Pre-School

In our Camden Academy Pre-School programs, we lay the ground work for all future academics in our 3- and 4-year old preschool classes.

While they still spend a lot of their daylight hours running, jumping, and climbing, they are also starting to master problem solving through trial and error, learning to manage their time and focus on specific tasks.

Our Pre-School classes are age- flexible, letting the child's progress dictate his or her class placement.

Pre-School 1 & 2 Features:

Learning Fundamentals

  • Count up to 30
  • Recognize and count numbers 1 through 10
  • Recognize name and be able to trace basic vertical and horizontal lines with proper pencil grip
  • Know all letter names, and most letter sounds
  • Master one on one correspondence of items up to 6
  • Know all letter names and letter sounds
  • Master one to one correspondence of items up to 10
  • Introduce Handwriting without Tears program

"Big Kid" Basics

  • Follow basic 3 step directions without difficulty
  • Bathrooms are officially separated allowing privacy
  • Potty Training Boot Camp 
  • Completely potty trained before the next classroom

Pre-School 3 Features:

Learning Fundamentals

  • Introduction to Site Words
  • Every child is able to write first and last name
  • Count to 100 successfully
  • Write letters A through Z without assistance
  • Properly categorize and group items successfully without assistance
  • Recognize and recite all color words
  • Recognize and recite basic shapes
  • Recognize and recite number 1-50
  • Recognize and recite all primary colors
  • Point out letters A through Z when asked to differentiate
  • Identify letters by uppercase and lowercase without using words like "big" or "little"
  • Recite letter sounds for letters A through Z
  • Recite the days of the week

At Camden Academy, your child will receive age- appropriate learning through a variety of proven programs, methods and tools.

Pre-School 4 Features:

Learning Fundamentals

  • Recognize and recite basic shapes
  • Recognize and recite numbers 1-100
  • Recognize and recite all primary colors
  • Point out letters A through Z when asked to differentiate
  • Identify letters by uppercase and lowercase without using words like "big" or "little"
  • Recite letter sounds for letters A through Z
  • Recite the days of the week
  • Sing a wide variety of songs
  • Recite the months of the year in English and Spanish
  • Recite the days of the week in English and Spanish
  • Recite the Pledge of Allegiance without fail
  • Count to 20 in Spanish
  • Recite basic shapes in Spanish
  • Recite colors in Spanish

Language Arts

  • Can write letters A-Z in upper and lowercase without assistance
  • Can properly hold a pencil without fisting it
  • Can write first and last name:
  • Can write basic shapes using pencil without assistance
  • Knows some basic rules
  • Sings a song or a poem from memory
  • Tells stories
  • Know all letter in name
  • Can recite parents’ names and phone numbers
  • Can recite home address

Literacy Skills

  • Sits and listens to a story for 15 minutes
  • Holds a book and turns the pages
  • Listens to songs
  • Can read most basic sight words
  • Follows oral direction; how many steps?

Junior Pre-K allows children that miss the Pre-K cut off to migrate on to a higher room and be introduced to higher concepts early on.

Thinking and Reasoning

  • Names some colors and some numbers
  • Understands the idea of counting
  • Starts to understand time
  • Remembers parts of a story
  • Understands the idea of "same" and "different"
  • Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts
  • Uses scissors
  • Plays board and card games
  • Tells you what he/she thinks is going to happen next in the book

Coordination & Fine Motor Skills

  • Hops and stand on one foot up to 2 seconds
  • Catches a bounced ball most of the time
  • Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food
  • Learns proper placement of fingers on scissors
  • Learns how to open and shut scissors
  • Cuts on paper following a designated line or shape
  • Can hold crayons properly
  • Can make up and down strokes with a crayon
  • Can string 10 large beads
  • Can cut in a straight line

"Big Kid" Basics

  • Pulls up/down pants
  • Puts on own coat
  • Puts on own shoes/boots
  • Uses toilet with little or no assistance
  • Participates in all activities
  • Potty Training Boot Camp 

Social Skills & Emotional Development

  • Responds to adults and works together with them
  • Plays next to other children in the class
  • Responds to other children in positive ways
  • Takes turns and shares with other children
  • Identifies children in class by name
  • Invites other children to play with them
  • Works with other instead of running away or hitting
  • Asks adults for help
  • Tries to solve problems independently
  • Verbalizes feelings
  • Responds to feelings of peers
  • Uses please, thank you, hi and bye appropriately
  • Enjoys doing new things
  • Plays "Mom" and "Dad"
  • Is more and more creative with make-believe play
  • Would rather play with other children than be by him/herself
  • Cooperates with other children
  • Often can’t tell what’ real and what’s make-believe
  • Talks about what he/she likes and interested in