While Peake’s programs operate year-round, our summer months bring extra fun with additional field trips and water play days. Our summer curriculum is organized around weekly themes. We kicked off the summer program this year with a week called Diversity and Me, giving children the opportunity to learn more about themselves, their classmates, and their community.
Throughout the week, our preschoolers engaged in activities designed to celebrate their individuality. Children painted with a variety of skin-tone colors, observing how shades can be alike and different while discussing the unique features that make each person special. The children made face puzzles using strips cut from pictures of their classmates’ faces. Photos of the children were attached to blocks, allowing them to place themselves at the center of the communities they constructed in the block center.
When looking at their community, children were shown menus from local restaurants displaying different cultures and food. Teachers discussed these with the children and practiced saying hello in different languages. Throughout the week teachers addressed literacy by reading books to the children with diverse main characters.
These activities supported important developmental skills. Children practiced observation, communication, and self-expression while building positive relationships with their classmates. Most importantly, they were encouraged to see themselves as valued members of their classroom community and the communities they created.
While our youngest learners are still discovering the world around them, experiences like these help lay the foundation for kindness and respect for others. At Peake, we know that every child has a unique story to tell. By helping children understand and celebrate what makes them special, we are building confident learners who are prepared to thrive in school and life.
