What do children learn in preschool?” from education consultants and school officials

“There should be a broad range of activities, including interactive, motor, listening, and sensory experiences. Here is a suggested checklist of musthaves (with examples of activities) for brain-building and happy productivity:

Letters and sounds

Kids will learn to recognize and name all 26 uppercase letter and lowercase letters (lowercase letters are harder to learn at this age). They will recognize their own first name and be able to print it, along with other letters and meaningful words like ‘mom,ʼ ‘dad,ʼ and ‘love.ʼ Numbers and
counting: Teachers will help kids learn to recognize and identify the numbers 1 through 10 and correctly count 10 or more objects. Learning what numerals 0 to 9 look like and being able to name them correctly is one of the first math

Cutting and drawing

Before entering kindergarten, children should be able to cut with scissors. As they develop better hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, they will start drawing and colouring beyond just scribbles and will learn to use pencils, paint brushes, and glue. Socializing and sharing: Developing important social skills is necessary before starting kindergarten; preschoolers will learn how to share and cooperate, work together and take turns,
participate in group activities, follow simple directions, and communicate wants and needs.” Lee Venditti, director of J. Addison, a Montessori school in Markham, Ontario
“The academic skills that are acquired through direct instruction by our preschoolers include writing their names and learning their addresses and phone numbers. Students are also provided with the opportunity to learn colours, sizes, and shapes. For our math and phonics-related classes, numbers and prewriting skills are introduced, as well as shape identification, letter recognition, sounds, and rhyming. Our teachers also introduce children to simple sentence structure, addition, and subtraction. Through storytime activities, literacy and comprehension skills and language development are fostered. Our social studies program emphasizes skills such as persistence, respect for others, cooperation, honesty, trustworthiness, and sensitivity. With regards to our art program, our preschoolers use varied materials to create original pieces. Different colours, textures, and shapes are also used to reinforce self-expression.” Debbie Keough, teacher at Prestige School, a gifted school, in Richmond Hill, Ontario
“The main question parents need to ask themselves about the Waldorf
curriculum is: What is being taught if it is not math work sheets, early reader book series, or desk work? What is experiential learning like in preschool and kindergarten? For math and reading it looks something like this:

Math

Measuring for baking bread, setting the table for snack (who is absent, who is visiting), measuring to make a wooden plane, numbers of seeds to plant for a garden (and their the length apart), finger and body circle activities, counting, sorting, planning, and sequencing and number games.

Reading

Memory skills, poetry, verses, listening skills, story structure (through plays and puppet shows, storytelling, rich vocabulary, and phonemic awareness.” Jennifer Deathe, head of admission at Waldorf Academy, in Toronto, Ontario

“Our preschool program encourages the developments of social skills through creative play, enriching stories, and time outdoors together. At this age,children engage in the world entirely through their own senses. So they will have natural toys and materials at hand and plenty of time outdoors for free play. Imaginative play, the focus of the early childhood classroom and the true ‘workʼ of the child, encourages problem solving and creative thinking. It is the most effective way to cultivate a love of learning and set a foundation for
academic excellence.” Lylli Anthon, faculty chair of Halton Waldorf
school, in Burlington, Ontario

“Children experience the joy of learning through a variety of activities that support letter and number recognition, colour and shape identification, and explore the physical world through science and social experiences. In addition, as part of our program, children will gain the knowledge of self, family, culture, and community.” Stacy Paton, ECE program manager of Queen Margaretʼs
School, in Duncan, British Columbia

“Rather than confining preschool learning to the boundaries of traditional subject areas, learning is centred around six themes of global significance which are explored in the classroom using several subjects. Our transdisciplinary program makes youngsters understand connections between learning and the ‘real world,ʼ thus engaging them and stimulating their desire for learning. The preschool curriculum crosses disciplines and empowers
children to be inquisitive.” Nora Ibrahim, preschool teacher and IB
PYP (Primary Years Programme) coordinator at Académie de la Capitale,
in Ottawa, Ontario

“Our curriculum is designed specifically for the preschool program. Language and personal expression are based on the individual needs of the child. The curriculum is rooted in exploratory, play-based learning that zeros in on math, language, gross motor skills, and social and emotional development.” Corina Gill, assistant head of the lower school at Bayview Glen Independent School, in Toronto, Ontario

“We foster academic excellence through guided and pod learning, teacher directed lessons, and exploratory, creative, and inquiry-based activities.Subject areas such as phonics, printing, math, French, social studies, geography, and music are taught in a cross-curricular, fun, and inviting manner. Imagination, creativity, and play are a part of daily activities. Basic learning techniques and skills such as storytelling, poetry, drawing, painting, and more are emphasized weekly.” Paula Carrasco, director of Kendelhurst Academy, in Mississauga, Ontario