Our latest featured project was inspired by a casual conversation amongst preschoolers at our Children’s Discovery Center Wolf Creek location.
After overhearing the children’s discussion about the Titanic, teacher Bridget Bauman decided to engage the children in healthy dialogue about the sinking ship. Some of the questions discussed were:
- How did it sink?
- How many lifeboats did it have?
- How many people survived?
Of course, this discussion led to even more interest in related topics such as how icebergs were formed, parts of a ship and life in the early 1900s. Ms. Bauman incorporated the center’s Reggio Emilia approach by engaging the children in hands-on activities based on their curiosity and study of real-life artifacts. The Titanic project also included science, math, social studies and art, providing a comprehensive learning environment.
Our WOW Project
The highlight of this unit was helping the children create their own mini-versions of the ship, including all its details. Using clay and paint, this hands-on activity promoted creativity and the development of fine motor skills. It also helped students learn about the size and scale of the Titanic as well as parts of the ship.
Because of the success of this project, the team at Wolf Creek plans to continue discussions about the Titanic and what life was like in the early 1900s. Through this exploration, children will be encouraged to use their imagination about the way people lived, dressed and interacted with one another.
Building upon facts that the children already know, our staff will encourage exploration of other types of ships and how they are built. Through science experiments and crafts, our preschoolers will discover how icebergs are formed and what they look like both above and beneath the water. Ultimately, the options are limitless when it comes to studying the Titanic!
Our Families
Many of the children enrolled at Children’s Discovery Center Wolf Creek have attended since infancy, allowing students, parents and staff to create life-long relationships with each other. Our educational program views every child as competent and capable, and we seek to nurture their interests through the Reggio Emilia Approach.
Together, our teachers and children design projects which encourage growth in physical, emotional and intellectual development. The teacher is a partner to the child’s natural learning process while acting as a helper, facilitator and documenter of learning in the classroom.
Our Environment
We believe that a creative environment is essential for inspiring young children to learn. Therefore, the inspired approach to learning emphasizes aesthetic design elements such as color, texture, lighting, displays and the use of nature.
Our environments include museum-quality exhibits as well as an art studio where the children are encouraged to explore and discover through a wide array of creative materials. Our creative director assures that our centers integrate natural elements into the environment, personalize the space with the children’s work and reflect current design trends based on research and the latest innovations. We even have pets at our Wolf Creek location, including fish and birds, as well as a greenhouse and vegetable garden that the children plant and take care of every spring.
For the last 13 years, Wolf Creek has provided an innovative environment in which children in the community can get an early childhood education that prepares them to become life-long learners. If this is the type of childcare community your family has been looking for, we encourage you to contact us to see if our facility is the right fit for your family. We would love to hear from you!