Programs

Gingerbread Cottage Preschool is licensed by the Virginia Department of Education. The staff meets the qualifications set forth by the Commonwealth of Virginia for directors and preschool teachers. All of our faculty members are college graduates with many years of preschool teaching experience.

Art

Music

Movement

Language

Mathematics

Outside Play

2 and a half year olds

The goals of this program are to teach your child appropriate social interaction with peers and teachers in a fun and education environment. In addition, this program provides the opportunity for your child to become independent and be more self-confident.

Planned creative and developmentally appropriate activities in the areas of art, music, stories, finger plays, and creative movement are part of this program on a daily basis. Art projects are designed to help a child follow directions and explore various mediums, but are always considered an optional activity.

The Handwriting Without Tears preschool reading and writing curriculum is used to teach important readiness skills including: body awareness, social-emotional skills, drawing, and counting. This program is continued as part of the three year old curriculum.

The ratio of teachers to students is 2 to 10 for this

program, and your child does not have to be potty trained. (Staples Mill Location Only)

3 year olds

The goals of this program are to help your child learn to interact with other children in both work and play and to develop your child’s ability to listen, follow directions, and become independent.

The Handwriting Without Tears preschool literacy curriculum provides an introduction to the alphabet and handwriting. Some of the other academic areas of study include colors, shapes, numbers 0-10, nursery rhymes, opposites, name recognition, health and nutrition, the environment and recycling. A variety of hands-on activities provide opportunities for imaginative play and creative learning.

The ratio of teacher to students is 1 to 9 (Mechanicsville) and 1 to 10 (Staples Mill) for this program, and your child must be potty trained.

Pre-K
4/5 year olds

The goals of this program are to help your child become a confident learner and provide a strong foundation for his/her future school experience. Your child will participate in whole class, small group, and individual activities throughout the day to foster cognitive and social development.

Literacy, math, science, art and music are incorporated during the week through a variety of strategies and hands on activities. Using a theme based curriculum, our teachers design lessons to support the following areas:

Literacy and Language Skills

Letter Recognition and Sounds
Rhyming
Opposites
Positional Words
Phonological Awareness
Pre-reading skills (Left to Right directionality and Introduction to Sight Words)
Writing name the kindergarten way (using Upper and Lowercase letters)

Mathematical Skills

Colors and Shapes
Patterns and Sorting
Counting to 20
Number Recognition (0-15)
Number Writing
Exposure to Money

Additionally, the teachers collaborate to plan monthly theme-based enrichment days for the children to enhance the curriculum and spark curiosity. On these days, children rotate to different classrooms to experience various aspects of the theme being studied.

The ratio of teacher to students is 1 to 9 (Mechanicsville) and 1 to 10 (Staples Mill) for this program, and your child must be potty trained and fully independent in the bathroom. Self-help and independence skills are encouraged as this is an expectation in the kindergarten classroom.

Enrichment Programs

EARLY DROP OFF PROGRAM

(ALL AGES)

For those families needing drop-off before 9:00 am, we offer an early drop-off program from 8:15 am - 9:00 am at Mechanicsville and 8:00 - 9:00 am at Staples Mill.

COTTAGE KIDS CLUB

(3, 4, AND 5 YEAR OLDS)

An extended day program offered approximately once per week from 12:00 pm -1:30 pm based on interest.

SUMMER FUN CAMP