Naturally inquisitive and active, young preschoolers thrive in an environment that supports them as individuals and challenges them with opportunities for involvement.

On Kensington Lane Cognitive Development Program – Year 2

Visits with Grandma Pockets and activities with her nine furry friends, the Stone Cottage Puppets, continue to delight the children as they gain a deeper understanding of their world. Who will be visiting today? Sir Isaac the Owl with an “owl’s eye” view of the world? Perhaps it will be Bows the Cat introducing us to new art experiences. Or will it be Circles the Snail familiarizing us with the many shapes around us? “The Me Basket” presented at interactive circle times and “First Author,” individually child designed Shape Books, are highlights.

Beginning Project Based Learning

In each month-long exploration of a topic, curiosity is encouraged and inspired as children eagerly problem solve, think creatively and discover. Math and science interest centers, as well as creative art and sensory experiences, provide the tools for endless discovery possibilities. Working in small groups or individually engaged, the children have ideal opportunities for skill development.

Language Development Program

When it’s time to spend time with our Pickles the Puppy, it’s time for fun. Children gather eagerly around his doghouse, ready to talk, listen and take part in a variety of activities. Designed especially for two-year-olds, our language development program provides opportunities to utilize labeling language, construct sentences and expand vocabulary. With Pickles as their guide, the children spend each day exploring the town. Children’s language increases, their ability to express thoughts and feelings improves, and their problem-solving skills are enhanced. What color is the fire engine? How many apples do we have in our cart? What animals can we see at the pet store? Can we move a heavy load like a dump truck? Time with Pickles gives children the opportunity for practice using known language while being introduced to hundreds of new words.

Natural Wood Investigations
Curious children are always exploring, and their fine motor muscles are getting stronger! “Natural Wood Investigations” at Kensington was created for those small, ever-grasping hands. Using soft, natural wood elements, you’ll find your child learning the early concepts of balancing, building, and sorting. Blocks, gears, and pegs of different sizes, shapes, and weights have us start to ask questions and problem solve.

Self Help Skills with Wilbur the Frog
Meet our friend Wilbur the Frog! Wilbur is our independent, brave little frog who is learning self-help skills alongside our Early Preschoolers as they learn to button, zip and snap. Wilbur also helps them learn how to put on their coats and wash their hands. With this sweet little puppet at our side, we can leap to success when it comes to confidence and building our self-help skills!

Music Classes and a Spring Musical Program
Children gather around the piano with their music teacher to share songs and rhythmic activities, introducing them to a variety of instruments and movement games that enhance listening skills. The children take a big step as they joyfully share their musical fun and newfound skills in the springtime singalong with parents.

Yoga Twists
Building balance, strengthening muscles, developing focus – the benefits of yoga stretches abound. Our yoga instructor patiently and carefully guides the children in active poses and games in our sun-filled gyms with their yoga mats and balls.

Expanding the boundaries of their world, children need to soar.
Preschoolers at Kensington School spread their wings by developing and deepening friendships, learning new skills, and broadening their knowledge.

Cognitive Learning Programs Animal Island

Welcome to Animal Island, a reading readiness program for emergent readers. The children gather at this circle time to join lively characters in their discovery of the letters of the alphabet. The appealing story format and continuously developing adventures build throughout the year, introducing the children to new characters and new skills. From plot discussion and story comprehension to phonemic awareness, each segment of the program draws the children deeper into the wonderful world of letters, words and stories.

Math Starts Lending Library

Utilizing the award-winning MathStart® series, “Math Starts with Kensington” is a new and original mathematics curriculum developed at Kensington School. Each math storybook, a total of 36 in all, focuses on a specific mathematical concept and becomes a springboard for interactive and meaningful learning. Children enjoy reenacting the stories and investigating a myriad of concepts through games, activities and enticing manipulatives. Whole group discussions, small group visits to our SMART Board, and working in pairs at the math center add to the thought-provoking math learning experience.

Handwriting Without Tears

Learning how lines and curves form letters is a multi-sensory learning experience. Using specifically designed wooden manipulatives and slate chalkboards, children work on developing the fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination required for handwriting. My First School Handwriting Workbook becomes a wonderful record for each child’s first handwriting efforts.

Scooter the Traveling Bear, a Study of the United States

Our beloved Scooter Bear inspires and guides the children in an exploration of their community. Activities augmented with classroom visits from members of their community such as dentists, veterinarians, firemen, and librarians, facilitates a growing understanding of the many and varied aspects of the children’s neighborhood and community.

Kensington School’s Mindfulness Curriculum

Step into the world of a child and you will find yourself very busy! There are friends to meet, toys to play with, new environments to explore, and information to process! Our mindfulness curriculum is carefully created to calm the mind and body of our children. Through teacher-led classroom activities, we count our “in and out breaths,” talk about how we feel, relax our bodies, focus on our senses, and learn how to be present. These important life skills increases self-esteem, concentration, and awareness as our always working brain grows, managing our emotions and controlling our behavior.

Project Based Learning

Collaborating with their teachers, the children determine a topic that is worthy of investigation. Through circle time conversations and literature, children exercise their individual creativity and give input to creating a classroom topic web. The study of everyday topics becomes relevant and interesting to each child as they take ownership of the investigation.


Science, technology, engineering, art, and math are made accessible through authentic, meaningful experiences. Examining a “field site,” asking questions of “expert visitors,” as well as benefiting from extensive resources such as our SMART Board and literature, children have abundant opportunities to make detailed observations. As their own curiosity leads them to construct greater personal knowledge of the world, children discover the value of the skills they put into practice.

Documentation and representations fill each child’s individually created PBL Documentation Scrapbook or Folder – a treasured record of their unique learning experiences- for each completed PBL topic.

P. Mooney Language Development Program

As our language and vocabulary grow and we start to expand our sentences, it’s time to meet P. Mooney! This fun-loving, striped puppet is greeted by cheers and giggles whenever he visits the classroom with his magic talking stick and his special bag at the ready! P. Mooney encourages children to use descriptive words and develop conversation skills. With this trusted companion, we develop language skills through rhyming, singing, and listening activities.

Observational Drawing

Observation is a fundamental skill for scientific inquiry. Just as scientists not only use words, but also drawings, photographs and diagrams; we too incorporate these valuable tools that foster scientific thinking. Children will study monthly themes that will allow them to look and ask questions as they take their time, study their subject, and wonder as 3D objects become their 2D drawings on paper.
Music Classes and a Musical Program
Children gather around the piano with their music teacher to share songs and rhythmic activities, introducing them to a variety of instruments and movement games that enhance listening skills. The children take a big step as they joyfully share their musical fun and newfound skills in a musical performance for parents.

Spanish

Circle time with Senora keeps linguistic agility alive and well! Young learners absorb sounds and intonation patterns naturally. Introduced to Spanish through songs, games, and stories, children enhance memory, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Yoga

Building balance, strengthening muscles, developing focus – the benefits of yoga stretches abound. Our yoga instructor patiently and carefully guides the children in active poses and games.