Day-in-the-life
You: What did you do today?
Your Kid: 😶
The old adage… “just played,” a shoulder shrug, or even more likely, silence. We’re here to fill in the blanks.
Each year at Piper is a bit different, but a typical day is a mix of learning about friendships, discovering their independence, expressing their own thoughts, solving problems with new ideas (their ideas), and lots of exploring outside with art, nature, and movement. In the end, it’s all geared for your child to be happy, safe, ready for what’s next, and to know that they matter.
BROAD STROKES:
Class meetings are held at the start of the day in each classroom. Bringing everyone together to begin the day strengthens connection and social awareness as they listen to the thoughts and ideas of others, builds confidence and communication when sharing personal stories in a caring environment, and allows curiosity to emerge - as the consistent routine promotes predictability. Ever wonder why your child likes to read the same book over and over? Same thing. Kids look for familiarity to make sense of the world. Predictability reinforces self-assurance, which gives a greater sense of control, comfort, and courage.
Outdoors, children explore everything from an art studio, to gardening, to a woodshop, to a creek. Yes, a creek (Manhattan Beach’s creek is on the way). Each class schedule includes about a third of the day outdoors, with additional opportunities depending on interests.
As for our curriculum, it’s embedded in all we do… individually, in small-group settings, and with whole-class projects. Check out each of the program pages to get the gist of how we combine our respect for child interests with traditional school readiness.