Preschool
Curie's Preschool program is a research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood program where children learn through purposeful play, intentional teaching, hands-on exploration, inquiry, relationships, and meaningful classroom experiences.
Placement is based on your child's age, developmental readiness, and program fit. We discuss placement individually with families when needed.
The Program
Curie's STEAM++ Curriculum + Research-Based Resources
Curie's Preschool program is built around Curie's own STEAM++ Curriculum and strengthened by research-based early childhood resources and practices. Children develop important skills through active participation, purposeful play, inquiry, hands-on exploration, and intentional teacher-child interactions — not primarily through worksheets or rote instruction.
In our Preschool program, Curie is implementing STREAMin³, a research-based early childhood curriculum developed by the University of Virginia's Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL), to complement and strengthen Curie's STEAM++ Curriculum through additional research-based resources and practices.
3–4 years
Age group
Full & half
Day options available
STREAMin³
Research-based curriculum
Research-Based Curriculum
STREAMin³ at Curie
Curie Preschool is implementing STREAMin³, a comprehensive early childhood curriculum developed by the University of Virginia's Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL), in applicable Early Preschool, Preschool, and Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. STREAMin³ adds research-based resources and practices that complement Curie's STEAM++ Curriculum and support intentional teaching, responsive teacher-child interactions, purposeful learning experiences, and whole-child development.
STREAMin³ complements Curie's STEAM++ Curriculum across the areas that matter most in the early years.
Areas of development supported by STREAMin³
- Social-emotional development
- Language and communication
- Early literacy
- Early mathematics
- Thinking and problem-solving
- Physical development
- Self-regulation
- Curiosity and engagement in learning
Whole-Child Development
Every area of development is woven into daily routines — experienced as a connected, joyful whole.
Social & Emotional Development
Building relationships, expressing emotions, developing self-regulation, participating in a classroom community, cooperation, confidence, and growing independence.
Language & Early Literacy
Conversation, vocabulary, storytelling, listening, books, phonological awareness, early writing experiences, and a growing interest in print.
Early Mathematics & Thinking
Counting, quantities, patterns, sorting, comparing, shapes, spatial thinking, measurement concepts, reasoning, and problem-solving through hands-on experiences.
Science & Inquiry
Observing, asking questions, exploring nature and materials, making predictions, investigating cause and effect, and discussing discoveries.
Physical Development
Fine-motor skills, gross-motor development, movement, coordination, outdoor play, and age-appropriate self-help skills.
Creativity & Expression
Art, music, dramatic play, building, movement, storytelling, imagination, and open-ended creative experiences.
Enrichment
Curie's STEAM++ Curriculum
Children learn by doing. Curie's STEAM++ Curriculum drives hands-on investigation, building, creating, experimenting, storytelling, movement, problem-solving, and collaborative exploration throughout the Preschool day.
Daily Learning
A Day in Preschool
A rich, predictable rhythm that balances structured learning with free exploration.
Arrival & Classroom Routines
Children settle in, greet friends, and choose their first activity at the learning centers.
Morning Meeting & Language-Rich Activities
Songs, conversation, stories, and shared experiences build vocabulary, listening, and a sense of classroom community.
Learning Centers & Purposeful Play
Children explore literacy, math, science, building, art, and dramatic play through teacher-supported, child-directed activity.
Teacher-Guided Small-Group Experiences
Small-group time allows teachers to provide intentional, responsive instruction tailored to where each child is in their development.
Outdoor or Gross-Motor Play
Children have scheduled outdoor play each day. When weather does not permit, indoor gross-motor activities take place in our Great Room.
Lunch & Rest (Full-Day)
A shared meal, then quiet rest time for our full-day friends.
Afternoon Discovery & Choice
Small groups, projects, additional outdoor play, movement, or active learning as appropriate, and story time before pick-up.
Every single day
Outdoor play·Hands-on exploration·Read-aloud·Small-group teaching
Doors open 8:00 am · Morning Half-Day dismissal 12:30 pm · Afternoon Half-Day 1:30–6:00 pm · Full Day closes 6:00 pm
Times are approximate. Our teachers follow the children's rhythm — some mornings the block-building lasts longer, and that's exactly as it should be.
School Readiness
Building Foundations for School Readiness
School readiness develops across the whole child. Preschool experiences help children build communication, self-regulation, independence, curiosity, early literacy and mathematics foundations, problem-solving skills, and confidence as learners.
Preschool lays important foundations — and Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten continue to build on them. Our teachers discuss each child's growth and next steps with families throughout the year.
Tuition & Scheduling
Flexible options designed to fit your family's life.
Morning Half-Day
A focused morning of play-based learning — ideal for families easing into preschool.
EnrollAfternoon Half-Day
An afternoon option for families with morning commitments.
EnrollFull Day
The complete Preschool experience — morning through end of day, Monday through Friday.
EnrollSchedule options are subject to classroom availability. See our Admissions page for current tuition and fees, or contact us with any questions.
Common Questions
See Preschool at Curie
Tour our classrooms and see firsthand how Curie's STEAM++ Curriculum, purposeful play, inquiry, and research-based resources come together every day.