The Wonders of School Readiness

Is your child ready for school? With our special two-week summer camp, they will be!

Designed as culminating summer experiences for Preschool and Pre-K students, Wonders of Pre-K and Wonders of Kindergarten serve as perfect transitions between summer and a new school year.

Both camps provide engaging learning experiences that build on school readiness skills. They provide opportunities for children to learn about what happens in the classrooms they are preparing to enter.

Wonders of Pre-K focuses on social and emotional learning skills such as self-concept, self-awareness, self-regulation, and regulation involving others. Wonders of Kindergarten focuses on kindergarten readiness skills such as social-emotional development, critical thinking, problem-solving, and the incorporation of language play to promote phonological awareness.

Your child will emerge from these camp experiences feeling empowered and excited about the next step! We’ve compiled a few of the most-asked questions by parents so you know what to expect:

1. How do these camps differ from Wondercamp?
   Both camps are an extension of our summer program and follow a similar format. Just like in Wondercamp, the planned activities are open-ended and flexible to encourage children to ask questions, wonder, and construct ideas while making connections between concepts.
   
   Wonders of Pre-K focuses on Language Play to promote phonological awareness. Children participate in activities focused on rhyming, sound isolation, and syllables.

    
   Wonders of Kindergarten incorporates Language Play in a more complex way. Children have opportunities to ask questions and learn more about kindergarten. We also introduce journal writing and a group meeting at the end of the day to encourage children to reflect and share.
   
   

2. What does a typical day look like?
   We begin the day with a Morning Meeting. This routine is guided by an open-ended “Wonder Question” to inspire children to share their thoughts or feelings. An example of a Wonder Question could be, “What am I wondering about kindergarten?” This provides an opportunity for children to share their questions, and for the teacher to shape future discussions and activities. Each day includes Guided Play, Wonder Work, Outdoor Exploration, and Language Play.

    

3. How does the classroom environment support learning?
   Each week, we intentionally rearrange the classroom environment to facilitate children’s exploration of the next theme to help promote deeper engagement in pretend play. For example, in Wonders of Pre-K, the learning centers are refreshed to prepare for the new school year. Children are invited to help organize and label the materials and discuss solutions for keeping areas tidy.

   
   

4. Is there still time to enroll in Wonders of Pre-K or Wonders of Kindergarten?
   Yes! Reach out to your school leaders to ask for more information on camp offerings at your school to see if these school readiness programs are offered. (They may vary by location and interest.) Both camps are normally offered during the last week of summer camp programming.

Planning ahead? Keep Wondercamp in mind for next year too. Enrollment opens early so you can secure your spot and count on our teachers to give your child(ren) a wonderful summer experience!