Your children are the most important people in your life and finding the right child care  will become your  top priority when you decide that it is time to start their education.  If you are a typical first time parent you are probably confused about what is best for your child.  Should you choose a preschool that offers only supervised play or child care that is more structured and  includes academics? Partly your answer depends on what kind of school your child will go  after preschool (public, Catholic, or private school).  The private schools (Oakhill Academy, Rumson Country Day, and Ranney) all have challenging academic programs which are typically a year ahead of public schools.   These schools require a strong academic foundation.  The Catholic schools are only slightly more academically demanding than public schools.  “Play group” nurseries are fine for the public schools and even entry into first grade is automatic (note that because there is no mandate  in New Jersey for Kindergarten, your child can start first grade with no knowledge of numbers or letters).  As long as your child has rudimentary social skills and is emotionally ready for separation, they will be fine in public school kindergarten.

The Leapfrog Learning Center offers the best of both worlds because our child care includes  serious academics wrapped around a really fun curriculum that teaches socialization skills while nurturing self-confidence.  Early reading and math skills will give your child a big self-esteem boost when they start public school.  Get your child off to the right start at the best preschool in Monmouth county.

Click here to visit Leapfrog now and get a video tour describing what and how we teach.

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kids having fun

Combine a gifted group of dedicated teachers (average teacher ratio 6/1) with state of the art learning equipment and a custom designed environment and the result is … Children who have Fun Learning and Want to Go To School! Our child-centered program stresses individual attention with a flexible approach that includes lots of the one-on-one nurturing support which has become our trademark. Our program during the regular school year is designed for children from 2 1/2 to 6 years old, and includes both full and half day kindergarten. Our innovative curriculum has received attention from the Children’s Television Workshop (makers of Sesame Street), AT&T, and the Fair Haven School Board.

Monthly Adventure Themes

Our team of teachers is headed by Maureen Vaughan who has a degree in education from the University of London. Her

kids learn about space

30 years of experience working with young children has given her a unique insight into what makes learning fun … reflected in our custom designed Leapfrog “Adventure Themes.” Each month all our activities are woven around a central theme designed to keep children excited about what they do here (past themes have included the Jungle, Kids in Space, Life Under the Sea, Pirates, the Circus, Dinosaurs, Toys, Super-Heroes, etc). We strive to create an environment where socialization skills are blended with activities that build self-esteem and create a positive attitude towards the school experience.

Strong Academic Program

Our youngest children learn through structured play using equipment which reinforces academic themes. Our curriculum is characterized by extensive use of manipulatives so lessons are always made interactive. Older children have our “Adventure Themes” augmented with the following text based programs:

Kindergarten * The Oxford Reading Tree, The Saxon Math Program & Saxon Phonics (1st grade texts).

Pre-K * Land of the Letter People, The Saxon Math Program & Saxon Phonics (Kindergarten texts).

(for text details see www.oup.co.uk , www.saxonpub.com , and www.theletterpeople.com).

Our graduates have an outstanding record in local primary schools.

Multi-Media Computer Facilities

computer work

We are proud to be on the cutting edge of computer use in the pre-school classroom. Using track balls, specially designed keyboards, and large screens, children leave Leapfrog feeling comfortable with computers … armed with the skills to take full advantage of the computer resources of their next school. We have an outstanding library of educational software (over 100 titles!)

Our strong academic program is carefully disguised in a really fun curriculum that makes learning fun!

Click here to visit the Leapfrog Learning Center now…

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All parents want quality child care for their children. But what are their children’s priorities?

Every child enters the world with the same needs. They are all pre-programmed by human nature to be on the same quest. To be driven by the same imperatives. They are all on a mission to find out who they are, how the world works, and how they fit into it.

Partly this mission is driven by a need to feel secure. You can’t feel secure until you feel you understand what is going on around you and feel you have some control (or at least influence). This understanding and influence are essential to the survival of the species. One a child starts, he is a “tabula rasa.” He is an open book in which very little is written. The story begins when he is born. His understanding of the world begins with his first cries and is determined by what happens next. “Who” will your child grow into? What kind of personality will he have? His quest for identity (evolution of personality) is a strange process because it is determined by how people react to him. Children define themselves by the reflections they see from their peers and role models. In the beginning, they don’t know who they are. They experiment with different behavior and check how people react (Do they seem to like you? Do they laugh at your jokes? Do they comply when you are assertive? Are they emotionally responsive? Etc.). In effect, children “try on” different personas and see what feels comfortable. Mom and dad start the process when they start taking care of their new arrival. This is why parents are always every child’s most important teachers. Other people may teach your child how to read but you teach your child who he is. And the characteristics that he develops (his personality) that will ultimately determine if he going to have a happy life. Parenting is the biggest responsibility you will ever have.

Visit the leapfrog learning center nj and learn how we teach your child the skills to be happy

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The most important single thing parents can do for their children is to make them feel loved. You should tell them that you love them often and hug them every time you think of it. They may squirm and pull away- but deep down inside, they need this reinforcement. It should always be the last thing you tell them when you put them down to go to sleep and, if you ever go into their bedroom at night to check on them (even though you know they are sleeping), you should whisper it to them again.  Young children can never hear this message too often.

The sense of security that comes from feeling loved and valued is the foundation for building the self-confidence and the positive self-image that is essential for successful socialization. Words are important but they are meaningless if they are not reinforced by actions. The best way to demonstrate that you love your children is to give them your time. Play with them. Find out what they want to do, then help them be good at it. Show them the things that you have fun with. Introduce them to the world. It doesn’t really matter what you do together as long you are interactive and your child knows you enjoy being with him. Being ignored can sometimes be more painful than physical abuse.

Visit the leapfrog learning center in NJ and learn about a preschool that understands what is important

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