TEMPLE SINAI PRE-SCHOOL INTRODUCES

BEGINNING STEPS

a fun, creative, hands-on, educational curriculum

for little people age 2 through Pre-Kindergarten

BEGINNING STEPS offers children a chance to explore their world via their 5 senses, as they SEE art projects come to life, HEAR sounds from instruments they made themselves, TOUCH science first hand, and TASTE and SMELL yummy food they mixed, cut-up, and cooked. Using all of these senses, Sinai’s children watch their world expand each and every day as they learn to read all by themselves!

BEGINNING STEPS promotes educational fun with the following weekly activities:

• Messy Monday

• Wacky Wednesday

• Child Cup Cooking

• Scientific Experiments

• Stories Written & Designed by Sinai’s Children

• Music, Movement, & Some Relaxing Yoga

• Art done by Children, not Teachers

• Stories, Lots of Stories

• Dramatic Play

• and a Very Special Reading Program

Temple Sinai Pre-School is “different” from other Pre-School’s in Florida, and we are proud of this difference. First and foremost, our pre-school is a “school,” rather than a day care. Our classes are small, and yet, our learning is large. We believe strongly that Temple Sinai’s children learn best by “doing,” and as a result, our children do their own work. We encourage our children to be individuals, rather than fill in lines or design a picture exactly like their teachers.

Recognized throughout Palm Beach County for its innovative, creative, and hands-on reading program, BEGINNING STEPS, Temple Sinai Pre-School’s curriculum has received rave reviews from its teachers, parents, and of course, the children are having so much fun that they do not even realize they are learning! Created by our school’s director, Miss Lois, BEGINNING STEPS introduces letter sounds and lower case letters to Sinai’s children in an environment full of laughter, music, and song. Although initially designed for Pre-K students, BEGINNING STEPS has been expanded to reach all of Sinai’s children, even our littlest 2 year olds. In addition, BEGINNING STEPS in no longer limited to just “reading,” as science, numbers, sequencing, cooking, music, and movement all round out the BEGINNING STEPS program.

Keeping mommy and daddy’s busy schedule in mind, Temple Sinai Pre-School offers several time options for its students. Although many of our younger students start out coming to school 3 days a week, we find that children miss school on the other days! So, its not surprising that, within a short period of time, the majority of our children choose to attend school 5 days a week. FUN ZONE is Temple Sinai’s after-school program, which rounds out our children’s day. In addition, several enrichments are offered throughout the school year.

Of course, for those who want to get a feel of Sinai’s Pre-School before turning 2, we offer a musical Mommy & Me class. Again, we continue to be known as “different,” because our Mommy & Me class revolves around music, with even our littlest ones sharing musical instruments with mommy. Singing, story-telling, and more singing make this Mommy & Me class a musical journey!

Temple Sinai Pre-School welcomes children of all races and nationalities!  Temple Membership is not required but members are entitled to a discount.  Please contact the Pre-School Director Lois Wachtel for details.

PURPLE BARNEY and RED ELMO CLASS: 2 year old children

Our youngest students enter a learning environment geared specifically for their young age. Continuing with Sinai’s overall philosophy to be a school, rather than a day care center, 2 year old children are encouraged to grow through letters, sounds, numbers, colors, shapes. These concepts will, obviously, be introduced at an age appropriate level, which involves LOTS of GAMES, LOTS of MUSIC, and LOTS of FUN SURPRISES!

Whether a Red Elmo or a Purples Barney, Sinai’s 2 year olds will form friendships that will last forever. They learn to share, wait their turn, and have the chance to use their imaginations while experimenting with various art materials, all of which encourage creativity.

On a typical day, BARNEY and ELMO children may FEEL a slimy dinosaur, TOUCH a shaving cream mountain, SMELL chocolate play dough, TASTE some yummy food cooked in a cup, and HEAR Beethoven’s symphony during lunchtime! Outdoor playtime and free play is part of each day.

YELLOW BIG BIRDS: 3 year old children

Starting their day with daily circle time, 3 year old children partake on a creative journey each day, a journey limited only by their imaginations. Since our Yellow Big Birds have little limitation in their ability to imagine, their journey will expand in leaps and bounds at Sinai. These children work daily on the development of their gross and fine motor skills, socialization, and learning to read via BEGINNING STEPS.

BEGINNING STEPS is a part of every 3 year old activity, and yet, the children are having too much fun to realize they are growing with each activity. Yellow Big Birds learn letters and sounds in a CREATIVE, HANDS-ON, CENTER ORIENTED environment. Art, drama, music, cooking, and science activities revolve around a letter, shape, color, or weekly topic. Outdoor play and center activities complete the day for the YELLOW BIG BIRD children.

BLUE GROVERS: Pre-K children

BEGINNING STEPS prepares our 4 year old children to take a huge BEGINNING STEP into Kindergarten. BEGINNING STEPS is geared to combine sound recognition with counting, colors, shapes, math games, reading skills, music [lots of music!], and of course, socialization skills. When joined together with art, science, and movement activities, BLUE GROVERS are kept busy growing socially and academically every minute of every day!

Throughout the year, each BLUE GROVER child will become an author, writing books and dictating stories. What begins as one word on a page will expand to sentences by the end of the year. Teddy Bears help these children learn, and of course, there is a hands-on daily art project, which usually revolves around a letter sound or theme. Such activities encourage listening skills, independent work, group skills, and creativity. In addition, color and number words are taught by singing songs; these songs, also, teach the sounds of the letter, which, obviously, teach the children to read! Positive reinforcement is stressed throughout the day!

Outdoor fun time, show & tell, bear games, and visits with Brett, the bear, round out the Blue Grover’s activities in Temple Sinai’s Pre-School. Children learn about the “real” world via a daily feelings chart that encourages language and social skills. BLUE GROVERS take home class-designed stories to share with their families, and this activity reinforces respect for our class belongings.

Our Pre-K program is an exciting final step up on Sinai’s BEGINNING STEPS ladder. It is only a start, however, for these children, because Kindergarten is right around the corner. Although BEGINNING STEPS is, in fact, only a beginning, it is a step in the right direction… BLUE GROVERS are prepared for the challenge of Kindergarten!