Orchard View Play School is open September through June. Located in McMinnville near WinCo. Private pay only. Monday to Friday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm. See our yearly calendar here.
Our Program
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One of our fundamental beliefs here at OVPS is we believe every child deserves a childhood full of joy, wonder, curiosity, and imagination. We feel early childhood is sacred and should hold space for children to be their authentic selves and be given the time, space, and trust to explore the world around them in a safe space. This is why we believe a child-led, play focused curriculum is not only developmentally appropriate, but essential for all children. We want our spaces to feel like a home away from home and not watered down school. We also offer a low teacher/child ratios and utilize the Oregon Early Learning Standards to help guide our practice to ensure your child gets what they need to be successful and not "fall through the cracks". If this sounds like an environment you want your child to experience, we're the place for you!
This is how we do Art...
Art can vary from being traditional items your child will bring home, to transient art created with loose parts, to sculptural art using play dough or clay. One thing you won't see here at OVPS is cookie-cutter product oriented crafts. We don't believe in directing the children's art experiences - for children the importance is in the PROCESS OF CREATING and not in the outcome and we support this as much as possible. Allowing children freedom, creativity and autonomy over their creations teaches them that we respect their thoughts, time, and point of view.
This is how we do Science...
Science can sound intimidating but in reality most of us use it everyday. Children are constantly coming up with different hypotheses and testing theories to discover "what will happen if..." - therefore using the scientific method without being aware of it! We will also give them opportunities to explore science by setting up provocations to get children to explore items and discover how things work. Science can be as simple as participating in our weekly cooking activities, or playing with different mediums such as dirt or rice, or as complicated as discovering how something works by taking it apart.
This is how we do Literacy...
We believe children will learn literacy naturally if given the TIME to explore the world around them. Children are naturally drawn to words and letters that are important to them and in their environment. They will also model behaviors seen by important people in their lives - such as reading and writing. We make a point to model both for the children so they see how these skills are helpful in everyday life. What you WON'T ever see at OVPS is us drilling the kids with flashcards or sending home worksheets.
This is how we do Math...
We believe that math is all around us everyday. Whether it's sorting toys, building with blocks, or exploring shapes on our geo-boards, children are ALWAYS practicing their math skills without noticing! We allow the children to naturally learn these skills without the pressure of an adult agenda that decides when and how a child will learn a specific skill. By giving the children ample opportunities of exploring math concepts organically, it ensures that it is meaningful to each child and therefore becomes more likely they will retain what they learn in the long run.
This is how we do Outside...
Our outside space does not have any traditional outdoor play equipment such as climbers or swing sets. Instead, we offer a variety of large loose parts such as tires, tree stumps, boards, tubes, and more for the children to move around and create their own play area. We also offer a mud kitchen and various pretend play accessories for them to use in their play. By doing this their play can change and evolve each time they enter the outdoor space to accommodate their current needs and interests.