Our Program

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Preschool Enrichment Program

Our preschool enrichment program supports the mantra of the 3 to 6-year-old – ‘I can do it myself’. This age is about melding with the physical body and mastering the body within the environment. In the early years, the baby/toddler masters and internalises speech (including the accent) and walking. The next step is to work on using the body purposefully in their surroundings, which is why 3 to 6-year-olds have such a passion to ‘do’.

An Immersive Environment

They want to dress independently, wash independently, brush their own teeth and prepare food for themselves and others. At this age, everything is done with purpose. Whether that’s choosing to sit at a table and work at fastening buttons, preparing food for themselves or to share with others, or play with friends – children know exactly what they are doing and what they need. Allowing the child to follow this internal wisdom is what keeps them connected to themselves and in their joy. A child in this space is content, centred and cooperative.

At Butterfly Haven, our preschool enrichment program immerses children in a space that nurtures their desire to do for themselves. This allows each child to feel competent and purposeful, building self-worth, confidence and a calm centredness. Feelings of self-worth and confidence gained at this age are not just fleeting or superficial but absorbed so deeply they become part of the child’s very being.

A unique preschool experience

Butterfly Haven operates from Monday to Friday, with our program starting at 10 am and ending at 3 pm. Each day is organised into 2 x 2.5-hour sessions, with each session beginning with a welcome circle. This includes verses, fingerplays, movement, nursery rhyme bean bag exercises and songs.

“The Earth is firm beneath my feet,
The Sun shines bright above,
And here stand I, straight and strong,
All things to know and love.”

These beautiful circles connect us as a group and establish the foundation for the flow of each session. They are also a joyful way of developing spatial orientation, horizontal and vertical midline crossing, auditory processing, body geography, impulse control and balance.

Providing a safe environment to learn & explore

We understand the importance of a consistently loving rhythm, which nourishes and supports the child’s inner peace, centredness and joy. Each session has a rhythm, circle time has a rhythm, each activity has a rhythm and play has a rhythm. The environment is orderly and familiar, and there is a rhythmic sequence of steps to many of the activities. Everything has a place and when a child seeks something out, it will be where it can always be found.

The child’s inner peace depends to a large extent on their security of knowing what to expect. When children know the plan within a room, an activity or an interaction, they feel secure and are free to concentrate and learn. With predictable rhythms and routines, children feel empowered and become more self-confident and inner-directed. Their trust in those around them and the environment grows as does their trust in themselves.

Nurturing

Independence & Confidence

Butterfly Haven provides opportunities for children to make their own choices within a rhythmic space, nurturing a sense of autonomy and control in their lives and letting them know we trust their decisions. If children know the adults in their lives trust them, their trust in themselves deepens. A child who has confidence in their abilities can channel their thoughts and energies into creating new ideas and making even more progress.