The Parent-Child class is a place for both children and adults to learn. Children learn by exploring the environment; adults learn through observation.

All the activities in the program are designed to allow children to gain independence and encourage them to separate from their parents for short periods of time.

When children arrive, they hang their coats and bags (if they bring any) in low hooks, and take off their shoes. They should do these activities by themselves, as much as possible.

Now, they are free to explore the environment and choose the activities they prefer. I encourage parents to sit and observe their children, rather than choosing work for them. When left by themselves, children tend to pick activities that fulfill the need to develop a certain skill.

The class lasts 90 minutes. For the first 45 minutes children engage in free activity. At this point, some children help the teacher with the preparation of snacks. When snacks are ready, all children clean up the room, wash hands, and set the table. We provide a group snack in a formal table setting, to teach table maners, and grace and courtesy. Children are invited to serve their own food and pour their own drinks, using appropriately sized dishes and utensils. When they have finished eating, children are encouraged to clean up.

Towards the end of the class, children may join the teacher in a short group activity of rolling a ball, dancing with scarves, or playing musical instruments. When the weather permits, these or other activities may be carried out outside (Note: the outdoor environment is available throughout the class, with parents' supervision).

The works in the environment belong to one of these categories:

PRACTICAL LIFE: 

these exercises are those simple activities which adults perform daily in order to restore and maintain proper conditions in their environment. Practical Life activities are important to the young child who wants to imitate his parents. Some of the works include:

- Dressing and undressing
- Washing a baby
- Washing dishes / clothes
- Cleaning (sweeping, dusting, sponging)
- Arranging flowers
- Preparing food (slicing bananas, peeling eggs, washing fruits and vegetables, etc.)
- Setting the table
- Serving food (using spoons, tongs, scoops)
- Pouring water from a pitcher
- Raking leaves
- Putting work away, etc.

SENSORIAL: 


through these activities children develop the discrimination of shape, color, size, weight, texture, temperature and sound. Some of these works are:

- Geometric puzzles
- Nesting objects
- Color recognition and matching
- Shape sorting box
- Lacing cards
- Pegboard
- Pegs in a bottle
- Coins in a box, etc.

LANGUAGE: 

activities that promote language acquisition. Some of the works are:

- Farm and farm animals
- Dollhouse and furniture
- Classified objects
- Vocabulary cards
- Objects in the room
- Conversations
- Puzzles
- Books, etc.

ART: 

different media for children to explore and express freely. Some activities include:

- Chalk on chalkboard
- Chalk on paper
- Crayons
- Tempera paint
- Glueing
- Stamping, etc.

MUSIC: 

- background soothing music
- singing
- dancing to the music/dancing with scarves
- percussion instruments
- bells
- music box, etc.

GROSS MOTOR DEVELOPMENT:

- Climbing stairs
- Riding
- Push and pull objects
- Balance beam
- Seesaw
- Swing
- Slide, etc.