West Hartford’s most innovative preschool is adding the flexibility of a full-day option to its offerings, a move that will make its program an excellent option for many more local families.
The New Children’s Museum Preschool is one of the oldest in the United States, and has been offering a half-day program (9 a.m. through noon, with an option to stay until 1 p.m.) for children ages 3 through 5 for many years. Beginning in September, the preschool is adding a full-time, 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. program for all of its age groups.
“We want to be able to meet the needs of the entire community, and that includes working parents,” said Education Manager Wendy Hartling. Families will also have the flexibility of combining full-time and part-time options into their own personalized weekly program that best suits the needs of parent and child.
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The New Children’s Museum preschool is unique – and fully integrates the preschool curriculum with the benefits of accessibility to the offerings of a science and nature museum. The focus is on creative play, movement, arts, hands-on learning, and story-telling, all of which helps set the foundation for academic excellence, social development, and lifelong learning.
“Research shows that play is a child’s ‘work.’ When they are in an environment that values and encourages play, children see learning as a positive and joyful process,” said Hartling. “Research shows that’s the way children learn best.”
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Weekly visits to the museum enhance the experience with live animal demonstrations, planetarium shows, and hands-on participation in permanent and featured science-oriented exhibits.
Experienced, degreed teachers staff the New Children’s Museum Preschool. Most have been teaching for decades.
While the part-day preschool program runs only on during the regular school year, the full-time program will run all year at a competitive cost of $250 for five days per week. The New Children’s Museum Preschool participates in Connecticut’s “Care 4 Kids” program.
The New Children’s Museum Preschool is an “intimate, family-oriented program” that can accommodate up to 45 children. Openings are currently available.
Prospective students and their parents are invited to attend an open house on Thursday, June 26, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tours on other days can also be scheduled in advance. The school is located on the museum's property at 950 Trout Brook Dr., West Hartford.
For more information, call 860-523-7449 or visit The New Children’s Museum’s website www.thechidrensmuseumct.org.
