Preschool Kinship
Our Current Preschool Kinships with Open Enrollment:
Click here to learn more about enrollment and waitlist details.
Singing Brook (Fremont) – 12 Months to kindergarten ready. 2, 3, 4, and 5 full-day options
Group Size & Ages
Our preschool groups are limited to 14-16 children and 2-4 teachers at one time. Preschoolers range in age from 2 years to kindergarten ready. Every Few years preschool kinships become a toddler and two’s kinship so children can begin around 12 months old and stay together through their preschool years. The 2024-2025 school year is a younger toddler and two’s blend kinship at Singing Brook.
Preschool Kinship | Preschool
DetailsPhilosophy of Care + Curriculum Daily Rhythm Weekly Rhythm
Our Philosophy of Care
Sweet River Bamboo draws from an eclectic mix of educational models and philosophies. The key component of our program is the creation of a safe, nurturing environment where children can explore, create, socialize, and be inspired by the world around them. Children learn best when they are allowed to reach developmental milestones at their own pace, in an environment where they feel secure, loved and respected. A mixed-age group provides an enriching space for children to grow and thrive. When new children arrive, they are supported in their absorption of their surroundings and their openness to experience. As they grow, children will have a voice in forming their own experiences and that of the group and will have a chance to become leaders and role models for the younger children.
Our Rhythm
Our days will be filled with a balance of group activities and free play with plenty of outdoor time built in. Our rhythm carries us naturally through our days and is structured around open play, circle times, outside time, meals and rest.
“Education is not the filling of
a pail, but the lighting
of a fire.”
~ Plutarch
Our Curriculum
Inspired greatly by Waldorf education, the curriculum consists of uninterrupted time for creative play, art and music, baking, circle time and oral storytelling, as well as exploration of Montessori learning materials. We emphasize being in the present moment as much as possible. We encourage an understanding of emotions and impulses in order to help children develop self-regulation, reflection and empathy.
Children naturally develop their social skills and motor skills by interacting with peers, toys, learning materials, and both indoor and outdoor environments. Language, math, and science development are integrated into activities such as baking, cooking, and digging in the earth and exploring the rich complexity of the natural world. There are a number of Montessori materials in the preschool kinships that are treated a little differently than the open-ended toys available to them.
Sandpaper letters, puzzle maps, and materials designed for enhancing sensorial development will require a lesson from a teacher before a child can freely choose them. This is to preserve the purpose of the material and encourage children to use it in a developmentally supportive way. Children in our program are offered the best of both Waldorf and Montessori education; they can play freely, exercise their imaginations, and express themselves artistically through our Waldorf inspired loose parts and toys, and they can enjoy the structured process of learning a new skill by way of prepared Montessori materials and activities that will prepare them for and offer academic learning opportunities. Acquisition of pre-academic skills will never be forced but will be an option for the children to pursue when desire and readiness align. Children will also be exposed to different cultures and languages through the songs we sing and celebrations we have. The linguistic and cultural component of our program is influenced greatly by the children, families, and teachers within each group.
We incorporate special activities such as “Word of the Week”, “Poetry in Motion”, and “Seasonal Topic” into our curriculum as a way to develop critical thinking, vocabulary, and interdisciplinary skills.
Click here to discover more about our Holistic Curriculum
Preschool Kinship | Preschool
DetailsPhilosophy of Care + Curriculum Daily Rhythm Weekly Rhythm
Daily Rhythm
8:30am: Arrivals and Self-directed Play
9:00am: Blessing & Breakfast
9:30am: Good Morning Circle
9:45am-11:30am: Small groups + Morning Activity + Outside Play
10:30am: Puppet Show/Storytelling
11:30am: Lunch
12:30-2:30pm: Nap/Rest time, cuddles, lullabies, back rubs; Quiet Resting for non-sleepers and then books, coloring & other calm activities
2:30pm: Afternoon Snack
3:00pm-3:30pm: Outside Play + Goodbyes
Preschool Kinship | Preschool
DetailsPhilosophy of Care + Curriculum Daily Rhythm Weekly Rhythm
“Education is a natural
process carried out by the
child and is not acquired
by listening to words but
by experiences in the
environment.”
~ Maria Montessori
| Weekday | Breakfast | Morning Activity | Lunch | Afternoon Snack | Afternoon Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Whole Grain Cereal with Milk, Fresh Fruit and Organic Milk | Bring fruit from home to chop Seasonal Muffin Baking | Kinship-baked Seasonal Muffins, Beans, 2 veggies, and Organic Milk | Tillamook Cheese, Fresh Fruit, and Crackers | Rug work and Sensory Explorations |
| Tuesday | Seasonal Kinship-made Muffins, Fresh Fruit, and Organic Milk | Water Color Painting | Rice & Beans, 2 veggies, and Organic milk | Tillamook Cheese, Fresh Fruit, and Crackers | Nature Observation and Extended Outdoor Time |
| Wednesday | Seasonal Kinship-made Waffles, Fresh Fruit and Organic Milk | Hummus making and Chopping Extended Morning Outside | Almond Butter Sandwiches, 2 Veggies, Beans, and Organic Milk | Tillamook Cheese, Fresh Fruit, and Crackers | Music and Literacy Exploration |
| Thursday | Whole Grain Oatmeal with Almond Butter and Chia Seeds, Fresh Fruit, and Organic Milk | Craft/Seasonal Activity | Pasta with tomato herb sauce, Beans 2 Veggies and Organic Milk | Tillamook Cheese, Fresh Fruit, and Crackers | Dancing and creative movement |
| Friday | Nancy’s Plain Whole Milk Yogurt, Granola, Fresh Fruit, and Organic Milk | Kinship Cleaning Day Nature Exploration Extended Morning Outside | Kinship-made Hummus, Whole Grain Toast, 2 veggies and Organic Milk | Tillamook Cheese, Fresh Fruit, and Crackers | Extended Outside Time |