Morning Playtime Preschool

At Munchkin Land we Focus on Fun as kids learn best through play and natural exploration of the world around them. Kids are given lots of free time to play and learn through fun activities like dress-up, building with blocks, doing puzzles, reading or looking at books, playing with dolls and stuffed animals, playing with cars and trains, playing with musical instruments, etc.

We will have one planned activity each day such as an arts and crafts project, a baking project, or a science or nature activity. We will also spend time outside every day.

Typical schedule

9:00 free play, reading

9:30 or 10:00 healthy snack (a fruit or vegetable + a grain or protein +milk or water)

10:00 or 10:30 Scheduled activity

11:00 or 11:30 play outside until noon.

We Also typically go on one field trip per week (to the park, the library, the museum, the zoo, indoor play areas, etc.). Field trips are reached by car, by foot or by bus. Occasionally children need to be picked up on site at a field trip and occasionally on field trip days the ending time is extended later in the afternoon but these will always be discussed with parents ahead of time.

Munchkin Land is a small (no more than 6 kids) home-based program. As such each child gets lots of individual attention. Munchkin Land is a great stepping stone between home (or daycare) and a more structured preschool or kindergarten program. Munchkin Land's home setting helps kids feel comfortable and at ease and is less overwhelming than a traditional preschool environment.

A multi-age setting means kids gain valuable skills from one another. Big kids get to learn patience and empathy by being around kids who are younger than them and get to build their confidence by using their big kid skills and knowledge to help out and "teach" the little kids. Little kids get a chance to builds skills by watching and interacting with the bigger kids and are more motivated to build or expand new skills (be it talking, climbing, or putting on their own coat) when they see other kids doing it.

Email mela_23@comcast.net for more information or to set up a visit.

Preschool Tuition

Morning preschool is for kids ages 2-4 and runs daily from 9-12. You may choose to sign your child up for all 5 days (Mon -Fri) 3 days (Mon, Wed, Fri,) or 2 days (Tue, Thu).

Monthly tuition:

5 days $500

3 days $350

2 days $250

Full-day care is also available; charges vary by age please email mela_23@comcast.net for more information.

Nurture and Care

I would like to start off by saying that you can’t spoil a baby by giving them too much love and attention. There is no such thing as too much love. I believe it is good for children to be held and hugged and cuddled as much as possible. And that by responding to a child’s cries you are not conditioning them to be a fussy baby but teaching them to communicate and helping them understand that they are safe and loved. In my experience, babies whose parents and caregivers are responsive to their cries are far less fussy in the long run. Children have a lifetime to learn how to become independent and self sufficient. It is unrealistic to expect a baby to take care of themselves (i.e. “self sooth”).

Child guidance and behavior management

When it comes to child guidance and discipline I prefer to use methods to prevent children from misbehaving and techniques that help them to learn from their mistakes. I don’t like to use punishment with children as I feel it doesn’t do anything to teach them how to be better or why what they did wasn’t OK. No form of spanking or corporal punishment is allowed at Munchkin Land. When children misbehave I will usually try talking with them and prompting them to see if they can figure out how to correct their behavior on their own. When they have trouble I will help them think of ways they can fix the problem (like using their words, or taking turns). I believe that most misbehavior comes from children having problems that they don’t know how to solve (like wanting to play with something but not knowing how to get it, or feeling frustrated and not knowing how to calm down) and that the best solution is to help them learn how to solve them. When necessary I will remove children from a situation but I do not use time outs as a general response to misbehavior. I think time outs are more effective if they are voluntary so instead of placing a child in time out I would ask them if they’d like to have a little time to themselves to calm down. The goal is to help children become capable problem solvers and effective communicators.

Kids and the Community

I feel that it is very important for kids to feel like part of a community. Our community has a lot to offer in the way of learning experiences. From visiting local libraries and museums to riding public transit or visiting public parks and gardens kids can learn a lot about what our neighborhood and our city has to offer as well as what it means to be a member of that community. It is my hope that through these experiences the kids will gain both a love of, and a sense of responsibility to, their community. I want their community and their environment to matter to them and be something they will stand up for in the future. And the first step to raising a generation who cares about community and the environment is to instill a love of their own community and environment from the beginning.

Emergent Curriculum

Because I believe that the best learning opportunities are those that arise naturally, we will be using an emergent curriculum rather than a traditional schedule. We will of course have some scheduled activities each day (like lunch time, nap time, story time) but much of the day will be shaped by the moods and interests of the kids. They will learn much more readily if we follow their cues so that we will be doing art when they feel inspired to create, playing outside when they feel energetic, and looking at books when they are feeling observant. I believe the kids will get a lot more out of the activities this way. And, by not constricting ourselves with a schedule we will be able to take projects to a level we couldn't reach if we tried to plan it all out ahead of time.
We engage in a variety of activities each day at Munchkin Land such as playing with toys, reading books, outdoor play, gardening, science activities, games, neighborhood walks, dress up, baking, arts and crafts, signing, make-believe, puzzles, reading more books, and so on. We will also go on regular field trips to nearby places within walking distance like the library and the park as well as places like the zoo and the museums.
To keep you informed and up to date I will send home a chart with each child everyday. On your child’s chart I will record feeding/sleeping/changing times as well as notes about your child’s activities and moods over the course of the day. This way you won’t have to wonder what your child does every day.

The Importance of Art

Art is a great learning tool for young children (as well as adults). Whether it be drawing, storytelling, acting, or sculpting, there‘s a lot that can be learned through art. By participating in art activities children gain important motor skills (like hand eye coordination and the ability to grasp a pencil) and they learn about shapes, colors, and textures. They also learn important creative skills (like storytelling) and processes (like how to mix colors) that spark their imagination and fuel the learning process. Through art children can also develop confidence and self esteem by strengthening their ability to represent their thoughts and ideas, which helps them learn to express themselves effectively and to express their knowledge. Art can be a great way for kids to show you what they’ve learned as well as a great way to help them learn new things. And best of all art is really fun! Most children really love to do art projects and are proud to have works of art that they can bring home and show off to their family members. We will be experimenting with a variety of different art forms and techniques at Munchkin Land and will engage in some form of art activity every day.