KEY AREAS OF STUDY
Oral Language – Opportunities for expression of thoughts, ideas, understandings, questions, reading readiness and conversations of interest to the child.
Language Arts – Use of stories, movies, flannel board, prop stories, poems and books all help to develop interest and readiness in more formal instruction.
Quiet Play – A time to develop on one’s own with the use of puzzles, books, art supplies and other small manipulatives.
Dramatic Play – A fun and authentic way for children to participate in and practice roles that they know on their level. Children are able to problem solve, work through conflicts, socialize, gain realistic experiences, and make sense of the environment.
Math – Our Math program offers Hands-on experiences using concrete objects to help develop an understanding of numbers, weights, measurement, shapes and size.
Art – Helps children to develop an appreciation for the environment and let them create using a variety of mediums.
Reading – Programs like Jolly phonics, reading a variety of books and discussing other forms of print like poems help children connect phonics to print. Activities for developing pre-reading skills are offered, as well as materials for those children that are ready to read.
Music and Rhythm – Children will gain an appreciation of music through creative movement, use of instruments, expressive dancing, etc.
Social Studies – Guiding the children in understanding of their cultures and geographic differences.
Science – Children can delve into nature studies and gain an appreciation for our environment. They are offered opportunities for problem solving through exploration and investigation.
Gross (Large) Motor – Activities to help develop large muscles in the body
Fine (Small) Motor – Activities to help develop the small muscles in the hands.
Self-Help Skills – Through everyday activities, children are encouraged to do things independently and to assist others when help is needed.
Infants
Welcome to the Baby Buckaroos’ Classroom, where we realize a lifetime love of learning starts right in the beginning.
In this classroom you’ll find loving, caring teachers who foster both social and emotional development. Tummy Time, Sign Language, Story Time, Dancing and Singing to Music, building with blocks and Large Motor exploration are just a few things that happen daily.
Communication with parents is something we work hard to do. Parents have access to Tadpoles, a program that allows teachers to take pictures and send notes to parents throughout the day as well as a comprehensive overview of your child’s day.
Overall, the Baby Buckaroos’ classroom is a nurturing environment where your child’s mind and body can continue to explore and grow in a safe and secure place.
Toddlers
Welcome to the Lil’ Colts classroom, where we focus on early learning skills with a lot of fun mixed in.
We understand that toddlers have lots of energy and love to explore. In the Lil’ Colts classroom we provide positive direction and guidance for your child to expand communication/social skills, develop fine motor usage, improve gross motor coordination, and begin school readiness skills.
We begin the day with a fun circle time where we sing, dance, and read. Next we explore our letter, color, number and shape of the week. We use hands on games, crafts, stories, songs, and dance to promote early learning of these key concepts. During inside play, your child will explore different centers including Dramatic Play, Art, Science/Math, Water Play, Building Blocks, Reading, and our inside School Bus Slide.
In addition, your child will have daily outdoor play and exploration on our toddler only playground. We also understand that parents miss their children, at 5 Star Learning Ranch we use a computer program called Tadpoles. This program allows us to take pictures and send notes to parents throughout the day as well as a comprehensive overview of your child’s day every evening.
Overall the Lil’ Colts classroom is a special place where your child can feel loved and cared for while they make new friends and explore their growing minds and bodies in a safe and secure environment.
2 Year Olds
Welcome to the Lil’ Farmer’s Classroom, where our Terrrific Two year olds’ day is filled with crafts, science activities, water play, sensory bin activities, block play, dramatic play, music and movement and so much more!
Name recognition, weather and counting are just a few things that are reviewed through our “Circle Time”. Children learn responsibility through our class “jobs”, which the children take pride in daily. Children are offered opportunities to build on fine motor skills through manipulatives and games that are played in the classroom. Our outdoor play time allows children to explore nature on our nearly 6 acres of property, along with learning how to ride age-appropriate vehicles while working on those large motor skills.
Becoming more independent and social skills are things we work on daily both in and out of the classroom. We do our best to prepare out 2-year old children for what’s to come in our 3-year old program.
3 Year Olds
Welcome to the 3’s Lil’ Cowpokes Corral! We’ve got many exciting things happening in our classroom! We are utilizing our Pre-K Math and Jolly Phonics learning programs, and encourage families to continue using them outside of the school day.
We recognize that play is an integral part of a child’s development and education. We encourage our students to explore our classroom as well as our outdoor environment, through a wide variety of guided and free-play learning activities.
We look for learning opportunities in all of our day-to-day interactions, and foster caring, thoughtful relationships between all students, their peers, teachers, and families.
4 Year Olds
Welcome to The Lil’ Ranchers classroom, where our goal is to ensure that children are confident individuals who are prepared for kindergarten. To accomplish this goal, we begin by building social and emotional skills through stories, working in groups, language development, games, roll playing, and providing a safe, nurturing environment.
Our preschoolers are immersed in early literacy through the Jolly Phonics program. Jolly phonics was developed by teachers for teachers. Children learn to read and write using synthetic phonics, which is widely recognized as the most effective way to teach children to learn to read and write.
A few great things about Jolly Phonics:
- It is the Systemic teaching of phonics, grammar, spelling and punctuation across the school years
- Independent research supports the outstanding results achieved around the world
- Continues to revise and extend children’s phonic knowledge
Our preschoolers implement what is learned through this program and begin connecting it to print, allowing for early reading to begin.
The math program our children are introduced to seems to align well with the math program taught at the local schools in Kindergarten. Our math program connects to the real world in ways that take the fear out of math and build student confidence. – helping students achieve true understanding lesson by lesson and year after year.
School Agers (5 Years and Up)
Before & After School Program
5-Star Learning Ranch offers quality care in a safe, warm, learning environment for school-aged children before school, after school, and during most school holidays. In addition to having several opportunities to explore nature on our over 5 acres of property, your child will also be offered the following:
- Assistance with homework daily
- Science Activities
- Math Activities
- Language Arts Activities
- Age-Appropriate Books
- Art Projects
- Board Games
- Building Blocks/Legos
- Problem Solving Activities
- Large Motor Activities
- Fine Motor Activities
- Puzzles
- Music & Movement
We take pride in what our rich learning environment and nurturing staff have to offer your school-aged child.
**Summer Camp is also available to all school-aged children