach is designed to give children support and freedom, so they begin like small acorns and sprout into strong, sturdy oak trees.
Rhythms
Daily Rhythm
8:30AM: Arrival, daily activity, & free play
9:45AM: Circle time
10:00AM: Morning snack (outside)
10:30AM: Outside play time
Noon: Lunch
1:00PM: Nap time
3:30PM: Afternoon snack
4:00PM: Outdoor free play
5:30PM: Good-bye until tomorrow!
Weekly Rhythm
Young children learn best, and truly gain mastery, through lots of practice. Therefore, we repeat new activities and work with new materials many days in a row. After repeating the activity or working with the material for one or two weeks, the children begin to really understand and integrate what they’ve learned.
As a result, our days will follow similar rhythms, while each week or two will have a different focus.
Seasonal Rhythm
Our program also emphasizes the rhythm of seasons. As each season progresses, we observe changes in the weather and in nature around us. Below are some of the things we talk about at different times of the year:
Spring
New beginnings, flowers blooming, and celebrating spring holidays like Lunar New Year, Holi, Passover, and Easter
Summer
Warm weather, water play, bugs and insects
Fall
Changing leaves, cooler weather, harvest, and celebrating fall holidays like Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Dwali
Winter
Rain, shorter days, colder weather, and winter holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah