academics

Early Years Program

Smiling young girl climbing at playground with purple jacket and black and white checkered shirt

Early Childhood - Kindergarten

Children are naturally curious. In the Early Years, students learn through hands-on exploration and playful inquiry. Their learning grows not only from what they discover in their environment, but also through meaningful relationships with peers, teachers, families, and the wider community. Early learning is a holistic journey, nurturing social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth. Along the way, children build important skills that set the foundation for future learning, such as reflecting on their ideas, developing conceptual understandings, and recognizing their own strengths as learners.

At Soundview, children spend three years in the Early Years developing a strong foundation for growth and learning. Our multiage Early Childhood classroom welcomes three- and four-year-olds for their first two years, followed by Kindergarten as the final year of the program. During their time in the Early Years, students will:

  • Ask questions

  • Get dirty

  • Practice social problem-solving

  • Stretch outside of their comfort zone

  • Gain confidence

Early Years students will engage in four units of inquiry each year of the program. Science and social studies concepts, as well as relevant math, literacy, arts, and movement experiences, will be incorporated into these units.

Early Childhood Units of Inquiry:

Cycle A: Families, Movement, Materials, Plants

Cycle B: All About Me, Visual Arts, Transportation Systems, Pushes & Pulls

Kindergarten Units of Inquiry:

Relationships, Symbols, Weather, and Animals

The IB knows that young learners are intelligent, resourceful, and creative individuals who grow, develop, and learn at different rates and with different learning styles. In their earliest years, children explore their environment and learn about their world through playful activity as well as through relationships with peers, teachers, family, and community members. Early learning is a holistic experience that integrates socio-emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Read more in this excerpt from the Family Handbook.

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” Fred Rogers, American television personality, 1928–2003