A new preschool opening in Redmond will show kids they can be active, learn and have fun at the same time.
Emerald City Preschool, set to open in September and run through June, will offer an extra dose of physical activity and education; in fact, it will be housed in Redmond’s Emerald City Gymnastics Academy.
“They learn through playing and being active,” says Ilanit Inbar, the founder and director. “We have them focus on body awareness while still teaching them the basics they would get at any other preschool.”
Activities offered will include art, singing, show and tell, free play and painting. Children will also learn their ABCs, 123s and how to trace letters and numbers.
“We have about an hour in the gym and an hour of learning time each day,” she added. “The rest of the day is filled with fun. The class is divided into three stations where kids get to paint, sculpt and interact with each other.”
The school will offer three, four and five day-a-week programs that are four hours long. It will run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. with an extended program until 4 p.m. offered by the Orange Blossom Society, a Redmond-based day-care provider.
“We believe that at an early age physical awareness has an important role in a child’s self-confidence,” Inbar states on the school’s website. “Physical movement not only benefits a healthy body but also helps children develop social, emotional and cognitive skills.
“Our vision is to promote physical activity awareness for children ages 3 to 4,” she continues. “We are committed to educating children through active play and hands-on learning.”
Inbar, who has seven years of experience teaching preschool, graduated from Hakibutzim Collage in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
“I moved here and couldn’t teach sailing or Hebrew, but I was working at day-cares. I thought it was a perfect move to preschools.
“I want it to be a safe nurturing environment where kids get to explore. They get up and move around and still learn the basics of recognizing numbers and letters,” she said.
The school’s curriculum will follow the Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD) for elementary learning. Co-educators Charmin Wray and Lindsay Talbolt will help Inbar with the program.
Wray, who graduated from the University of Washington, said, “I believe in and practice a holistic approach to teaching, honoring the mind, body, spirit and well being of each student.”
Inbar said: “Our philosophy is that an active child is a healthy child and a healthy child is a happy child.”
Having access to the gym gives Inbar a dynamic area to teach that isn’t available at other schools.
Talbot, a certified elementary educator, believes: “Learning through play helps create healthy experiences for children and helps to develop their social and communication skills.”
An open house will be held on Thursday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to noon.
The school is located at 17735 N.E. 65th St. in Redmond. Check out the school’s website at EmeraldCityPreschool.com for more information.
Tylen Johnson is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.
