Each day at LGPNS is filled with a variety of activities designed to assist children's natural social, motor and cognitive development. To those ends, the curriculum includes large group activities (circle and sharing times), small group activities (snack and story times) as well as individually-directed activities (free choice and free play times). Activities through the course of the day are designed to exercise fine motor and large motor skills as well as social skills in the classroom and at play.
| Morning Classes (2-3 day) |
Activity | Afternoon Class (4-day) |
| 9:00-9:20 | Circle Time | 12:45-1:15 |
| 9:20-9:45 | Free Choice | 1:15-1:35 |
| 9:45-10:30 | Free Play | 1:35-2:15 |
| 10:30-10:50 | Snack Time | 2:15-2:35 |
| N/A | Sharing | 2:35-2:45 |
| 11:00-11:30 | Free Play | 2:45-3:15 |
| 11:30-11:45 | Story Time | 3:15-3:30 |
Circle Time School begins each day with Circle Time, a large group activity that lasts 15-30 minutes. During circle time, the teacher typically leads the children in stories, songs, finger plays, creative movement or other group activities. This, the most structured part of the school day, helps children learn about listening, taking turns and large group dynamics. Working parents are either helping with circle time, preparing a snacks or setting up projects.
Free Choice During free choice time, children may choose between three or four activities prepared by the teacher and working parents. Free choice activities may include art projects, science experiments, snack preparation, crafts, and any number of other activities that encourage use of small motor skills, exploration and/or experimentation. Children are encouraged, though not required to participate in each activity. Working parents during this part of the day assist children with the activities.
Free Play 1 During the two free play periods each school day, children explore, discover and play, indoors or outdoors, according to their own desires. Activities run the gamut: building sand structures, riding trikes and scooters, playing house, "reading", building with blocks, puppet play, playing ball, blowing bubbles, painting, or simple interactive play with friends. Working parents during this part of the day supervise and help facilitate the play experience.
Snack Time During snack time, groups of 4-5 children gather with working parents at snack tables to share a snack and a small group activity. Children often participate in making snacks and each child pours his own juice. Typical after-snack group activities are board games, puzzles, audio books, arts/crafts, legos, playdough, learning games and any number of activities that encourage small group participation. A working parent "hosts" each of the four snack tables.
Sharing Only the 4-day afternoon class participates in "sharing" each day. Once per week, each child may bring a special item from home to share with the class. Sharing is carried out as a guessing game in which children are given the opportunity to deduce the identity of the item being shared based upon clues given by the sharer. This is a fun, large group activity that exercises descriptive and deductive reasoning skills, and helps introduce classroom skills like raising hands and respectful, active listening.
Free Play 2 During the two free play periods each school day, children explore, discover and play, indoors or outdoors, according to their own desires. Activities run the gamut: building sand structures, riding trikes and scooters, playing house, "reading", building with blocks, puppet play, playing ball, blowing bubbles, painting, or simple interactive play with friends. Working parents during this part of the day supervise and help facilitate the play experience.
Story Time Each school day at LGPNS ends with story time. During story time, groups of 4-6 children gather with a working parent who reads stories from the school's vast children's library. This small group activity offers the opportunity for the children to "wind down" after a busy school day, and encourages interest in reading as well as active listening skills.