PRE-KINDERGARTEN
The ‘Pre-Kindergarten’ level of our centre program is for children aged at least four years of age by the 1st of September. Children in Pre-Kindergarten are required to attend five full days per week.

Four and five year olds are ready for life to be full of adventure and active learning: secure in their place at school, full of a strong sense of who they are, and confident in the solid friendships that they bring from ‘Nursery’ (or form very quickly if they are new to A-Z), their program is set to allow for fresh and deep discoveries every day.

As always, it is the appealing presentation of age-appropriate play materials and activities – complemented by loving and caring teachers - that ensures the child’s happiness at school. It is the classroom environment and the daily routine that facilitate these needs being met: there is a consistent daily routine to allow a sense of predictability within the child’s day, but this routine is injected with more ‘structured’ activities and also more ‘open’ opportunities for learning than the previous years.

The weekly schedule at the Pre-Kindergarten level is a busy mix of play and group times, during which the exploration of topics of strong interest to young children forms the focus of group discussions and activities. At this level a strong emphasis is placed on developing a sense of group, or ‘team’, amongst the children - children learn that caring for each other is just as important as caring for themselves.

Teachers are good ‘play mates’ for the children, but also begin to make more decisions about ‘joining’ play or simply ‘supporting’ play: it is often important to allow the children the time and space to explore their environment in their own ways, with peers or through solitary play. This is the age where true independence can begin to be found in the children, who are now able to take full care of their daily needs and who can be encouraged to manage by themselves in many more aspects of their life at school.

Teachers extensively plan and provide ‘learning experiences’ to complement the natural learning that occurs through the child’s play. Puppet shows, stories, rhymes, music, songs and dances continue to be a regular part of the program, and are extended with simple plays which the children often take active roles in and which they also transfer to their own dramatic play.

Classroom activities include the manipulation and exploration of a wide range of ‘creative’ materials, often closely linked to the focus topic of the classroom program. Physical exercises including ‘feet exercises’ are a daily part of the program, as is extended time in our playground. Excursions and exploratory walks in the neighbourhood or nearby forest are also a regular part of the Pre-Kindergarten program.

Early stages of ‘Academic’ learning - including pre-reading, pre-writing, and early mathematical skills - begins to be of greater interest to the children, and is enhanced via a variety of FUN activities relevant to each child’s particular skills and interests. This level of our program lays the foundation for the more structured learning in these fields that takes place at the Kindergarten level. In their ‘free play’ time, children play many board/table games that are designed specifically to develop mathematical/logical concepts and skills.

The Pre-Kindergarten class has a weekly ‘Swimming’ class at a nearby primary school, a weekly time to use the extra facilities of the Art Room with their own teachers, and a weekly visit to the centre Library to choose a book to borrow and take home. Twice weekly the Hungarian children in the class have a ‘Hungarian’ lesson to better prepare them for their future Hungarian schooling.

The ‘Optional Extra’ classes available to children in Pre-Kindergarten are ‘Dance’, ‘Judo’, ‘Piano’, ‘Skiing’ and ‘Sport & Gym’(additional fees apply for these programs).