ESTEVAN — Another year of fun and learning has wrapped up for the Kids' Kollege Nursery School in Estevan.
Owner and instructor Mandy Littlefield said it was another great year with the children. Twenty-one young people were registered this year, with the majority of them being four years old and the remaining at age three.
One group of three and four-year-olds would be there for Tuesday and Thursday mornings and the rest were present those days in the afternoons. They met at the Estevan Alliance Church.
"Tuesdays are show-and-tell days, so they typically come in and we have individual activities that each child does for a few minutes as they get settled in," said Littlefield. "Then we would choose our leader for the day, and practise our colours, counting, ABCs, shapes and all of those things."
A storytime, craft session, playtime, a brief snack and colouring also happen. Most activities are held both days. Thursday would also have gym time, which Littlefield said is really popular.
Littlefield said they receive excellent feedback from parents, who say the youngsters really love coming.
"Every year we have a Pirate Treasure Hunt Day, and the kids really enjoy that, and then at the end of the year, we have a Teddy Bear Tea Party, where everyone dresses up kind of fancy, brings a favourite stuffed animal, and that's usually a highlight of the year," she said.
The nursery school encourages the kids to do as much on their own as possible to help them prepare for kindergarten. They practise with scissors, glue and colouring, and they learn to take turns, share and play together while following a classroom routine.
The school year wrapped up with a graduation ceremony and celebration for three and four-year-olds on May 18 for both age groups. Littlefield said the children were really excited, as they were able to show off some of the different songs and things they have learned. Treats were served to the children, parents and grandparents. There was also lots of time to take photos and chat about how the year went.
"It's exciting to see how the kids grow and change throughout the year and gain independence. Those four-year-olds turn five and get ready for kindergarten," Littlefield said.
