Upper Falls Nursery School uses a consistent schedule, so that children learn what they can expect from day to day. This helps the children transition from PreSchool to their new school by providing a predictable routine. As the year progresses, new areas and activities and parent visitors are introduced to expand their learning and fun.
8:45 am – 11:45 am
- Families gather in the gym.
- Family members are invited to join the children and teachers who sit in a circle and sing together. Children then say goodbye to their families and proceed to the classroom upstairs.
- Students sit with a teacher who welcomes them and explains what activities will be available in the classroom that day.
- Teachers use a “buddy board” where children are paired with other children at their first activity of the day. This helps to promote interaction of the children and exposure to an activity that a child may otherwise avoid.
- Afterwards the children are free to choose where they want to go, and teachers observe and guide as necessary.
- The finishing song is played at the end of the free period.
- This lets the children know that time is almost up, that they should finish their activities and not begin new ones.
- The children then refer to the pictorial job chart where their personal photo is assigned to a specific job. This job activity helps keep the children busy during a transition time.
- All the children move to music time for singing, music, musical instruments, yoga, sign language and/or creative movement.
- Music time is followed by story time
- Most often the class separates into two groups based on developmentally appropriate reading led by a teacher or visiting parent. Sometimes afterwards there is a follow up activity where students may record their thoughts and ideas from the stories.
- After story time, the children go to play outside together, weather permitting. Typically they play at the playground and basketball court. When there is snow, they play in the field adjacent to the playground. On days that are too wet or cold, they play in the full-size gym. Both inside and out, children may use tricycles, wiggle racers, wagons, hula hoops, balance beams, balls, etc.
- OPTIONAL: Lunch Bunch is available for families that wish to extend the day until 1:15. Students go back to the classroom to eat their lunches packed from home and then have an opportunity to do additional activities (ie: board games, puzzles, craft activities) in smaller groups. The last 15 minutes are quiet time when most often children listen to a story.
NEEDHAM 
WELLESLEY
45 Pettee Street, Newton MA 02464
617-332-6488
info@upperfallsnurseryschool.org