Curious Minds Learning Center offers a comprehensive school program and extended care services for children aged two to five years, aligned with the September-June academic calendar. Our school prides itself on building strong relationships with families and fostering a sense of community throughout the preschool years.
As part of our unique program, every Friday, both classes are given the opportunity to experience a four-hour Natural Classroom day at the Richardson Bay Audubon Sanctuary in Tiburon. This immersive experience enhances their learning and appreciation for nature.
Our WILLOW class is specially designed for two and three-year-old children. The school program runs from 8:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., with options for two, three, or five mornings per week. Aftercare is available every day except Friday, from 12:45 to 4:45 p.m. On Fridays, the program operates from 8:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Beforecare services are available from 8:00 a.m., excluding Fridays. In the WILLOW class, children begin to form meaningful relationships outside their home environment. They learn that adults always return and discover the importance of negotiation in achieving their desires. Our nurturing educators guide them in establishing their first peer community while encouraging their individuality and self-expression through dramatic play, sensory experiences, and exposure to various art materials. These experiences help them develop into confident individuals, likened to resilient OAKS.
Children in this class begin to form their first relationships outside the home setting, learning that “grown-ups always come back” and that there is a negotiation process to getting what you want. With nurturing guidance, the educators facilitate the children forming their first community of peers while the children begin to see themselves as unique individuals with strong preferences. Through dramatic play, sensorial experiences, and exposure to various art materials, the Willows soon emerge as OAKS.
For children aged three to five, our OAK class provides a rich learning environment. The morning program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by the aftercare program from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., except on Fridays. Beforecare services are also available at 8:00 a.m., excluding Fridays.
In the OAK class, children build strong connections with their peers and teachers, fostering deep friendships and effective communication skills. Their cognitive abilities expand as they question the world around them, form hypotheses, and engage in hands-on experimentation to acquire new knowledge. This class encourages collaborative learning, with children eagerly sharing their thoughts, explorations, and artistic projects. Through these experiences, they evolve into well-grounded OAKS.
At this stage, our OAK class students are prepared to embark on exciting explorations within the classroom and the wider community. The Marketplace Shopping Center serves as an invaluable resource where children are respected and valued as active community members. Small group committee work, monthly self-portrait projects, and strong social connections inside and outside the classroom shape their learning journey. By the time they complete their 4-5-year-old year, these OAKS are intellectually and socially equipped to transition smoothly into Kindergarten, ready to take on the challenges of the larger world.
