Our Curriculum: Learning through Play 

Children learn best when they are given the appropriate responsibility, allowed to make errors, decisions and choices, and respected as autonomous learners. Research shows imagination, creativity and all symbolic behavior (reading, writing, drawing, dancing, music, mathematical numbers, algebra, role play and talking) develop and emerge when conditions are favorable. At Shining Stars, we foster those favorable conditions through play, the outdoors and the Creative Curriculum.

The Creative Curriculum creates a high-quality learning environment that enables every child to become a creative, confident thinker. Each classroom generates comprehensive portfolios for every child throughout their time at Shining Stars. Teachers observe the children's interests and developmental needs to formulate lesson plans and to set goals for the children.

Learning through Play

Here at Shining Stars we, provide each child with a portfolio. Their portfolio contains a developmental checklist, goals and assessment sheets. Every month we provide the children with a goal for them to accomplish. With the goal that is being chosen, we provide an activity that is based off that goal. This activity is based off the child's interests. During the activity, we asses the children by observing them and writing down documentation of how they handled the goal. For example, M's goal was to recognize and match colors. The activity that we based the goal off of is called Sorting, Counting and Graphing Cars. While doing the activity with M, we wrote down some documentation about how the activity went, how he showed development and what we could do to help further develop the skill over an unset period of time. If the goal is not achieved, we reassess the goal at a later time.

Click here to see an example of one of our portfolio's

Quality of Care:

"Using the natural world as the classroom"

Shining Stars prides itself on our nature infused program.  Every child in our center spends a minimum of one hour outside daily exploring and playing (weather permitting). We have 1.3 acres of land incorporating woods, a prairie, gardens, a sports field, a park-like playground, a creek close by and of course our chickens!

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Research studies have proven, playing in nature positively impacts children. 
Positive impacts include,
    - supports multiple developmental domains
    - supports creativity and problem solving
    - enhances cognitive abilities
    - improves academic performance
    - improves nutrition
    - improves eyesight
    - improves social interactions
    - reduces ADD symptoms
    - increases physical activity 
    - increases self-discipline
    - reduces stress

Studies show children learn best in a family-like environment. Shining Stars believes strongly in maintaining a family-like environment to ensure a high quality of care for your child. We accomplish this with...

- Looping (continuity of care) - From ages one to four, children have the same set of teachers move with them from room to room.  Looping encourages children to form bonds with peers and teachers to build lasting relationships.

- Learning through play - Bev Boss says it best, "If it is not in the hand or in the heart, it can not be in the head." Kids need to explore with all of their senses. Rote memorization and workbook pages are not retained in a child's brain. If you want children to obtain information then it must be from hands on experiences. Play is a child's work.

- Open kitchen - Our kitchen is open-concept so the children can smell and see meals being prepared: just like at home. We often encourage students to help with the preparation of meal-time like setting the table.

- Mixed-age grouping - We believe in letting all age groups play together outside on the playground. The older children are role models to the younger ones and the younger children teach the older ones to have compassion and to be more careful. 

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                  Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)
You are the most important person in your child's life. We want to hear from you about your child through an ages and stages questionnaire.

Research also confirms that children who play in nature,
        - are more compassionate
        - develop an appreciation for nature
        - develop a sense of wonder
        - are generally healthier
        - generate global connections
        - build self-confidence to take risks (e.g. trying to read) 
        - obtain knowledge and understanding of the 
          natural world