Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center

The foundation for a child's ability to learn and socialize is language acquisition and development. Literacy and language development is enhanced by meaningful activities such as everyday conversation with adults, listening and telling stories, engaging in word games, as well as, educational audio-visual games and props.

We introduce children to pre-reading and pre-writing activities depending on their age and readiness. The activities involve recognition of letters, words, labels, charts, and books.

Children's appreciation for math can be nurtured at an early age through play with blocks, cooking, water and sand play. We incorporate math into daily life by measuring, counting, grouping, estimating and comparing sizes, weights and shapes.

Physical development plays an integral part in a child's academic development. Developing physical skills in our children is our main goal, which is essential for social, emotional, sensory and intellectual development in children.

Fine motor skills are developed through daily art and manipulative play, such as games, including puzzles and the use of paint brushes, crayons, tools, clay, sand and water. Large muscle skills and coordination are enhanced through jumping, pedaling and using the playground equipment.

Discovering, observing and expressing how things work is an ongoing source of joy for both the children and their caregivers.

We teach children about broad concepts of the earth and its elements: how to care for, and talk about, living things, how to move and balance inanimate objects with wheels and pulleys, and how things float or sink in water.

Key to a child's enjoyment of school and learning is the ability to communicate needs and interact successfully with peers.

We model appropriate, safe and healthy behaviors, and coach children on how to relate to other children and adults.

One of our most effective ways of engaging children in learning and expressive activities is through art and music. Our children enjoy a variety of instruments, from tambourines, cymbals, and bongo drums, to their own voices. They explore the arts with clay, drawing, painting and dramatic play. They are exposed to live music with a musician who comes to each classroom weekly and plays age-appropriate guitar and performs interactive activities with the children.

Our kindergarten-age preschoolers are eligible for violin classes in groups and as individuals. Parents can join in as well. These classes are available October through June.

Our kindergarten-age preschoolers learn about musical notes, rhythm and movement to music at the world-renowned music school. 45-minute sessions are conducted Monday through Thursday for six weeks in the summer.

Teachers and children can enjoy the most recent books and stories read by professional staff.

Volunteers donate a variety of toys and books, while older children volunteer as playmates and literacy guides to our children. Adult volunteers help our teachers in each classroom.

Librarian Volunteers from this organization annually offer a lending library once weekly from September through June. Children and their families borrow books. Families return books when they are done reading them. This activity encourages literacy for families and teaches children to be responsible for books that they have enjoyed so much for the use of others

Student interns work/volunteer interacting with our children in the classrooms and on trips under the supervision of our teaching staff.