The Cubs Classroom serves children ages:
3 - 4 years old
Room capacity: 16 children
Children enter the Cubs room around 3 years of age. At the end of June,
Cubs who will enter Kindergarten the following year move into the Teddy Bears
room. A special focus in the Cubs room is to learn about empathy, compassion, teamwork, listening, sharing, and obeying rules and boundaries.
Snack and Lunchtime
Children's Circle provides two nutritious snacks per day. Examples include cheese and crackers, yogurt, fruit, and graham crackers. Parents may choose to provide their child's lunch meal or lunch can be ordered from a monthly menu for a nominal cost. We are able to heat parent-provided meals with a microwave.
Nap Time
Children in the Cubs Room each have their own Center-provided cot. Nap time follows lunch. Children nap until rested which is usually 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
Field Trips and Guest Speakers
The Cubs Room has participated in local field trips that include a visit to a Pumpkin Patch, Apple Picking, NJ Children's Museum, Children's Theatre at Kean University, Crayola Factory, Turtle Back Zoo and the NY Aquarium. Not only are these field trips fun, they offer an opportunity to extend the classroom outside of the walls of our facility. Children's Circle has also been the host to "guest" attractions such as a Petting Zoo, Chick Hatching Program, the Reptile Guy and a Glass Fuse Art specialist!
Key Curriculum Concepts
The Cubs Room continues to use fun and engaging activities to build key pre-kindergarten skills. For example, when your child plays with a puzzle he is developing visual and perceptual skills which in turn develops reading and writing skills! When your child builds with blocks he learns to classify and sort objects by size, shape and function. He also learns concepts of balance, cause and effect which builds math and science skills, creative thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills. Each day will be a fun and enjoyable experience for your child, and they'll have no idea all the skill development that is taking place!
Feedback
Parents receive written feedback of their child's progress in January and June. Our teachers are available year-round to answer any questions or respond to concerns about your child's development via phone or in-person appointment.
Teachers
The lead teacher in the Cubs Room is Monica Skulitz. She has been at Children’s Circle since1996! Ms. Monica has received Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials. Her Co-Teacher, Erica Companion joined Children’s Circle in 2007. Ms. Erica also has her Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials.
Visit the next classroom geared towards children 4+ years:
FUN ACTIVITY
TO TRY AT HOME:
Have you ever created a Button Flower Bouquet? Bend a pipe cleaner about two inches from the end to create a smaller side and a longer side. Thread a button up through the long end until it rests on the bend. Thread the short end of the pipe cleaner through another hole in the button. Choose a larger button and thread it up the long end until it meets the first button. Twist the short end of the pipe cleaner around the longer end to secure the buttons in place.
You can draw and cut your own petals and poke a hole through to slide them up to the button flower. Make a bunch and twist them into a Button Flower Bouquet! Get creative! How many ways can you think of creating flowers and petals?
This activity is terrific for fine motor and hand/eye coordination. These are pre-writing skills which are necessary to hone in a variety of ways. This activity also supports a child’s creative and artistic expression while teaching a love of our environment by teaching children about recycling. This craft also makes a great present, which encourages interpersonal skills such as sharing and generosity.
