We have a unique STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) room where children can explore, observe and investigate. Materials, props and sensory items are regularly refreshed to provide a stimulating environment. We use hands-on activities to foster an appreciation about nature and science, teaching your child about plants, animals and our amazing planet Earth.  We do exciting experiments, where we discuss and hypothesize creating inquisitive minds that want to learn more.  We learn about rules, working together, different cultures and community helpers. A natural curiosity, a sense of discovery and a joy in learning is integrated into each child’s day.

We provide quality experiences to foster mathematical development and understanding.  Our curriculum covers the following concepts: number and number recognition, patterns, shape recognition, graphing, comprehending concepts of time including seasons, months, days, demonstrating 1 to 1 correspondence, telling time to the hour, identifying money (penny, nickel, dime, & quarter) and age-appropriate mathematical and problem-solving skills.

Number Bonds:

Composing and decomposing numbers is a mathematical skill that we introduce in Kindergarten.  It involves helping children break numbers down into sub-parts.   We start with a hands-on approach with number bond mats and counting manipulatives.  A child who can compose and decompose numbers understands that 2 and 3 together make 5.  They learn how a number can be broken apart. Number bonds give the child a visual representation of each number, groupings, and patterning.  This hands-on approach lays the foundation for future math skills.

To strengthen the children’s early literacy skills, we cover concepts that promote development in reading and writing. Sound and letter recognition, blending skills, long and short vowels are introduced and emphasized throughout the year, as these are important stepping stones on the path towards reading.  Phonological awareness and phonemic awareness activities are structured around the word and sound wall. Focused writing is practiced daily to learn the correct letter formations and spacing between words. Encoding is used in the process of using letter/sound knowledge to learn writing skills, along with basic sentence structure and punctuation.

In kindergarten, the children have the option to use iPads/tablets to further enhance their technical abilities. The iPads are set-up with fun, educational interactive games. The children have a 20 to 30-minute window per day to enjoy this activity. This helps to prepare children and get them tech ready as they enter into first grade.

Letting our imaginations run wild! We like to get messy and love to see such young creative minds at work. We like to explore all sorts of media: paint, paper, glue, chalk and yarn to name a few.  Different media is used to enable your child to explore color, shape and texture to express their ideas, creativity and feelings.

Directed Drawing:

This activity increases confidence, and teaches children to follow directions, increases directional and spatial vocabulary, and most of all having fun while drawing and creating a one of a kind work of art.

Toluca Crossroads is known for our famous Kindergarten reading program. We are exceptionally proud to offer one on one, individualized reading sessions with your child that provide that extra boost of confidence and instill a sincere love of reading. Our specialized reading program is for those children developmentally ready and of kinder age, which is determined by the state as turning 5 years old by September 1st. However, if a child is younger and is ready for our reading program, we will of course use our best discretion. Children are taught how to decode words phonetically and to comprehend what they are reading. This program has proven to be extremely successful. Our aim is to always make reading a pleasurable and enriching experience, inspiring and motivating our children with a love of reading.

For more information, visit our Reading Program page. 

Our library is equipped with a large collection of books that are continually changing to ignite a child’s interest.   It is set-up with the latest wireless headphones and fun audiobooks. It’s the perfect retreat for a quiet story!

Our daily story time is interesting, fun and interactive with opportunities to talk about the text, and predicting and retelling story sequences.  The children learn who the author is, what the illustrator does, identify characters in a setting and know the main idea of the story.

Social skills are any skills that help us communicate and interact with each other. Life skills are skills necessary for a child to be able to deal with the challenges in everyday life. In helping young children with these skills, we use encouragement and positive reinforcement to guide the children as situations are presented.