Child Education Programs

Kids First Academy offers peace of mind to parents in need of child care.When you leave your child with Kids First Academy, they will enjoy their day filled with fun learning activities through our age appropriate programs.

We are intentionally developing learning activities that:

Encourage your child’s curiosity
Develop problem solving skills
Develop social skills
Develop confidence
Lay the foundation for a love of life time learning

While your child is just having fun with his/her friends, we are laying the foundation for their future academic and social success. We are your partners to make your child’s future bright.

INFANT ROOM

AGES 6 WEEKS TO 12 MONTHS

When it’s time to return to work after your maternity leave, you need a trusted, loving and secure place to take care of your baby while you are away. At Kids First Academy, we know this transition time can be difficult, so we take the time to connect with you and the needs of your baby. We welcome communication and will discuss all of your needs. Take a tour of our academy and ask as many questions as you can. We are here to help you every step of the way. Let us know about your baby’s sleep and feeding schedule that works best for you and your family – we will honor it. Even though babies’ schedules are never 100% predictable, we will follow your routine as closely as possible.

When you take a tour of Kids First Academy, you will find it to be clean and tidy. You will also find see-through cribs that allow us to see your baby every moment, even when they are sleeping. Because of the recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies will be placed on their backs on a firm mattress without pillows, blankets or toys in bed with them.

INFANT ROOM ACTIVITIES BY AGE
We do a craft binder that we put all the crafts in that we have done throughout their first year. We try to do two crafts a week. One being a letter and the other has something to do with the season we’re in or holiday. We play music during the day; we also sign and dance with the babies. We do finger/ hand dances with the songs. Example: Itsy Bitsy Spider.

We provide:

6 weeks to 3 Months
- Positioning infant to see faces of teacher and fellow students.
- Musical toys for infant to listen to on play mat.
- Hold infant in crook of arm looking out from caregiver’s body.
- Place infant on side, stomach and back to observe toys and mobiles.
- Stroke infant’s face, arms, legs and back while cooing to and singing to infant.
- Talk to infant, repeatedly referring to infant by name.
- Lie down beside infant on play mat and smile and coo to infant
- Hold brightly colored soft rattles and easily grasped toys within reach of infant.
- Place standing gym over baby on mat when lying on back.
- Black and white, or colored wrist and foot rattles.
- Lie down beside infant on play mat and let or her grasp at your face, fingers, hair.
- Take infant for walk in stroller in an upright position.
3 to 6 months
- Roll balls in front of infant and to infant
- Talk with infant. Respond to infant’s coos as though they were meaningful sentences.
- Begin sitting infant in upright position with support both with and without toys.
- Present two toys to infant to choose from
- Play with squeaking and chiming toys
- Give child down time to process stimulation and work on mastering gross motor skills.
6 to 9 months:
It is not uncommon to see an infant who has been with you since birth display separation anxiety for the first time around this age.
- Play “Peek-a-boo”
- Play with chiming, squeaking or talking toys.
- Experiment with touching different textures
- Wave “Hi” and “Bye-bye”
- Roll ball to child, encourage him or her to roll it back.
- Dance while holding infant in arms
- Play clapping games
- Allow child to climb on you
- Allow child down time in crib to process stimulation
9 to 12 months
- Dance while supporting child in standing position
- Allow child to experiment with edging around furniture
- Walk with child inside and outside
- Roll balls and toy cars along floor for child to go after
- Roll on floor with infant, allow child to climb on you
- Ask child to show you facial parts
- Sign songs that incorporate names of children

TODDLER ROOM

AGES 13 MONTHS TO 24 MONTHS

At Kids First Academy, we find great satisfaction in watching children grow and develop through activities geared toward their gifts and stages of development. We place a high importance on developmentally appropriate learning and play activities that foster creativity, self-expression and connection to others.

Through developmentally appropriate activities, your child will share their experiences with other students; they will learn more about themselves and the world around them through play and fun educational activities.

TODDLER ROOM ACTIVITIES
We provide:
- Listen and dance to songs on C.D.’s or tapes.
- Play with large manipulatives in chairs at table and standing at table.
- Sing and speak to child using finger and hand puppets.
- Beat on plastic containers like drums
- March around room with musical shakers.
- Play on mats with linking blocks, cars and trucks.
- Read books on play mat and ask children to point to items you name.
- Large and simple shape sorting toys.
- Kicking and rolling ball to friends as well as teacher
- Take nature walks in yard, examine and identify items.
- Blow bubbles outside for children to chase.
- Riding toys outside.
- Finger-painting at table
- Experiment with smelling different jars of foods.
- Sit at table and solve 4-piece puzzles.
- Sing songs about body parts
- Identify body parts by pointing to and naming.

TWO'S ROOM:

We work on basics, from colors to numbers. We also do different concepts like working on simple patterns as well as problem solving skills, and fine motor skills.

TWO'S ROOM ACTIVITIES
Social and Emotional Development
- Engages in side by side play
- Plays independently
- Aware of the feelings of others
- Takes pleasure in accomplishments
Self Help Skills
- Eats independently with utensils
- Interested is doing things themselves
- Washes hands, wipes nose
- Cleans up toys and materials
- Assist with simple classroom takes
Cognitive Development
- Attends and engages in activities
- Demonstrates curiosity
- Uses creativity during play
Math Skills
- Identifies shapes
- Counts aloud 1-5
- Identify numerals 1-3
Language and Literacy Skills
- Communicates in short sentences
- Engages in conversations
- Sings simple songs
- Uses language to express feelings
- Uses languages that is understood by others
Physical Development
- Marches and dances to music
- Rolls, throws, and catches ball
- Uses crayons, paint, and markers
- Tears paper for art
- Assembles puzzles

THREE'S ROOM:

We look forward to new adventures with your child! From ABC’s to 1,2,3’s and everything in between.

THREE'S ROOM ACTIVITIES
Social /Emotional Development
- Plays independently and in small group
- Willing to share
- Shows self confidence
- Shows concern for classmates
- Waits turn briefly
Self Help Skills
- Toilets privately
- Washes face and hands, wipes nose
- Cleans up toys and materials after use
- Folds mat and blanket
Cognitive Development
- Shows curiosity about how things work
- Asks questions about natural world
- Successfully solves simple problem
- Uses imagination and creativity during play
Math Skills
- Sorts items by shape
- Counts out aloud 1-10.
- Identify and write numerals 1-5
- Responds to and uses positional words: up, down.
Language and Literacy Skills
- Picture reads familiar books
- Listens to and discusses storybooks
- Recognizes and names letters of the alphabet
- Recognizes name in print
- Represents ideas through marks and scribbles.
- Begin to use letters to write name
Physical Development
- Throws, catches, kicks ball
- Moves in many ways: march, dance, skip, hop, run.
- Pedals, slides and swings
- Demonstrates coordination and balance
- Draws simple shapes and figures
- Completes 10-12 pieces puzzles
- Uses tools that require dexterity and strength
- Recognizes some healthy foods
- Transitions from active to quiet activities

AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM:

Our afterschool program is designed to meet your child’s cognitive, physical and social/ emotional needs.

AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES
We provide:
- Homework study time which is teacher assisted.
- 20 minutes of reading enrichment daily during homework study time.
- Encourage your child to build on his/her strengths rather than focus on their weakness.
- Strive to provide a supervised environment that helps young people develop positive relationships with peers and adults.
- Provide enriching and creative activities they can participate in.
- Create a sense of belonging with much emphasis placed on teamwork and consideration for others.
- Indoor and outdoor play.
- Friday fun days allows after schoolers a break from schoolwork and provides them time for a full day of active play.
- A nutritious snack is provided daily to encourage healthy eating habits.

PARENTS NIGHT OUT:

We offer this time for parents to have a moment to themselves while their kids come have fun with their friends.

4K PROGRAM:

The goal of the South Carolina Child Early Reading Development and Education Program (4K) is to provide children and their families with the developmental and learning support necessary for school success.

4K PROGRAM GOALS AND ACTIVITIES
Our program goals:
- Provide a healthy, safe and nurturing environment that encourages emotional, social, physical and intellectual development that children must have in order to be ready for school.
- Make learning fun so that children will develop a desire to be lifelong learners.
- Encourage language development, creativity and an appreciation of fine arts.
- Supportive comprehensive, systemic approach to reading and successfully complete the readiness assessment.
- Encourage children to interact successfully with other children and adults and to live and work together in a cooperative environment which promotes decision making peaceful resolutions of conflicts and respect for others
- Incorporate parenting education, including strengthening on interactive literacy
- Identify community and civic organizations that can support early literacy efforts.