Purchase Children's Center
Curriculum
Get to Know Us
At the Purchase Children's Center, our students grow their confidence, independence, and responsibility. We encourage critical thinking and learning through hands-on experiences.
Both our toddler and preschool programs use an active learning model that emphasizes exploration through purposeful play. Purposeful play provides opportunities for language acquisition, letter formation, number sense, social-emotional regulation, life science, and other developmentally appropriate topics.
Benefits of Multi-Age Grouping
At Purchase Children's Center, our 3 and 4 year old's are paired together in the program of your choice. Our teachers will scaffold activities based on individual development as opposed to chronological expectations. Below are some of the benefits of multi-age grouping as listed by the Association for Childhood Education International:
Child-Centered Approach
Children are able to spend longer periods of time with the same teacher which allows the teacher to develop differentiated experiences that relate to a child’s current strengths and needs. This method helps the educator to enhance the child’s learning and collaborate with families on how best to support their child's growth.
Community Oriented
Children develop a sense of family with their classmates. They become a "family of learners" who support and care for each other. Children are more likely to cooperate than compete. The spirit of cooperation and caring makes it possible for children to help each other as individuals, not see each other as competitors.
Individualized Learning
Children are viewed as unique individuals within flexible environments. The teacher focuses on providing resources to each child according to his or her own strengths and interests. This method allows children to extend their capabilities at a rate consistent with their development.
Positive Behavior Models
Older children model more sophisticated approaches to problem solving, and younger children are able to accomplish tasks they could not do without the assistance of older children. This dynamic increases the older child’s level of independence and competence. Children are exposed to positive models for behavior and social skills.