GRINNELL COLLEGE PRESCHOOL
Encouraging children’s natural curiosity.
The Grinnell College Preschool provides a high-quality preschool program for the College and town and a research lab for Grinnell students and faculty. Preschool staff members use developmentally appropriate practices to create a supportive, nurturing learning environment that meets individual needs and encourages children’s natural curiosity. We invite you to learn more about application, admission, and tuition.
About the Preschool
The Grinnell College Preschool is located at 1022 Park Street on the Grinnell College Campus. The facility serves both Grinnell College and the community of Grinnell.
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Mission and Philosophy
Grinnell College Preschool partners with families to develop each child’s optimal learning in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment, where children construct their own knowledge through play, build community, respect diversity, solve problems, and develop school readiness skills.
The Grinnell College Preschool is also a research laboratory for Grinnell College students and faculty that supports children to develop skills necessary to construct their own knowledge, prepare them for their next school environment, and encourage them to become life-long learners.
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Curriculum
The Grinnell College Preschool uses The Creative Curriculum® and provides developmentally appropriate activities and materials with a theme/project/studies approach. The units are coordinated by the teachers and are often generated by the children’s interests. There is a balance of active and quiet activities, individual and small and large group activities, child initiated and adult initiated activities, and indoor and outdoor play activities. Learning centers are provided that allow children to explore, experiment, discover, create, and ask questions.
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Sessions and Fees
The Grinnell College Preschool offers free tuition for eligible 4-year-olds, and financial assistance is available for families who qualify.
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Shared Goals
Goals for Children
Grinnell College Preschool provides developmentally appropriate practices to help children develop optimal learning in the following domains of development and learning as well as content areas:
- physical well-being and motor development
- social and emotional development
- cognitive development and general knowledge
- language and communication
- approaches toward learning
- literacy, math, science, social studies, arts
Goals for Families
- feel welcome in the classroom
- partner with preschool to help their children develop readiness skills
- partner with preschool to advocate for their children
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Research
The Grinnell College Preschool is affiliated with the Grinnell College Psychology Department. Grinnell College students and faculty conduct projects with consent of parents and the preschool director to teach college students how to conduct research and to explore basic questions of child development. Student class projects are under the direct guidance of the faculty of Grinnell College.
Children who attend the Grinnell College Preschool may participate in a variety of research projects throughout the year. Some projects involve observing children in the preschool building or on video, whereas others require working directly with the child by playing a game or completing an activity.
Parents are informed of the projects to be conducted at the preschool and have the option of participating. When children are registered for preschool, parents are asked to sign a permission slip indicating their willingness to participate in research projects. When projects involve direct interaction with the children, parents will be asked to provide additional written consent for participation.
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Facility
Completed in 2012, the Grinnell College Preschool serves approximately 50 local children each year and supports the work of over 100 Grinnell College psychology students who observe and interact with the preschool children as part of introductory coursework and upper-level research projects.
The facility features activity areas for large and small motor skills, a classroom with in-floor heat, and additional rooms for observation, meetings, and research. Outdoor attractions include playground equipment and an area of native prairie plants. The building has some “green” features as well: a 3 kilowatt solar array, geothermal and heat-recovery system with occupancy sensors, efficient lighting and daylight sensors, and dual-flush toilets.
The preschool facilities meet the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements. The preschool building and grounds are smoke-free.
Department Information
Grinnell College Preschool
1022 Park St
Grinnell, IA 50112
United States
