At the Sudbury Cooperative Preschool, we are continuously developing a rich, multidisciplinary, experience for children. Part of this is presenting children with ample opportunities to learn and engage through a wide variety of modalities. Here is a sampling of some enrichment activities our children may enjoy throughout the school day.
Music Program We include music in all of our classes as a wonderful and fun teaching tool. Our goal is to broaden the children’s exposure to different sounds, and to develop listening and response skills. These activities also help train the ear; distinguishing between loud and soft sounds, high and low sounds, and the appreciation of different genres of music. The Sudbury Cooperative Preschool’s music program emphasizes singing and expressive movement. Children learn vocabulary, understand narrative, practice memory and improve articulation. Rhythmic and expressive movements accompany the songs and games.
In addition, all our students participate in twice monthly music with Rachel Williams, who has been owner of Little Hill Music Studio in Sudbury since 2008, and has taught music classes in and around the Sudbury area for many years. Her teaching style fosters a creative musical environment, so the children learn as they play together. While toddlers are gently introduced to rhythmic instruments with familiar songs, classes with 3 and 4-year-olds incorporate patterns and rhythm play within traditional oral stories to help foster pictorial imagination while instilling an understanding of varied rhythmic concepts. Participation and fun is always encouraged through games and improvisation!
Spanish Program Our director, Britta Rieser, is a native of Mexico and has extensive experience teaching Spanish to children. She seeks to engage the children in an immersive language experience. All our classes participate in monthly activities that expose them to Spanish through movement, songs, games, cooking, and activities that engage the senses and imagination.
Literacy Program We seek to engage children with stories throughout their school experience. To further encourage a lifelong love of reading in our students, we have partnered with the Goodnow Library across the street. Our classes make regular trips to the library, where they participate in story time and a craft activity.
Movement Program All our classes participate in a twice monthly movement adventure with Be Ahead of the Game. Be Ahead of the Game offers creative movement programs for preschools, where they work to develop children's gross motor skills through creative movement and sports. They foster a safe and fun atmosphere that develops children's tactical, technical, physical, and psychological/social abilities, with the goal of instilling healthy habits that will last a lifetime!
Yoga for Social and Emotional Development Our yoga classes are child-centered and based on the signature program of Flow and Grow Yoga. Classes infuse yoga tools with social emotional learning, where children learn to choose language, poses, and breathing techniques for each of four strong emotions that young children deal with on a regular basis. Providing these skills with regular practice promotes self and social awareness, decision-making, and self-regulation. Yoga in Early Childhood is a noncompetitive exercise that fosters in children self-esteem and body awareness. Our yoga instructor works on flexibility, strength, coordination and body awareness. As a result the children’s concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves.
