EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
for children 2–5 years old
A Leading Preschool in Needham
At Tobin Beaudet Schools, we provide a nurturing and engaging preschool experience where children grow with confidence, curiosity, and joy. Our classrooms combine warmth, structure, and personalized attention with a strong foundation in early childhood education, helping children develop the social, emotional, and academic skills they need to thrive.
Families searching for a trusted preschool in Needham choose Tobin Beaudet Schools for our thoughtful approach to early learning and our commitment to supporting the whole child. With decades of experience and dedicated teachers, we create an environment where children feel safe, inspired, and excited to learn each day.
Preschool Program Curriculum:
For Ages 2.9–3.9
Teacher-to-Child Ratio: 1:10
Our Preschool program builds on the foundations developed during the toddler years through play-based, developmentally appropriate learning. Children explore early literacy, math, problem-solving, and social-emotional skills through hands-on experiences and meaningful relationships with teachers and peers.
To learn more or schedule a visit, please call 781-444-5444.
Literacy
Our Preschool literacy program supports the development of emergent reading and writing skills through play-based, hands-on, and meaningful experiences with language and print. Children engage in activities that build oral language, early writing, phonological awareness, and a growing understanding of how print works.
Teachers use intentional teaching practices and developmentally appropriate materials to support each child’s progress along the literacy continuum.
Through daily experiences, children are supported in:
- Developing Concepts of Print: Children learn that print carries meaning, moves from left to right and top to bottom, and that pictures and text work together to tell a story.
- Emergent Writing: As children’s scribbles evolve into controlled marks and letter-like forms, teachers provide opportunities to practice writing names, labeling work, and expressing ideas through writing and art.
- Letter and Sound Awareness: Children begin making connections between letters and sounds, strengthening the foundation for future reading. Letter exploration includes attention to how letters are formed on paper and how sounds are formed when spoken.
- Oral Language Development: Through conversation, storytelling, dictation, and group discussions, children expand vocabulary, practice sequencing ideas, and strengthen expressive and receptive language skills.
- Daily Literacy Routines: Classrooms are rich in print and writing materials. Children engage in shared writing, story dictation, repeated exposure to environmental print, and opportunities to explore books independently and with teachers.
Science & Math
Science and math learning in our preschool classroom is grounded in hands-on exploration, inquiry, and meaningful real-world experiences. Children actively investigate materials as they build, count, sort, pattern, group, measure, and graph—developing early mathematical reasoning and scientific thinking skills.
Teachers use intentional teaching practices to extend learning through everyday experiences, laying the foundation for STEM concepts. Children explore ideas such as number sense, comparison, cause and effect, and problem-solving through activities like counting fruit slices at snack, pouring and measuring water at the sensory table, and designing complex block structures.
Through these experiences, children are supported in:
- Developing early math concepts including counting, classification, patterning, and spatial awareness
- Strengthening critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Making predictions, testing ideas, and drawing conclusions through exploration
- Communicating ideas using language, numbers, and representations
Monthly Learning Themes provide a cohesive framework for exploring the natural world, living things, and how objects and systems work. These themes support curiosity, observation, and inquiry.
Social-Emotional Learning & Celebrating Similarities and Differences
Our Preschool program provides a well-rounded educational experience that intentionally supports children’s social-emotional development, identity formation, and sense of belonging. Through daily interactions, play, and responsive relationships, children learn skills that help them succeed both in school and in life.
Teachers use developmentally appropriate, intentional practices to support children as they learn to:
- Understand and Express Emotions: Children learn to identify, name, and express their feelings in safe and respectful ways, building emotional awareness and empathy.
- Develop Self-Regulation and Executive Function Skills: Through routines, guided practice, and problem-solving experiences, children strengthen skills such as flexibility, impulse control, attention, and perseverance.
- Build Positive Relationships: Children practice cooperation, turn-taking, self-advocacy, and conflict resolution while forming trusting relationships with peers and teachers.
- Celebrate Similarities and Differences (CSAD): Through our CSAD curriculum, children explore how people can be the same and different in many ways—including families, cultures, abilities, appearance, and experiences—while learning that all people are valued, respected, and included.
- Develop Awareness, Acceptance, and Respect: Children engage in conversations, books, songs, art, and hands-on experiences that promote kindness, inclusion, and an understanding that differences are not only okay, but something to celebrate.
Music, Movement & Art
Our Preschool program integrates visual arts and music into the daily classroom experience, supporting creativity, self-expression, and whole-child development. Children explore a wide range of open-ended art and music experiences that emphasize process over product and encourage individual expression.
Through daily opportunities in art and music, children are supported in:
- Creative Expression and Exploration: Children model with clay, create sculptures and three-dimensional structures, paint, draw, glue, and design collages using a variety of materials. These experiences encourage experimentation, imagination, and problem-solving.
- Music and Movement: Singing is woven into daily routines, helping children build language, rhythm, and confidence. Children explore music through dancing, playing instruments, and moving their bodies to different rhythms and sounds.
- Fine Motor and Sensory Development: Art-making strengthens fine motor skills and sensory awareness while allowing children to explore textures, tools, and materials.
Social-Emotional Growth: Creative experiences provide opportunities for collaboration, self-regulation, and expressing ideas and emotions in meaningful ways.
Physical Education & Wellness
Physical activity is an essential part of preschool learning and overall well-being. Our Preschool program provides ample daily opportunities for active play, supporting children’s physical development, self-regulation, and healthy habits.
Through movement-rich experiences, children are supported in:
- Building Gross Motor Skills: Children run, climb, jump, bounce, dig, and play—strengthening balance, coordination, strength, and body awareness.
- Active Outdoor Play: Children enjoy two outdoor play periods each day, weather permitting, on our early childhood playground, which offers a wide range of developmentally appropriate equipment, large-group games, and opportunities for seasonal water, snow and sand play.
- Learning Through Movement: Teachers intentionally incorporate movement into the day, recognizing that young children learn best when their bodies are active and engaged.
- Supporting Health and Wellness: Daily physical activity supports physical health, emotional regulation, and focus, helping children feel ready to learn.
Exploring Languages
Exposure to additional languages supports communication, cognitive flexibility, and cultural awareness.
- Mandarin: Through engaging stories, songs, and simple vocabulary, children are introduced to Mandarin every week as part of their Preschool classroom experience. These experiences focus on listening, sound recognition, and building familiarity with a new language in a joyful way.
- American Sign Language (ASL): Preschoolers are introduced to ASL through simple signs that are naturally incorporated into daily routines and classroom interactions. Using ASL supports expressive and receptive communication, strengthens fine motor skills, and promotes inclusion and understanding among peers.
Measuring Progress
At Tobin Beaudet Schools, we respect each child as an individual, recognizing that children learn and develop along their own unique timeline. Our teachers are trained early childhood professionals with a strong understanding of child development and a commitment to supporting each child’s individual learning goals.
Assessment Tool
We proudly use Teaching Strategies GOLD, a research-based, developmentally appropriate assessment system. This tool provides a comprehensive view of each child’s growth across developmental areas and supports meaningful collaboration between teachers and families as goals are set for future learning.
Ongoing Observation & Family Partnership
Teachers engage in ongoing observation throughout the day, documenting children’s learning and development over time. Families are invited to participate in parent-teacher conferences three times per year to review progress and set shared goals. We also encourage open communication throughout the year—partnering closely with families is an essential part of supporting each child’s success.