Our Classrooms

Our preschool curriculum focuses on guiding children through active play to gain skills they will need to be “Kindergarten Ready,” to enjoy learning, become confident and independent, and have fun. Classroom environments are supplied and designed to allow children to select materials and activities that interest them. Our staff encourages them to participate in these activities, with independence in mind, in various projects specifically chosen to increase their skills and develop their Christian faith.

Preschool Curriculum

At St. Matthew Preschool, we offer nurturing and stimulating learning environments designed to spark curiosity and foster development in young children. Our classrooms are equipped with age-appropriate materials and learning centers to promote exploration, creativity, and social interaction. Our dedicated teachers create a safe and positive space where each child feels loved, respected, and encouraged to learn and grow. Our mission is to develop our students’ physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual minds.

Your preschooler will learn:

Skills to Promote Health and Safety

Follow teachers' direction
Stay with a group
Watch out for others
Practice and participate in cleanliness, including frequent hand washing
Follow playground safety, fire, and emergency procedures
Be aware of personal safety and stranger awareness
Use tools such as scissors and staplers safely

Social-Emotional Skills

Learn to be flexible and complete non-preferred tasks
Learn to be self-motivated
Learn to identify and regulate his/her emotions
Learn to self-advocate
Learn to practice impulse control & the ability to wait/take turns
Learn to create relationships with adults and peers
Learn more age-appropriate independence

Small and Large Motor Skills

Increase large motor skills such as jumping, hopping, throwing, catching, improving balance, strength, and endurance
Increase small motor skills by practicing finger plays, using pencils, crayons, scissors, small tools, threading beads, sewing, and manipulating small objects

Developing Independence

Learn to dress themselves – snap, zip, and button
Pour liquids
Pick up after themselves
Choose an activity they enjoy
Gain confidence in their ability to solve problems by themselves
Learn how to navigate around the school

Math Skills

Count in many contexts
Recognize numbers
Learn to write numbers
Combine numbers in many contexts
Measure and learn to estimate
Learn about geometrical shapes
Sort shapes into sizes and colors
Matching like objects

Science Skills

Ask “Why?” or “How?” questions
Explore the environment and get messy
Use tools like magnifying glasses, scales, rulers, and eye droppers
Learn about animals & insects, seasons & weather, seeds & plants, and the world we live in
Use cooking lessons and small experiments to observe science around him/her

Art and Music Skills

Create art using a wide variety of objects
Learn to use art materials such as paint, glue, and glitter
Exhibit and talk about their artwork
Learn songs
Participate in dance, rhythm, and movement exercises
Listen to music
Play musical instruments

Reading Skills

Learn the names of the letters in the alphabet
Learn the sounds of the letters
Recognize the letters of the alphabet in many contexts
Listen to the teacher read
Respond to and discuss story content
Predict what will come next in a story
Repeat phrases from a familiar book
Participate in shared reading of books with teacher and other children
Choose to read books independently
Establish phonemic awareness – rhyming and letter sounds

Kindergarten Readiness Skills

Increase the length of time the child can focus on a task
Develop listening skills
Learn to use the playground, sidewalks, and other places in the school
Listen and follow directions
Work productively with others in a group
Talk in front of others
Speak in complete sentences

Writing Skills

Learn to hold a pencil
Write letters of the alphabet
Learn to write their name
Use pictures and symbols to convey a meaning

Visual and Auditory Perception Skills

Ability to organize, interpret, and give meaning to information that is heard
Recognize sounds
Focus on one sound ignoring background noise
Recognize pleasant sounds vs. unpleasant sounds
Match shapes that are similar to each other
Complete 3-piece puzzles
Sort different shapes from each other
Recall a few things from the pictures
Draw vertically, horizontally, and in a circle

Spiritual and Faith Development

Experience daily chapel time, interacting with the church’s staff
Learn songs of faith
Learning how to pray
Hear Bible stories
Begin developing compassion and empathy for others

Age Level Goals for Preschool 3's & 4's, and Pre-K 4's & 5's

At St. Matthew Preschool, we have specific benchmarks for our students to meet by the end of the year. Click on the buttons below to download a PDF and learn what each student will accomplish:

Preschool ¾ year-old students

Preschool ⅘ year-old students