Four- and five-year olds are welcomed into our prekindergarten and kindergarten programs. The Early Childhood division of Capitol Hill Day School consists of a prekindergarten class, a kindergarten class, a combined prekindergarten / kindergarten class, and the first grade.  

The four classrooms -- each with two full-time teachers -- are rich in materials and activities that promote both the development of ideas and the language that describes and enlivens them.

We want to lay the foundation for a love of books and literature, while introducing age-appropriate pre-reading skills. Children follow along as many different books are read aloud, see their own stories transcribed, and look to the Morning Message for clues to the day's activities. We think that building children's vocabularies and helping them communicate clearly with others are essential language-related activities.

Identifying patterns and relationships among shapes and numbers is a first step toward mathematical reasoning. Children count, sort, and measure physical objects, whether they are working on math activities, taking attendance, or just setting out snacks.

We build these lessons -- and more -- into broad units of study like machines and inventions, oceans, or family and friends, that last for a month to six weeks. When children are "studying" Japan, they are learning through all their senses, tasting, smelling, and touching as well as hearing and seeing. We constantly encourage a sense of self-reliance and independence in their work and cooperation in their relationships with others.

Children meet with special subject teachers each week in art and music, and visit the library. Physical education teachers teach games promoting body awareness and coordination, and modern language teachers introduce French and Spanish. Younger children enjoy their own play area located between the School buildings.

Children are taught to be thoughtful of one another as members of their classroom community. The diversity of their heritages is essential to the program as the children learn with each other and from each other.

Prekindergarten and kindergarten students may stay part of the day until 1:00.  Or, like the children in grades one through eight, they may stay the whole day until 3:00, or remain in the After School Program until 6:00.