Growing Hearts, Mind, and Faith Through Purposeful Play
At LIFE Preschool, we believe childre learn best through meaningfulplay, loving relationships, hands-on discovery, and intentional teaching. Our classrooms are designed to nurture the whole child--academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually--while creating a joyful environment where children feel safe, known, and deeply loved.
We understand that preschool is much moe than preparing for kindergarten. It is a time for uiling confidence, curiosity, friendships, independence, and a lifelong love of learning. Through developmentally appropriate, hands-on experiences, we help children grow academically while also learning how to navigate emotions, solve problems, make friends, and understand God's love.
Our Educational Philosophy
At LIFE Preschool, we believe children learn through:
Play-Based, Hands-On Learning
Young children learn best when they can explore, create, move, ask questions, and experience concepts in meaningful ways. Our classrooms emphasize active, play-based learning with intentional instruction woven throughout daily experiences.
Children learn through:
- Sensory exploration
- Learning centers
- Hands-on science experiments
- Art and creative expression
- Small-group instruction
- Music and movement
- Dramatic play
- Outdoor exploration
- Guided discovery
Rather than relying heavily on worksheets or screens, we prioritize real-life experiences and hands-on opportunities that help children build meaningful understanding.
Developmentally Appropriate Instruction
We meet children where they are developmentally and recognize that every child grows at their own pace. Teachers use observations, assessments, and small-group instruction to provide individualized support while encouraging children to take safe risks, build independence, and celebrate growth.
Skills are introduced intentionally, practiced repeatedly, and reinforced naturally through classroom routines, centers, songs, calendar time, movement activities, and hands-on experiences.
Faith-Based Learning
As a ministry of Beulah MIssionary Church, our faith is intentionally woven throughout everything we do. Children are taught about God's love in meaningful, age-appropriate ways through Bible stories, songs, prayer, memory verses, chapel, and everyday conversations.
We believe faith formation begins early and we strive to create classrooms where children learn:
- God loves them
- They are uniquely created with purpose
- Kindness, compassion, and forgiveness matter
- We can show Jesus' love through our actions
Bible Curriculum
We use the TrueWay Bible Curriculum providing engaging, age-appropriate Bible learning through stories, activities, songs, and hands-on reinforcement.
Each month includes:
- A Bible story theme
- Bible-based activities
- Memory verse of the month
- Classroom reinforcement
- Our Beulah Missionary Church Bible Buddy story time.
Children also participate in a monthly chapel experience led by church pastors and ministry leaders featuring:
- Worship songs
- Bible teaching
- Scripture memory
- Interactive lessons connected to monthly themes
Because we value children understanding the full story of Scripture, our Bible curriculum rotates on a two-year cycle.
What We Teach
Our curriculum is aligned with:
- Indiana Early Learning Standards & Framework
- Kindergarten readiness expectations
Instruction is intentional, engaging, and developmentally appropriate.
Early Literacy & Language Development
We build strong early literacy skills through purposeful instruction, songs, movement, read-alouds, and hands-on practice.
Children learn:
- Letter recognition
- Letter sounds
- Early phonics skills
- Rhyming
- Beginning sounds
- Syllables
- Vocabulary development
- Listening comprehension
- Story retelling
- Name recognition and writing readiness
We use:
- Various Literacy Resources
- Jolly Phonics motions and sound connections
- Handwriting Without Tears and/or Abeka handwriting resources
Rather than teaching letters alphabetically, we follow a structured sequence inspired by Orton-Gillingham principles to support phonemic awareness and successful early reading development.
Math Readiness
Children develop foundational math skills through games, manipulatives, movement, and daily routines.
Math learning includes:
- Number recognition
- Countiing
- One-to-one corrspondence
- Sorting and classifying
- Patterns
- Shapes
- Measurement
- Comparing quantities
- Spatial awareness
- Early addition and subtraction concepts (older preschool)
Math skills are reinforced naturally through calendar time, centers, games, snack routines, and hands-on activities.
Science & Discovery
Children are naturally curious and we believe preschool should encourage wonder and exploration.
Students explore:
- Nature and seasons
- Weather
- Animals and habitats
- Plants and life cycles
- Space and science experimnts
- Five senses
- Observation and prediction
- Cause and effect
Children learn to ask questions, explore safely, observe carefully, and think critically.
Social-Emotional Development
Learning how to identify emotions, build friendships, and regulate behavior is an important part of preschool.
We intentionally teach:
- Emotion identification
- Friendship skills
- Problem-solving
- Self-regulation
- Kindness and empathy
- Cooperation
- Responsibility
We use:
- Feelings identification systems using colors and facial expressions
- Positive reinforcement
- Breathing and calming strategies
- Individual choice opportunities
- Age-appropriate problem solving
We believe behavior is best supported through encouragement, consistency, guidance, and helping children develop healthy emotional skills.
Fine Motor & Physical Development
Strong hands help build strong learners. Daily opportunities are provided to strengthen fine motor development through:
- Cutting
- Tracing
- Playdough and theraputty
- Painting
- Building
- Writing tools
- Manipulatives
- Sensory play
Children also participate in:
- Music and movement
- Brain breaks
- Transitional songs
- Gross motor activities
- Outdoor play
Movement is intentionally built into our school day to support all types of learners.
World Geography and Missions
Our "Play n Stay" curriculum introduces children to cultures and countries around the world with a special emphasis on countries where missionaries serve who Beulah Missionary Church supports.
Children explore:
- Countries and cultures
- Foods and traditions
- Geography
- Maps
- Global awareness
- God's love for people around the world
This helps children develop compassion, curiosity, and a broader understanding of God's world.
Assessment & Communication
We believe assessment should support growth, not pressure children.
Teachers actively observe student progress throughout the year and document growth through Brightwheel. Formal developmental asessments are completed approximately three times each year:
- Beginning of the year
- Mid-year
- End of Year
Assessment information helps teachers:
- Identify strengths
- Support growth areas
- Form small groups
- Differentiate instruction
- Prepare children for kindergarten readiness
Families receive ongoing communication and updates about student learning and classroom experiences.
