Our preschool classes are an exciting educational experience for your three, four, or five year old.  We teach your child early reading and writing skills, and we use art, music, and games to reinforce these concepts. Our goal is to make learning at Storybook Safari a fun, motivational experience that your child will look forward to each week.

The classes are theme-based, with each theme lasting 1-3 weeks. Some of the themes we will explore include: “Under the Sea”, “Transportation”, and “When I Grow Up”.

Our curriculum is based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for grades K-12.  We have adapted the standard curriculum for preschool age students.  We know what is expected of elementary school students in North Carolina, so we prepare our preschoolers to "hit the ground running" when they enter kindergarten.

• Our preschool year runs from September to May, with summer camps offered June through August.
• Preschool classes meet from 9:00am – 12:00pm, with an optional Lunch Bunch from 12:00pm-1:00pm.
• You have the flexibility to choose which days you want.
• Light snacks are provided.
• All materials and supplies are provided.
• See our Schedule & Prices page for prices.

We are accepting enrollments for the 2008-2009 school year.  We also have some limited availabilty for the remainder of our 2007-2008 school year. Please call 919-876-5466 to schedule a visit and pick up an enrollment package.

Early Literacy Skills

We focus on your child’s development of early literacy skills such as:

• Motivation: Enjoying the reading experience
• Print Concepts: Knowing how books "work"
• Letter-Sound Knowledge: Knowing the ABC's and their sounds
• Narrative Skills: Using words to retell stories and share thoughts
• Vocabulary: Identifying things by name and learning new words
• Phonological Awareness: Recognizing that there are sounds and groups of sounds that make up words

Integrating Other Subject Areas

We offer much more than just reading and writing. Your child will have planned learning activities that encourage the exploration of relationships between the reading selection and other subjects, such as:

• Science
• Math
• Social Studies
• Character Education
• Spanish
• Sign Language

Encouraging Creativity

We also recognize the importance of creative expression, so various forms of art are a regular feature of our preschool program, including:

• Visual Arts (painting, drawing, modeling, etc.)
• Performing Arts (music, singing, dancing, drama, etc.)

These art activities are often used to reinforce other concepts that have been taught. For example, the children may sing about the days of the week or paint things that begin with the letter “A”.

Time to be a “Kid”

Finally, our preschool is not a purely “academic” program. We want our students to be well-rounded, so we include time for:

• Organized physical activity and games
• Free play

These activities allow children to develop their social skills, release some energy, and just have fun!