Kirkwood United Methodist Preschool offers half-day and full-day preschool classes for children ages 2.5 - 5 years. Half-day classes are from 9:00-11:30 am in a variety of offerings. There are also full-day class options on MWF from 9:00-3:00. There are a variety of opportunities which are included in the cost of tuition to enrich the curriculum and each child’s preschool experience.
We also offer specialty programs at an additional cost, including Spanish, yoga, and gardening.
Our Curriculum:
We offer developmentally appropriate curriculum designed and facilitated by a dedicated, professional staff so that children may achieve personal, social, and academic success while developing a love of learning.
Each day includes class meetings, math and literacy development, and center time. Center time allows for child-directed play and investigations of engaging materials where children may explore, observe, and wonder while interacting with others.
Activities are also provided to practice emerging, age-appropriate skills during teacher-directed, small groups.
Included Enrichment Classes:
Music
Each preschool class participates in a Music class once a week.
The Music teacher, Mrs. Comfort, offers variety of experiences to enjoy music. Her goal is to encourage a love of music. The children sing, play instruments, listen, create and move to music. Mrs. Comfort also leads the children in our Holiday Sing-A-Longs, and directs the Pre-K students in their own version of the children’s musical, The Little Red Hen in the spring.
Atelier/Art Studio
Believing that every child is an artist, KUM Preschool offers art experiences in our KUM Atelier. The Atelier is an art studio that fosters opportunities for children to explore a wide variety of art materials to nurture the creative process. The art activities are facilitated by a teacher trained in art. Children may visit the Atelier during their Center Time four days a week.
The Outdoor Classroom
KUM Preschool infuses nature into its curriculum by providing time out in nature for children to explore. Being outside in nature boasts a wide variety of benefits. When given the opportunity to explore and play within nature, we are not only allowing children to connect with the Earth, but studies show that outdoor education supports creativity and problem solving, boosts cognitive abilities, increases physical activity and promotes love and stewardship of our world.
Field Trips
Classes coordinate neighborhood field trips so that children my connect with their community. Classes walk to the library, Great Harvest, the Farmer’s Market, and the Custard Station.
The Pre-K classes have a partnership with the Litzinger Road Ecology Center. Each class is allowed a field rip to LREC so that they may explore the woodland, prairies and urban creek. Their observations in the field are brought back to our schoolyard habitats where the children then take a closer look into topics of interest such as plant life, insects, and rocks.
In-House Field Trips
When the children aren’t out exploring the community, we bring experiences to the children!
We have special guests visit our school on a regular basis. We have a librarian visit from the Kirkwood Public Library monthly to read stories. We also have Belden and his talented thinking dog Alice come to show off her tricks as well. We also have the St. Louis Zoo bring their animals and teach the children about animal topics such as nocturnal animals and how their coverings protect them.
Springboard to Learning
KUM Preschool collaborates with Springboard to Learning to provide opportunities which infuse the preschool curriculum with fine arts experiences.
The PreK classes had a special guest, storyteller Sherry Norfolk, share various ways to tell and retell favorite songs and stories using props.
The Young 4 classes delved into the performing arts and concentrated on rhythm in music. Papa Wright had the children groovin’ and shakin’ with a variety of instruments. They even made their own shaker and had a parade!
The Young 3’s and Regular 3 classes moved their bodies to express different emotions as told in favorite tales such as My Many Colored Days with Margaret.
Chapel
KUM P reschool is a Christian preschool that models Christian values by our words and actions. Children come together during our Chapel time quarterly to celebrate God’s love through singing, movement and prayer. The school participates in mission projects to show that children, no matter how small, can make a BIG impact upon our world. This year, the children donated socks and underwear to the Little Bit Foundation during Socktober. They donated canned goods to Circle of Concern during our Turkey Trot, they spread kindness during our Kindness Rocks project, and they sang songs and gave Valentines to the Mary Culver Home.