A Typically Productive, Enriching, and Fun-Filled Day in a Daycroft Preschool Classroom

7:30 am Children may arrive for before-school care. Play, crafts, and stories.
8:45 am School begins. Children choose works from the teacher-prepared shelves.
9:00 am First Circle. Children gather for a presentation of new works to be added to the shelves.
9:20 am Free Choice / Work Time. As children continue to choose works, teachers work with individual children and small groups.
Specials Individual classes have their specials (gym, Spanish, music, and art) during morning work time.
10:30 am Second Circle. Children join in song, learn finger plays, talk about the calendar and weather charts, and listen to a story.
10:45 am Outside for morning recess, weather permitting. The multi-purpose room hosts recess when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
11:15 am Dismissal time for AM-only students. Full-day students prepare for lunch.
11:30 am Children dig into their yummy lunches – either packed from home or preordered from school.
12:20 pm Rest time begins.
1:30 pm Children return to their classrooms and have a half-hour to choose works for the afternoon.
2:00 pm Afternoon Circle. Children learn the current theme – for example, planets, animals, or plants. A project may also be introduced.
2:15 pm Children proceed to work on their own or in small groups.
3:00 pm Outside – or to the multi-purpose room, depending on weather – for afternoon recess.
3:15 pm Dismissal time for full-day students.
3:30 pm Children needing after-school care may stay until 5:30 pm.