Morning session
Growing Into Kindergarten meets Monday-Friday from 9:00-11:30am.
Growing Into Kindergarten for 5-Year-Olds
Children build school confidence through active learning, social practice, and thoughtful enrichment.
Readiness grows by doing
Growing Into Kindergarten is built around the way young children learn best: by actively participating, wondering, testing ideas, and making connections. Children are encouraged to be explorers, creators, and engaged learners as they prepare for the next school step.
Weekday sessions for growing routines
Families can choose the Monday through Friday session that best fits their day while giving children consistent practice with classroom rhythm, expectations, and independence.
Afternoon session
Growing Into Kindergarten meets Monday-Friday from 12:30-3:00pm.
A readiness curriculum shaped for 5-year-olds
This program is designed as a developmental bridge toward Kindergarten, not simply extra preschool time. Children receive learning experiences that support thinking skills, expression, communication, and the growing independence expected in the next classroom.
Developmentally tailored learning
Activities are planned with 5-year-old growth in mind, giving children challenges that feel approachable, purposeful, and age-appropriate.
Problem-solving and reasoning
Children practice thinking through questions, making choices, explaining ideas, and working toward solutions with guidance.
Creativity and active expression
Creative work gives children room to express what they notice, imagine, and understand in ways that build ownership of learning.
Whole-child growth
The classroom experience supports physical, linguistic, social, and emotional development so readiness grows across the whole child.
How children move from curiosity to confidence
Kindergarten readiness develops through repeated, connected experiences. Growing Into Kindergarten helps children build from exploration into stronger language, peer awareness, independence, and comfort with classroom expectations.
1. Explore through active participation
Children begin by engaging directly with concepts, materials, conversations, and activities that invite curiosity and involvement.
2. Build reasoning and connection
Teachers guide children as they use language, listen to others, think through ideas, and interact with peers in purposeful ways.
3. Practice independence
Daily classroom experiences give children opportunities to follow routines, make choices, manage transitions, and grow in confidence.
4. Prepare for the Kindergarten transition
Over time, these experiences help children feel more familiar with the expectations, participation, and confidence needed for Kindergarten.
Enrichment that widens the readiness experience
Beyond classroom readiness work, Growing Into Kindergarten includes enrichment experiences that help children connect, create, explore, and notice the wider world. These additions give children more ways to practice curiosity, confidence, and community.
Monthly chapel
Children participate in chapel once a month, adding a faith connection to the preschool experience.
Music Enrichment Class
Music Enrichment Class is included, giving children another way to listen, move, participate, and express themselves.
Field trips
Children take part in three to four field trips, adding real-world discovery to the year.
Study of a foreign culture
Children study a foreign culture, helping them begin to notice and appreciate the wider world around them.
What families have noticed
The Pre-School at DUMC exceeded my expectations on all counts.
The teachers are all warm, caring, and easy to speak to.
Qualified, caring staff, productive class time, helpful, friendly office staff.
He has shown a new confidence that I attribute much of to DUMC and the wonderful staff.
My children learned the most important thing a preschool can give a student – love of learning and an excitement for school!
Ask about Growing Into Kindergarten
If your child is 5 and preparing for the next school step, The Preschool at DUMC can help you understand fit, session options, and next steps.