Healthy preschool development starts early for children, and that’s why at the YMCA we care for the health and well being of your child. In our nurturing environment, your child is encouraged to play, learn, and grow.
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Circle Time with Ms. Austine[/caption]
Our Philosophy
We believe the values and skills learned early on are vital building blocks for quality of life. The YMCA's preschool program demonstrates caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility in everything we do and encourage healthy growth in spirit, mind, and body, with cooperation and mutual respect for everyone.
These skills are developed through positive character development and by modeling these behaviors through teacher-children interactions.
Kindergarten readiness is instilled in all children who pass through the program by enabling them to work in a classroom setting with peers. Through games, group activities, songs, creative drama, gym time, outdoor play, and story time, children learn about the world around them. This makes for confident kids today and contributing and engaged adults tomorrow.
Meet Molly, a YMCA Preschooler
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Puppet show time![/caption]
"Hi, my name is Molly. I go to the YMCA for Preschool with my friends. Every day my parents drop me off with my lunch and snacks, and I am ready to learn. We start our day by washing our hands because germs are yucky. Then I find my friends Hayleigh and Chloe so we can make pictures with tangrams or perform a puppet show for Ruby and David. After we play, it is time to clean up for circle time. Mrs. Austine teaches us about letters, shapes, numbers, colors, our names, the day of the week and so much more.After circle time, we wash our hands for snack. My mom usually packs a banana, and I get to sit by Jonas. Then we clean up to work on our journals or do a craft. Our journals are used to write our numbers and letters in. I like to practice using a pencil and cutting out shapes for my craft.
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Preschoolers working on their letters[/caption]
Next comes gym time. If the weather is nice, we go outside to the playground or the soccer fields. If not, we play at our indoor playground. After gym, its lunch time! I love eating and talking with my friends. Once we clean up, it is time to play some more in centers. The centers always change, but my favorite ones are playing at the sensory table and reading in the beanbags. Before I know it, my mom shows up to take me home. I am always sad to leave my friends, but I look forward to playing the next day when I come back for another day of preschool!"
Locations across Central Indiana
The 2019-2020 school year is right around the corner, and Molly would love to have you in her class at the Hendricks Regional Health YMCA preschool! Not on Indy's west side? No worries! The Y offers full and half-day options for kids ages 2-5 at locations across Central Indiana. Learn more and enroll today!
