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Fort Lee or Ridgefield School Main Number: 201-944-6655

Preschool Learning in Fort Lee, New Jersey


We help prepare your child for a higher learning education.

Children in pre-kindergarten can already distinguish relationships and are fond of making friends. Sending them to The Green House Preschool and Kindergarten is a sure way that their social needs are met while being taught the basics in preparation for the big school.
Activities in Pre-Kindergarten include:

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Arrival/Choice Activities

  • Transition children gradually to choice time activities (e.g., say, “If you are wearing red, you may choose an interest area.”).
  • Guide children in selecting where they want to start and what they want to do.
  • Observe and interact with individual children to extend play and learning.
  • Work with children engaged in study and activities.
  • Read books to individual children and spontaneous small groups.
  • Give a 5-minute warning before cleanup time and help children put materials away in each interest area.
  • Children will sign in on a daily sign-in notebook.
  • Include a model of each child’s name to refer to when signing.
  • Initially, many children will scribble. Do not correct this. Over time children will start to form letters.

8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. Music and Movement

  • Lead a movement activity
  • Teach children a finger-play (Rebus)
  • Introduce musical instruments (names, what they sound like, how to use them)

8:40 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. Choice Time

All teachers participate in Choice Time

  • Transition children to Choice Time (EX. “If you’re wearing red today you may choose an interest area”)
  • Observe and interact with individual children to extend play and learning
  • Work with children engaged in study activities
  • Read books to individual children and spontaneous small groups
  • Give a 5-minute warning before cleaning up and help children put materials away in each interest area

9:40 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. Cleaning/Hand Washing/Snack

  • All teachers are sitting with children and lead discussions about what took place during choice time and small-group activities.
  • Have conversations with individual children.
  • Those who finish early may go to the group time area and look at books while others are finishing.

10:05 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Group Meeting

  • Start with a Welcome Song
  • Discuss Attendance and Job Charts
  • Invite children to share news
  • Discuss the “Question of the Day”
  • Record children’s Ideas
  • Conduct an activity or discussion related to a study topic
  • Discuss Calendar

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Small Group

  • Gather will children in small-group activities
  • Introduce new concepts and reinforce skills children are developing
  • We may choose to conduct two or more small groups at once
  • Invite children not currently participating in a small group to select a quiet activity (e.g., toys and games, drawing)
  • Continuing to work on a project, looking at books, listening to recordings, or using the computer)

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Outdoor Choice Time

  • Supervise children who are using the playground toys and equipment (e.g., water table, sandbox, climbers, and slides)
  • Observe and interact with children as they jump rope, play ball games, blow bubbles, explore nature, and so on
  • Lead activities related to a study or assist games and movement activities that promote large-muscle development
  • Help children put away or carry in toys and materials, hang up jackets, use the toilet, and wash their hands

11:15 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. Wash Hands/Water Break

11:20 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Read Aloud

  • Read a story or discuss a book related to the topic of the class’s current study

11:30 a.m. Half-Day Student Clean Up and Departure

  • Greet families and involve children in sharing the experiences they had that day.

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Hand Washing/Lunch!

  • Sign the ABC song while washing
  • Sit with children and lead discussions about what took place during choice time and small-group activities
  • Have conversations with individual children. Those who finish early may go to the group time area and look at books while others are finishing.

12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Nap Time

  • Help children relax and get comfortable
  • Supervise the rest area at all times
  • Provide quiet activities for children who do not sleep
  • Adjust the length of rest time to suit the age of the group and the needs of individual children

1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Read Aloud

  • Read or involve children in retelling a familiar story
  • Introduce a new story or reread a familiar one

1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Small Group and Limited Choice

  • Introduce new concepts and reinforce skills children are developing
  • Documenting progress
  • Involve children in quiet activities, such as hanging up their artwork and preparing for the next day.

2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Outdoor Choice Time

  • Engage children in independent activities
  • Have conversations
  • Lead Activities
  • Supervise children in activities, have conversations,
  • Lead an activity (sometimes a neighborhood walk, walking around our school property).

2:45 p.m. – 2:55 p.m. Hand Washing/Water Break

  • Sing the ABC song while washing.
  • Have conversations with individual children.
  • Those who finish early may go to the group time area and look at books while others are finishing.

2:45 p.m. – 3:05 p.m. Group Meeting

  • Give a signal to gather the group together
  • Review children’s responses to the “Question of the Day”
  • Invite children to talk about the day, including what they want to remember about it
  • The record highlights the class calendar and talks about the plans for the next day

3:05 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Music and Movement

  • Lead a movement activity

3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Clean Up and Departure

  • Greet families and involve children in sharing the experiences they had that day.

3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Extended Care Students Only

  • Outdoor Play/Gym-Indoor Play, Story time, music, movement activity.

Get your kids ready to head on to bigger learning challenges! Call us and let them attend pre-kindergarten for the next school opening. You can reach us at 201-944-6655.