Early Childhood

Play in learning

Our Early Childhood program is rooted in the principle that all children differ in their abilities, learning modalities, and interests. We honor and celebrate those differences. Activities encompass all of the Multiple Intelligences, recognizing that we are all smart in many different ways.

When children enter the Tumtum (Preschool) and Mazama (Pre-K) classes at Gardner, they and their families become part of a community of life-long learners. They bring with them unique ways of seeing and sensing and engaging with this world. Their smiles, laughter, questions, concerns, and interests inform the planning of our emergent curriculum. They connect to the rich natural environment where the seasons unfold and they participate in those changes. They come to laugh, learn, and love their world. Social-emotional development and learning is at the forefront of our play-based preschool approach.

Each young person enters Tumtum as an explorer with a lens that helps all of us see our world with fresh eyes. Adults and children of all ages here at Gardner are continuously asking questions, making discoveries, and honing innate skills. Our early childhood students often remind the rest of us about the wonder of each new day and of the endless possibilities.

Our program is fully licensed through the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.