Programs:
Music
Our music program is part of our core curriculum for the 2 years old through kindergarten classrooms. Music classes are offered once a week and taught by a professional music teacher without an extra fee. The children are introduced to various types of songs, dance movements, and instruments from around the world. Important to a child’s development, music helps the body and mind work together while allowing the children to express their emotions through a creative outlet. Playing music games, dancing and making music together improves the child’s social skills, strengthens their memory skills and encourages language development while having a great deal of fun.
Dance
Our dance program is incorporated into the 2 year old through kindergarten educational program on a weekly basis. It is taught by a professional dance teacher with many years of experience at no additional cost. Each classroom has their own allotted time where the children are exposed to and learn about various types of dance styles that are beneficial to the physical and emotional development of the child. Dance encourages socialization and creativity, strengthens cognitive abilities and memory skills, increases flexibility, physical strength and stamina, and develops a great sense of trust and cooperation. Many of the dances taught to the children are performed at the Halloween Show, Winter Holiday Show and Graduation Ceremony.
Superbrain Yoga
Superbrain Yoga stimulates the acupressure points in your earlobes, which sends electrical signals to the brain to stimulate it and increase cognitive clarity. These exercises enhance a child’s brain function and fitness by improving their thinking and mental function. Superbrain yoga expands creativity, calms the mind, enhances cognitive function, improves balance, and increases a child’s energy level by boosting their metabolism. Superbrain yoga is incorporated into our weekly Group Time. The children will enjoy doing yoga with their teachers while simultaneously increasing their capacity for learning.
American Sign Language
American Sign Language is beneficial to the overall development of the child. When children are taught English and American Sign Language together, they are processing language through both sides of the brain. Sign language allows young children to express themselves before they begin to use words, improves confidence and self-esteem, boosts brain development, increases language development and promotes cultural awareness.
Our infants and toddlers are taught baby sign language at a very young age to help them communicate their needs. For our 2 year old through kindergarten classrooms, American Sign Language is incorporated into Group Time. Fun and interactive activities like games, songs and stories are used to teach the children sign language. To reinforce the new skill, children are encouraged to use sign language throughout the day on a daily basis.
Spanish
Learning a second language has been scientifically proven to be beneficial in a child’s development. Bilingualism enhances a child’s creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and listening skills, encourages cultural awareness, develops language development, boosts academic achievement and improves confidence and self esteem.
Spanish is taught every Wednesday during Group Time. Through the use of books, songs, music, games and objects, the children learn the Spanish words for numbers, colors, letters, and animals, understand and answer simple questions, say and comprehend simple phrases and memorize and sing simple Spanish songs at our Holiday Show and Graduation Ceremony. During Summer Camp, Spanish is implemented in our Group Time on a daily basis. At Great Beginnings, the children are encouraged to speak Spanish throughout the day in order to strengthen their language skills.
Food Program
Nutrition is critical to the health and well-being of the child. A balanced nutritional diet is the key to a healthy development. It enhances a child’s learning abilities, helps reduce behavioral problems, improves their moods, boosts their cognitive function and has a positive impact on their overall physical and mental development.
At Great Beginnings, every child enrolled at our facility qualifies for our food program regardless of their income. The food program is offered to children from the ages 12 months through kindergarten. We provide breakfast, lunch, supper (dinner) and one snack. All of the meals are prepared and cooked on the school’s premise by a designated cook. Our freshly prepared meals incorporate a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, protein and carbohydrates that meet the state and federal nutritional guidelines. Fruits and vegetables are always included in every meal served during lunch and supper. The produce is always fresh and never frozen. If the child has an allergy to any of the produce, the school will find a substitute (example: allergy to whole milk, school will substitute for almond milk) in order to accommodate the child’s nutritional needs. The children seem to really enjoy the food while simultaneously obtaining the proper nutrition to maximize their intellectual, emotional and physical growth.
Click here to see our sample menu.