The Peanut Gallery Playschool

Welcome!
The Peanut Gallery Playschool is a unique state certified program for children 18 months through 4 years designed to combine the social and educational benefits of a center with the attentiveness and flexibility of small group care. Our philosophy is that each child is unique in how they learn and experience their world and rather than expecting children to adapt to our program, our program is designed to adapt to them. Our schedule and activities are organized around the idea that small children need a good balance between structure and natural learning through free play and exploration. Our activities focus on process over product and are specifically chosen to be an engaging experience for each child, no matter their age or ability.
In order to maintain the level of attentiveness we feel each child needs and deserves, we maintain small group sizes and a narrow age margin. The school provides each child with two healthy, balanced snacks daily, free of meat, dairy and eggs, and generally consisting of a combination of fresh and dried fruits and vegetables, whole grains with lots of water and the occasional fruit juice and/or soy milk. We are comfortable accommodating any additional dietary restrictions or requirements during snack times. Children are not required to be potty-trained upon entering our program, but are provided with gentle encouragement every step of the way. We are also happy to work with families who have chosen cloth diapers for their child.
The children in our school enjoy a large, bright play space that has been thoughtfully designed to be both stimulating and safe with a wide selection of materials and activities. An entire wall of windows lets in plenty of natural light and a view over a 1/4 acre of lush back yard with a small vegetable garden, raspberry bushes and fruit trees, as well as many playground toys, a large play structure and plenty of open space. A typical day might find the children discussing the letters in their names, making a batch of home-made play-doh, practicing their jumps and tumbles on the mats, munching on raspberries fresh from the garden, and cooling off with frozen juice pops.
The Playschool provides an environment that encourages continual growth for the whole child with emphases in art, music, pre-literacy and pre-math skills and, above all, social and emotional development. Our primary focus is teaching children how to understand, manage and communicate their needs and emotions effectively and respectfully, how to successfully navigate conflicts and frustrations, how to treat our friends and family with care and compassion, and also to extend that respect, care and compassion to all of the living and non-living things that surround us in our daily lives.

e.marie@mac.com

We are currently enrolling for Summer and Fall 2012. Email us to schedule a visit!