Three Year-Old Curriculum
All the three year old classrooms at Temple Beth Or Preschool work on a thematic based curriculum in which students learn structure and routine. Through consistency they are able to freely explore and develop their motor, cognitive, communication and personal-social skills. The curriculum is play based. We believe children learn by doing and having fun and that is how our curriculum is focused. Each activity everyday is goal oriented. The objectives are to gain knowledge and enjoy a new experience with people you enjoy in an environment in which children are loved, valued and appreciated!

The 3yr. old child has endless energy, is an active learner with a natural curiosity. They are social and developing their independence. These children love to spend their day being physical and they learn best through action and activities.

Their large motor skills are fairly well developed at the beginning of the year, but continue to grow through dramatic play, music and movement and ample outside time. It is in these environments that the three year old child can run, jump, climb, build and socially interact and therefore expand their gross motor planning.
Fine motor skills such as puzzling, beading, fastening writing and scissor cutting are generally underdeveloped early in the year. In the three year old classroom the children develop these skills by manipulating and exploring objects. Repetition with varied manipulatives helps the three year old define their fine motor planning.

These children are social. They produce language rapidly and are working on cooperative play. Daily activities often include complex role plays. They pretend to go to familiar places and their play is often domestically oriented. Communication skills and personal social skills expand through turn taking and question asking and answering. Circle time, dramatic play, science and social studies are activities that are utilized to help grow language.

The three year old brain is working overtime. Why? is often a popular question. That is because the three year old now understands the concepts of same and different, is able to explain and name things, works with intention and is interested in labeling to organize all this new information into memory. By the end of the year these children will probably be able to recognize and match 6 colors, work and order blocks according to size, know their first and last names as well as the first names of all their classmates, draw a somewhat recognizable picture and name and briefly describe that picture.

One of the most notable differences between two’s and three’s is the level of independence. The three year old child is capable of washing their hands, using the restroom, putting on and taking off their jackets, carrying their belongings and taking out their lunches. The three year old classrooms spend time teaching the children how to make appropriate choices, whether it be gaining and maintaining access to ongoing play or selecting an activity on which to work.. The teachers act as facilitators giving encouragement and fostering a sense of pride in making appropriate personal social choices. We believe that a positive self- concept is a critical component for success in life.