CLASSES AVAILABLE
3 YEAR OLDS
The 2-Day Class meets on Thursday and Friday from 9-11:30am. Children should be 3 years old by Oct 15th to join the 2-Day Class. Maximum class size is 12 students.
4 YEAR OLDS
The 3-Day Class meets on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am-12p. Children should be 4 years old by Oct 15th to join the 3-Day Class. Maximum class size is 14 students.
CURRICULUM
The goal of the program is to provide each student with a comfortable and fun first school experience. The activities are geared toward developing social skills, developing fine and gross motor skills, introducing shapes, colors and numbers, recognizing student’s own name, and learning letters. The curriculum follows monthly themes that include such topics as All Around Maine, Things with Wings, Farms and Food, Light, Fun & Fancy Feet, Musical Instruments, How Things Work, In the Neighborhood, Let's Get Messy, and Celebrations
Since Village Nursery School is a co-operative preschool, parents have often shared their unique talents and experiences with the children. The children have had foreign language classes, cooking classes, and presentations about other countries including Kenya, Sweden, Venezuela, and England. An orthopedist came in and showed the children a skeleton and talked about bones.
ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
In addition to the thoughtful and engaging daily curriculum, we strive to find unique learning experiences for our students throughout the school year.
Music Program with Diana
The children are exposed to music, dance, singing, instruments, rhythm and beat. Diana comes into the classroom every other week to teach music throughout the school year.
Field Trips
Field trip opportunities for the 3-Day Class have included apple picking at Hansel’s Orchard, Portland Ovations performances at Merrill Auditorium, visits to Pineland & Wolfe’s Neck Farms, visits to the Royal River Park & Camp Soci, Chewonki’s traveling natural history programs, and walking field trips in our neighborhood.
A TYPICAL DAY AT VNS
Drop Off
Children arrrive at 9:00am
Free Play
Children spend the first three quarters of an hour in the outside school area. Below are some examples of things they might play with which will be dependent on the weather and time of year.
- Art - painting at easels
- Sandbox
- Climbing Structure
- Obstacle Course
- Chalk
- Tricycles
- Cross Country Skis
- Sleds
- Snowshoes
- Boat
- Castle
- Water Table
Circle Time
The school has an outdoor circle area with stumps for each child to sit on. During Circle time the class sings their morning greeting song and then gets instructions for doing the project of the day.
Project Time
Children will typically go inside to complete an art project. Every other week the 3-day class has a music class during this time. Music class takes place outside.
Snack Time
Snack time always takes place outside. One of the working parents provids the class snack. This is a great time when teachers encourage the children to have group and invidividual conversations.
Nature Walk
The class goes for a walk on the nature trail behind the school. The teachers bring books to read to the class during breaks in their walk, and the kids get to explore the natural setting of the great outdoors.
Dismissal Time
Parents pick the children up at 11:30 (2 day) or 12p (3 day).