Programs for 4 year olds: Preschool Programs for Ages 3

Preschool For 3 & 4 Year Olds

Your preschooler is growing up fast, potty-trained and eager to learn new things. At this age, your child is more coordinated and is absorbing lots of information every day.  

At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, your child’s day is carefully planned out with a variety of hands-on activities to encourage learning and socialization. Your child is taught to write their name and recognize letters, numbers, colors and shapes. Preschool teachers introduce concepts like opposites, identifying emotions and basic directional skills. At this age, we also put a large focus on teaching self-awareness and fostering independence by helping your child master their self-help skills.

We design our preschool classrooms with these developmental milestones in mind and equip each classroom with age-appropriate, educational toys to help continue inspiring your child’s curiosity and desire to learn and engage with their classmates and their environment. 

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Our Reggio Emilia-inspired curriculum, Creatively Shine®, is based on the latest research and trends to prepare your children for their educational careers, equipping them with cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and language skills.

At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool® we believe a child’s work is play. We teach your children age-appropriate lessons, manners, and social skills all through creative and purposeful play. We believe children who enjoy learning at a young age will carry it with them throughout their lives.

Each month we have original projects, provide each classroom with new materials that reflect the monthly theme and provide related activities to support the individual concepts of the “whole child.”

Parent Resources

Have Fun in the Sun with These Summer Safety Tips for Kids

Everyone loves summer, especially children. But while you’re planning some family fun in the sun, be sure to make safety a top priority. Accidents are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 in the United States, and the summer months bring with them a unique set of risks.

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Tips for Reducing Separation Anxiety in Preschoolers

Starting school can be exciting and intimidating for students of all ages, but especially for very young children. As a parent, you can rest assured that separation anxiety when starting school is a normal part of child development and that it may show up on the first day for some kids, or emerge later in the school year for others.

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How Little Sunshine’s Playhouse Promotes Social Skills for Preschoolers

Parents relish the joy of watching young children form relationships with friends, teachers and others. It turns out that socialization is actually an important part of early childhood development and promotes positive outcomes later in life.

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Our curriculum is based on the research of the most renowned education experts.

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• Hops and stands on one foot up to 5 seconds

• Goes upstairs and downstairs without support

• Kicks ball forward

• Throws ball overhand 

• Catches bounced ball most of the time 

• Moves forward and backward

• Uses riding toys

• Shows interest in new experiences 

• Cooperates/plays with other children 

• Plays “mom” or “dad”

• More inventive in fantasy play 

• Dresses and undresses 

• More independent

• Often cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality 

• May have imaginary friends or see monsters

• Copies square shapes 

• Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts

• Uses scissors 

• Draws circles and squares 

• Begins to copy some capital letters

• Feeds self with spoon

• Understands the concepts of “same” and “different”

• Has mastered some basic rules of grammar 

• Speaks in sentences of 5 to 6 words 

• Asks questions 

• Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand

• Tells stories

• Correctly names some colors 

• Understands the concept of counting and may know a few numbers

• Begins to have a clearer sense of time

• Follows three-part commands 

• Recalls parts of a story 

• Engages in fantasy play 

• Understands causality (“I can make things happen”)

Find a Little Sunshine’s Playhouse near you

Explore our Educational Programs

Infant Program (6 weeks – 1 year)

Our highly trained infant teachers partner with you to ensure your baby’s developmental needs are met every step along the way. Our nursery staff create predictable routines and nurturing classroom environments that foster social and emotional development in your baby.  

Toddler Program (1-2 years)

Our toddler classrooms are designed to encourage purposeful play where our teachers guide your child through age-appropriate learning experiences that prepare them with the knowledge they need to be confident as they grow.

Early Preschool Program (2-3 years)

Your child’s preschool teacher and our classroom create a nurturing, home-like classroom environment where your toddler is treated as a capable individual, whose opinions, actions and thoughts are respected and valued.

Preschool Program (3-4 years)

We design our preschool classrooms with developmental milestones in mind and equip each classroom with age-appropriate, educational toys to help continue inspiring your preschoolers curiosity and desire to learn and engage with their classmates and their environment.

Pre-K Program (4-5 years)

It is our mission to prepare your child for a successful year in the wonderful world of kindergarten. Our skilled pre-K teachers help build essential skills by carefully crafting engaging activities that balance instructed learning and purposeful play.

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What is Michigan’s free pre-K program for 4-year-olds? Q+A with an expert

• Students from low-income families get free pre-K under GSRP 
• An MSU researcher who works with the state explains what makes the state’s program effective 
• Recruiting and retaining teachers is a problem for pre-K, similar to the challenge facing K-12 schools

Will Michigan eventually have universal free preschool open to all 4-year-olds across the state?

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to make that happen by the end of her second term.  

Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) allows 4-year-olds from low-income families to attend preschool for free. The program is administered by local intermediate school districts and students learn in classrooms in public schools and with community-based providers across the state.

Related: 

• Gretchen Whitmer wants free preschool for all. But is Michigan ready?
• Michigan Senate panel removes flunking from third grade reading law
• Can more cash transform Michigan’s middling schools? We may find out soon

Jamie Heng-Chieh Wu is a research assistant professor and associate director at Michigan State University who has studied the program for years. She leads a group that contracts with the state to evaluate five years of data on the Great Start Readiness Program.

While there is already data to suggest GSRP makes a positive difference in academic outcomes, Wu told Bridge Michigan she also wants to examine the academic impacts on low-income students and the “spill-over” effect on wealthier students and school districts. “

Jamie Heng-Chieh Wu studies Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program. The program provides free pre-K for 4-year-olds from low income families. (Courtesy photo)

I’m excited about the expansion of GSRP to serve more Michigan children and families.”

She spoke to Bridge by email about the state’s program.  

How do you assess if the Great Start Readiness Program is effective? Generally, what constitutes a “high-quality” preschool program?

In an ideal world, you know it’s a high-quality preschool when you see children are surrounded in a classroom with plenty of age-appropriate books and toys, they know the routine of the days, they like their teachers, they learn together with their peers not just on their ABCs but also when to listen and what to do when they feel frustrated. 

You’ll see families are greeted when they’re at the door, teachers chat with them about how their day has been or what’s the highlight of the day for their child. Teachers happily stay with their jobs and feel well supported by administrators and families. 

Michigan has a quality rating and improvement system in place that rates every GSRP site on a variety of measures of quality: teacher qualifications, quality of staff-child interactions, family engagement and many others. All GSRP sites rank at or above average on that quality ranking scale. 

In the National Institute of Early Education Research’s annual “State of Preschool” report, Michigan is one of the only five states that meets all 10 of its quality criteria. These high-quality features have led to promising outcomes we’ve seen in the past two decades. 

During the pandemic, Michigan (removed the cap on income eligibility for the program to fill empty slots.) Did that change the program offerings for students? Were teachers teaching different material and/or providing different learning supports?

The first thing we know is that, when Michigan effectively waived the income limit, 3,000 “over-income” families took advantage of that opportunity, even during the height of the pandemic. That result suggests that there is an unmet demand for affordable, high-quality preschool.

In terms of programming, GSRP sites and staff worked hard to deliver the same or equivalent curriculum in challenging circumstances. My colleagues Dr. Bethany Wilinski and Dr. Alyssa Morley interviewed 30 GSRP teachers about their adaptations during Covid. The teachers said they used new strategies and adapted to restrictions in ways that strengthened their connection to families during the pandemic. Preschool teachers are first responders and heroes in a time of crisis. 

How does GSRP develop its programs? Is there a set curriculum followed by all schools? 

According to the GSRP Manual, there are currently seven curricula that have been approved by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) for classroom use. These curricula are research-validated, play-based and aligned with the Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten established by the Michigan State Board of Education. All GSRP grantees are required to use an approved curriculum in their classrooms but are free to choose from these seven high-quality curricula. 

What are areas of improvement for the GSRP? 

One area we see as a challenge is recruiting and retaining qualified staff. While our data shows that many of the GSRP sites are fully staffed, some classrooms have had temporary or prolonged periods where the lead or associate teacher role is vacant. Administrators would like to see lower turnover rates for GSRP teachers, which may be a question of equitable pay. The challenge of staffing classrooms is not unique to GSRP; it is a nationwide problem that we are seeing played out here in Michigan. 

What else should the public know about the GSRP?

Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program has been making low-income children ready for kindergarten for more than 20 years. We have data to show that it has been effective. It is currently serving one third of all 4-year-old children in Michigan. If pre-K becomes universal, more children will benefit, because the cost of preschool can be out of reach for many, not just low-income families. 

I’m looking forward to working with MDE to document how the state’s investment in universal pre-K benefits children and families. Our work will also add to the research literature on the effects of quality pre-K to inform program practice and public policy.

For children aged 4 to 5: Daily activity program

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⭐ ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN 3-4 YEARS

⭐ ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN 5-7 YEARS

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to receive free materials.

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program

You can get the whole program with the purchase of Full Access. Read more

Educational weeks are designed for children aged four to five years. The course contains 90 tasks for the development of attention, memory, thinking, logic, elementary mathematical concepts, preparing a hand for writing, learning to read and write. The tasks are grouped in such a way that the child receives a comprehensive development within three weeks. To organize classes, you will need: a simple pencil, colored pencils, an eraser, children’s scissors, plasticine, glue stick, Tangram game. If you do not have a tangram toy, then download the printed version from the link https://mama-print.ru/catalog/skhema-dlya-tangram How to use the kit: The duration of the session should not exceed 20 minutes. It is better to have several short classes a day than one long one. Before starting each lesson, do a finger warm-up with your baby for 3-5 minutes (see https://mama-print.ru/catalog/razminka). Do not let the child overwork. Welcome the non-standard thinking of the baby. Do not rush the child, give enough time to complete each task. Remember that the kit is designed for the average level of development of all the skills of this age group of children. But every baby is unique and develops in their own way. Therefore, some tasks can cause difficulties. Become an assistant to your child, a guide to the world of new knowledge. If, after several attempts, the baby cannot complete any exercise, put it off for a month, and then return to it again. Praise the child for each achievement. Sincerely admire new victories. Do not skimp on emotions, in early childhood this is as important as the development of intelligence. Successful and exciting activities! mama-print.ru team

Top 10 educational apps for kids on Android and iOS

Content

From an early age, modern children can use educational applications. They know how to use a smartphone or tablet and can open their favorite apps before they have mastered the primer.

There are tons of apps available for mobile platforms, but not all of them are suitable for children. For example, many are available only for money, and although purchases on Google Play and the AppStore in Russia were “turned off” in 2022, annoying requests for “well, buy” can annoy many parents.

So that you can be calm, and your son or daughter is busy with useful and interesting work, without looking up from the gadget, I have compiled the top 10 best applications for children, focusing on the recommendations of CSN experts, Tinkoff Magazine and the rating of applications on Google Play . If some link does not open on the computer, I suggest going through a VPN.

10. Cut the Rope 2

• Age – 3+
• Google Play : Cut the Rope 2
• App Store : Cut the Rope 2

A fun game about the adventures of the little green glutton Om Nom opens the top applications for children. He is eager to collect candies, and the player’s task is to provide Om Nom with sweets, guiding through different levels, from the forest, the river and the city to the car dump.

From level to level, it becomes more and more difficult to cut the ropes on which candies are swinging, but valuable prizes are given for this. A funny and fun game, available on iOS and Android, develops fine motor skills, reactions, spatial thinking in children and teaches the ability to build logical chains.

9. Skazbuka games for kids

• Age – 3-6 years old
• Google Play : Skazbuka
• App Store : Skazbuka

One of the best educational applications for preschool children – developed with the participation of psychologists and pediatricians, “speaks” in Russian, and does not contain ads. “Skazbuka” will introduce children to the alphabet, sizes, shapes and colors. It will also help you learn the basics of reading and counting.

There are creative games – coloring books, creating an island, etc. So that the child does not stay too long playing, there is a time limit in Skazbuk. Paid content is present, but there are also free tasks.

8. Line Puzzle

• Age – 4-7 years old
• Google Play : Line Puzzle
• App Store : ‎ Line Puzzle

Among the best app games for kids, Line Puzzle stands out for being colorful and simple. This is an application for a smartphone or tablet in which you need to repeat the pattern according to the sample. And for this you will have to stretch the rope and fix it at the right points. Moreover, at some points the rope is already fixed, and the child will need to think carefully about how to get around this obstacle.

7.

Astronomy and Space for children

• Age – from 4 years old
• Google Play : Astronomy and Space for kids
• App Store : ‎ Astronomy and Space for kids

The seventh place in the rating of the application for children I give to space “for the smallest”. In an accessible and easy form, the child will be told about the constellations, planets and other celestial objects, the structure of the solar system, as well as the Hubble telescope and the ISS. There is even a quiz.

The drawing is bright and beautiful, and many users write that this application will be interesting not only for preschoolers, but also for teenagers.

6. Fixies

• Age – from 4 years old
• Google Play : Fixies

This is not one game, but a whole collection of the best Android apps for kids. It also includes a math game in which children learn to count together with the characters from the Fixies cartoon, a confectionery factory for developing fine motor skills and aesthetic taste, a game for learning English, an adventure and competitive game, and several others.

There is also paid content, alas, most of the best applications for children cannot do without it.

5. Online school. Science in AR

• Age – 7-18 years old
• Google Play : ONLINE SCHOOL. Science in AR – Apps on Google Play
• App Store : ‎ONLINE SCHOOL. Science at AR

A new, convenient, understandable, educational application from the “Online School” for students from grades 1 to 11. Lessons with augmented reality allow the child to fully immerse themselves in the study of distant stars, planets, discoveries and travels. There are three convenient modes: normal – with pictures, notes and tests, with AR and with an AR marker.

4. Baby Games: learn, 2+ year kid

• Age
• Google Play : Baby Games: learn, 2+ year kid
• App Store : ‎ Baby Games: learn, 2+ year kid

Among the best free apps for kids, this software stands out with a high user rating – 4.8 out of 5 possible points. It is fun, intuitive, and consists of several tasks:

• puzzles,
• adding a picture to the desired area of ​​the picture,
• arrangement of geometric figures, etc.

All graphic elements are large, large and easy to hit. The menu and voice acting are in English, but don’t let that stop you from installing the program – the whole gameplay is clear without words. But there are no ads, and there is no need to worry that the child will poke somewhere in the wrong place. And you do not need to buy anything, the game is definitely free.

3. Buddy.ai: English for kids

• Age – from 4 years old
• Google Play : ai: English for children
• App Store : ai: English for children

Ranked among the best English learning apps for kids thanks to its friendly interface and Buddy Robot voice assistant. With it, the child will be able to learn a thousand of the most important English words, and learn their correct pronunciation.

Buddy the robot will show videos to a young student to control and reinforce knowledge. Please note: the application is paid, to pay for the subscription you need to go to the telegram bot. And sometimes Buddy becomes “hard of hearing”, it’s hard to distinguish what the child says to him. But with the exception of these shortcomings, there are no shortcomings in the software.

2. Learning English: speaking LuvLingua

• Age – from 4 years old
• Google Play : Learn English: Speak LuvLingua
• App Store : Learn English: Speak LuvLingua ‎

Probably the best English app for kids. Designed primarily for beginners, it can work on a device without Internet access, and you can learn new words with the help of games and quizzes. The pronunciation of each letter is crisp and clear, the pictures are bright – just what you need for a beginner.

There is a lot of free stuff in LuvLingua, although there is paid content too. Plus, the program takes up little space on your smartphone, so you don’t have to choose what to delete instead of LuvLingua.

1. Sea of ​​Words: Find Words

• Age – from 4 years old
• Google Play : Sea of ​​Words: Find Words
• App Store : Sea of ​​Words: Find Words

The rating of the best applications for a child on the phone is headed by a program that can work without the Internet and does not require payment for its content. With the help of the “Sea of ​​Words”, a child will develop his vocabulary in a playful way, learn many interesting facts about the inhabitants of the sea, be able to read more consciously and learn how to write words that are difficult for the perception of a primary school student.