What Makes Little Friends Unique
Purposeful Learning Through Play
Children learn best when they are actively involved in the experience. Our classrooms combine purposeful play, teacher-guided activities, hands-on exploration, and developmentally appropriate instruction.
Little Friends uses the Learning Beyond Paper curriculum throughout the preschool. Lessons are carefully adapted for each age group and support early literacy, language development, mathematics, science, motor skills, creativity, and social-emotional growth.
Our goal is not simply to prepare children for their next classroom. We want them to become curious, confident learners who enjoy discovering new things.
Early Literacy and a Love of Reading
Reading is a big part of every day at Little Friends. Teachers regularly share stories, introduce new vocabulary, explore letters and sounds, and help children develop the early literacy skills they will need in elementary school.
Children also visit the library located inside our S.T.E.A.M. Lab. Special reading experiences may include guest readers, grandparents, community members, and our popular Celebrity Reader visits.
By surrounding children with books and positive reading experiences, we help them see reading as something exciting, comforting, and fun.
S.T.E.A.M. Exploration
Our dedicated S.T.E.A.M. Lab gives children a space to investigate Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics through hands-on activities.
Children are encouraged to build, experiment, ask questions, solve problems, and use their imaginations. Activities may include sensory investigations, magnetic exploration, simple engineering challenges, collaborative building projects, technology experiences, art, and interactive science demonstrations.
The S.T.E.A.M. Lab also includes inviting reading areas where children can enjoy books independently or as a group.
Music, Art, and Creative Expression
Music and art are woven throughout the Little Friends experience. Children sing, dance, paint, draw, build, and explore different ways of expressing their ideas and emotions.
Our location on the Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church campus also gives children opportunities to experience music and visual art beyond the classroom. Children may visit exhibits in the Narthex Art Gallery or hear musicians rehearsing for special programs on campus.
Creative experiences help children build confidence, strengthen fine-motor skills, communicate ideas, and discover their own unique interests.
Outdoor Learning and Our Renovated Garden
Our newly renovated garden and outdoor learning area gives children a welcoming place to connect with nature beyond the traditional classroom.
The space features refreshed garden areas and outdoor seating where children can gather for stories, conversations, observations, and hands-on activities. Teachers can use the area for outdoor lessons, creative projects, nature exploration, or simply enjoying a different learning environment.
While gardening is no longer taught as a separate curriculum, the outdoor space continues to offer meaningful opportunities for children to observe plants, notice seasonal changes, ask questions, and develop an appreciation for the natural world.
Weekly Chapel
Children attend chapel once each week. Chapel provides a calm, age-appropriate time for stories, music, reflection, and conversations about qualities such as kindness, gratitude, compassion, honesty, and helping others.
Little Friends welcomes families from a variety of backgrounds. Religious instruction is not part of our academic curriculum, and we strive to create a caring community in which every child and family feels valued.
Movement and Martial Arts
Physical activity is an important part of every child’s day. Outdoor play and age-appropriate movement activities help children develop strength, balance, coordination, body awareness, and healthy habits.
Our physical-development program is enhanced through our partnership with Tersak’s Family Martial Arts Academy. Their engaging, age-appropriate instruction helps children practice gross-motor skills, listening, focus, confidence, coordination, respect, and self-control in a positive environment.
Children are able to stay active, learn new skills, and experience the excitement of martial arts as part of their preschool experience.
Strong Family Communication
Families are essential partners in a child’s preschool experience. Our teachers and staff work to maintain open, supportive communication with parents throughout the year.
Little Friends uses the Procare app for secure check-in and check-out, school announcements, classroom updates, calendars, attendance, family information, tuition management, and direct communication. Depending on the child’s age and classroom, families may also receive information about meals, diaper changes, naps, activities, and special moments from the school day.
Character and Community
Preschool is about more than academic preparation. Children are also learning how to be friends, work together, communicate their needs, solve problems, and care for the people around them.
Through classroom activities and occasional service projects, children begin to understand kindness, responsibility, generosity, and what it means to be part of a community.
Ready for the Next Step
Every experience at Little Friends is designed to help children grow in confidence, independence, curiosity, and kindness. By the time our VPK students graduate, they have developed important academic, social, emotional, and classroom skills that will help them transition successfully into kindergarten.
At Little Friends Preschool, children are known, supported, and encouraged to discover just how much they are capable of accomplishing.
Little Strings Program
Our VPK students have the special opportunity to participate in the Little Strings program. Through our partnership with students from the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Strings Pedagogy program, children are introduced to instruments such as the violin and cello in an encouraging, age-appropriate environment.
Little Strings builds listening skills, concentration, coordination, confidence, and an early appreciation for music. It is one of the many ways Little Friends brings enriching experiences directly into the preschool day.
What Parents are Saying...
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Now Accepting Applications
Little Friends would love to have your son or daughter join us for the upcoming school year. Space is limited, so please apply. VPK is currently full and on waitlist only.
