ABOUT GOD’S GARDEN PRESCHOOL
What You Should Know
Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent can make – and can be extremely difficult! There are many things to consider, including curriculum, philosophy, child-teacher ratios, reputation, cost, location, and recommendations from friends.
How do you choose a preschool for your child? Check out these websites for tips on choosing a high-quality preschool:
Natl. Assoc. for the Education of Young Children — What to Look For in a Program
Get Ready to Reead — Choosing a Preschool
Karen Hill Scott– Choosing a Quality Preschool
Why choose God’s Garden as your child’s preschool?
There are many reasons to choose God’s Garden as your child’s preschool, but these are our TOP TEN:
- Child-centered, discovery-based curriculum
- Incorporates the High/Scope curriculum into classrooms
- Focus on kindergarten readiness skills
- Low child-teacher ratios (1:5 toddler, 1:8 preschool & pre-K)
- Dedicated, highly educated and qualified teachers
- Warm, community feel
- Loving, Christian environment with the love of God as a central theme
- Open-door policy – volunteers always welcome
- Supportive and inclusive school environment
- Play-based learning opportunities
BONUS: We also offer after school enrichment classes and extended care before and after school!
What can you expect at God’s Garden?
God’s Garden utilizes a child-centered, discovery based curriculum with projects, themes, or topics that are integrated in all learning activities. These activities are developmentally appropriate and offer children an opportunity to develop as individuals and participate in whole and small group activities directed by the teachers. Our Program incorporates the High/Scope Preschool educational approach, which focuses on active learning through play. The central tenet of the High/Scope approach is “active learning” – the belief that children learn best through active experiences with people, materials, events, and ideas rather than through direct teaching or sequenced exercises.
At God’s Garden, we prepare children for kindergarten and beyond. We teach children basic skills such as letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. We also teach them to follow rules, make good choices, solve conflicts, and be respectful. In addition, children are provided with opportunities to develop social and emotional competence – which is at the root of kindergarten readiness. Children learn emotional regulation, self esteem, and self confidence by building relationships with other children and adults at God’s Garden.
Children are also prepared to engage in higher order thinking. Higher Order Thinking involves the learning of complex judgmental skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and conflict resolution. It is beyond rote memorization and regurgitation of information.
Click here for a complete description of our curriculum.
Kindergarten School
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CORE CENTERS
God's Garden Cores
In 1999 members of the Horizon worshipping community identified the need for an Ahwatukee preschool. At the time, there were few Ahwatukee daycare or quality Christian preschools in the area. From this “seed”, the idea grew and after a year of tender loving care, God’s Garden Preschool and Child Development Center opened in the fall of 2000. God’s Garden is a ministry of Horizon Presbyterian Church and operates at the direction of the Session, or governing board, of the church.
OUR MISSION
Keeping Our Kids In Mind
As an outreach of Horizon Presbyterian Church, God’s Garden is dedicated to providing a positive and supportive Christian learning environment which nurtures spiritual, physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth through a child-centered, discovery based curriculum. Our students are our first priority and we believe that each child’s development is fostered by an ongoing partnership between staff and parents. Our goal is to provide each child with the readiness skills, social capabilities, and love of learning necessary to successfully enter the primary grades.
- Encourage independence, foster growth of healthy self-concept, and develop a sense of responsibility
- Nurture feelings of empathy, encourage cooperation, honesty, respect, and altruism
- Promote receptive and expressive language skills, and encourage emergent literacy
- Stimulate curiosity and knowledge about the world
- Strengthen motor skills and increase awareness of health and safety
- Support growing abilities to communicate ideas through the visual arts, drama, construction, music, and movement
- Enhance imagination, spontaneity, and originality
- Inspire a lifelong love of learning
CURRICULUM
Best Services for Kids
- OUR GOALS
- CHILD-CENTERED, DISCOVERY BASED CURRICULUM
- HIGH/SCOPE
- CORE CENTERS
- CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
- KINDERGARTEN READINESS
Jennifer Lamoreaux.
Parents“I’ve sent both of my children to God’s Garden, nearly 7 years apart, and had equally great experiences with both. The teachers are phenomenal – caring and highly educated, and I am impressed with the thought and creativity that goes into their day-to-day activities.”
Nicole Koester
Parents“God’s Garden Preschool hits all the W’s for me: warm, welcoming and wonderful. My kids enjoyed learning through play. I loved the faith-based curriculum and my husband loved the price. We felt part of a community from the moment we walked in the front doors.”
Donna Shott.
Parents“Knowing that the early years are so important, we chose God’s Garden because of the quality learning environment to help our child be prepared for kindergarten. The staff provide a loving and nurturing experience and it’s reassuring to know our child is in such great hands!”