The environment for 3-5 year olds is carefully planned to create beauty and meaning, invite play and discovery, and provoke exploration and investigation. It naturally fosters small group collaboration and social interaction, encourages communication, and helps children construct relationships for learning. Interactive learning centers expand at this age level to provide meaningful and relevant avenues for emerging social, emotional, physical and academic fundamentals. Riverfield’s country campus further supports children’s learning as outdoor investigations become more in depth, and basic scientific knowledge takes root.

The Atelier – Art Studio

A fundamental piece of the Reggio Emilia philosophy puts the children in the Atelier where they are introduced to new materials, create social encounters and are motivated to represent and communicate their thoughts, feelings, and understanding of the world around them.

Short and Long Term Investigations

Projects encompass core critical thinking in math, science, literacy, and social studies by integrating them with practical real world applications. Children collaborate in the planning of each project and their learning is made visible through written documentation, recordings, photographs, displays, sketches and project work culminating in a rich, comprehensive and joyful learning process.

Field Trips

Weekly field trips supplement the school environment. Museums, parks, merchants, restaurants and homes of children provide first-hand experiences in a broad, relevant context and lay a foundation for comprehension of the world in which the children live.

Multi-Age Classrooms

Children typically spend two years in the same classroom, allowing for continuity, strong relationships, and development of leadership skills. The mixed age groupings in each class invite and enable mentoring and cooperative relationships and allow teachers to personalize curriculum and support appropriate developmental growth.