Threes children at Woodward attend school from 9:00am until 2:45pm Monday through Friday. The option of early drop off at 8:30am and late pick up by 3:15pm.

The Threes curriculum supports and values the whole child while strengthening their individual abilities through play and their investigations of the environment. Thought-provoking, developmentally age-appropriate activities are introduced to the children in thematic units. These units focus on children's interests and include the themes of apples, pumpkins, friendship, shapes, hibernation, the solar system, dinosaurs, butterflies, gardening, transportation, seasons, holidays, etc.

Learning centers in the classroom allow for the children to move freely and choose their own activities during play time. Each learning center is thematically focused to expand on the curriculum and enhance fine and gross motor skills, cognitive skills, language development, social skills and emotional development. Learning centers include the block area, dramatic play, the art table, easels, sensory table, manipulatives and the library. Weekly specials in the Threes Classroom include yoga, science and cooking.

Project work is a favorite part of the day. This time is a wonderful opportunity for Threes children to work one-on-one with the teacher, or in a small group with only a few other children. Project work helps the children to develop the ability to follow step-by-step directions. It is also a good time for the teacher to understand where each child is developmentally, as well as to assess their skills and strengthen their language development.

The main goals for the year are to help the children form meaningful relationships with their teachers and peers, and to foster each child’s sense of independence, socialization and curiosity.

Fours and Fives at Woodward attend school from 9:00am until 3:00pm Monday through Friday.

The Pre-K curriculum allows for a focus on the whole child, addressing their social / emotional, cognitive, language and physical development. Children's development at this age spans a wide range. The Fours/Fives teachers endeavor to meet each child, no matter where they are on the continuum, and scaffold them to the next level.

The approach is primarily play-based. This approach helps to build a child’s self-confidence and independence. Fours/Fives children engage and explore their environment through hands-on activities and interactions with the world around them, building on the developmental skills they have acquired as Twos and Threes. Language and literacy as well as building a rich vocabulary and a love for books are instilled through daily book reading and story time, “non-fiction Friday,” making class books together, and other activities such as singing songs and playing games. Science and math are beloved subjects in the Fours/Fives classroom. Science is introduced in units that span multiple weeks. The activities encourage the children to ask questions and make predictions, as well as to introduce new vocabulary. Math study relates directly to the themes being explored in the curriculum, helping to show the children how math relates to real world activities and scenarios. The classroom always makes available many manipulatives for self-exploration, aiding in the development of sorting, counting, classifying and comparing. A weekly cooking project also provides the children with the opportunity to learn about measurement, volume, fractions and proportions.

Art is a very important part of the Fours/Fives curriculum. Many types of mediums are available to the children on a daily basis. Projects around various artists, illustrators, methods and materials introduce children to the larger world of art all around us. A weekly music and movement class is taught by a specialist who visits Woodward to help children explore this art form.

A main goal in the Fours/Fives class is for each child to acquire key skills including empathy, resilience and self-regulation. Research has shown that these skills are key for children’s academic success in kindergarten and beyond. The curriculum ensures that the children gain the specific skills that they will need in kindergarten.