A typical day on The Shire
A typical day begins with free play as students typically arrive between 8:00 am and 10:00 am. The day’s activities begin at 9:30 and continue through the morning until down time at 1:00ish. Parents decide if children nap or not! After down time, the afternoon activities run until 5:00 PM, concluding with free play until pick up. Parents or guardians must pick children up before 5:30pm. We provide flexibility within our full-day options. You choose what works best for your family.
Morning
Mornings are focused on social/emotional awareness, learning, group activities, and outdoor explorations. Activities range from physical exercise, to encourage body awareness and large motor skills, to artistic creations, letter & number recognition, geography, science, diversity, sorting, comparing, sequencing, retelling, measuring, and so much more. Morning circle includes songs, discussions for the day and reading aloud. Table time is an opportunity for children to create projects and have hands-on experiences based on different areas of interest. During morning activities we split our group into two groups (the seedlings and sprouts) based-on age. Once a week we have Ms. Maria join us for story-time! She retired from working at the children’s department at the Boise Public Library. She is an absolute pro storyteller.
8:00 Greetings! Sensory bins, art projects, books, and free play
9:30 Morning Snack
10:00 Morning Outside Exploration (individual choice with invitations to explore new experiences)
10:30 Choice for Chicken Tending & Gardening
11:00 Hive-mind Circle Time (storytelling, movement, singing, playing instruments, and creating questions to drive our learning)
11:30 Hands-on Table Time (focused school readiness skill building, maker’s station, activities connected to our questions)
12:00 Outside Exploration
12:30 Lunchtime
1:00 Downtime (nappers and non-nappers room)
Down time
Down time is an opportunity for students to rest and recover for the afternoon. Learning takes a lot of energy! Nappers have their own mats, personal blankets, and stuffed animals to make them feel comfortable. Teachers are attentive to tucking children in and remaining in the classroom during nap time. Non-nappers are in a different room or at an outside play space. Typically, non-nappers rest or read quietly for a half hour then engage in projects or explore the outdoors more. Naps are followed if parents desire their child to nap or not or if a child says that he/she/they are tired.
Afternoon
3:00 Snack
3:30 Specials: Music, Art, Science, Cultures, Storytelling, Puppetry, Water Play, Sensory Activities, Yoga, Dance, Gymnastics, Theatre
4:30 Outside Playground Play
5:00 Free play & Goodbyes
5:30pm Close.
