What To Look For In A Preschool

Here are 4 things every parent should consider 
before choosing an academic preschool program.

1. What are the ages and class size?Children 2, 3, 4 and 5 are very different in their abilities socially, academically and even physically. Parents should first look for a program that recognizes the learning styles of each age and has teachers that know the differences. Parents may want to look for a preschool that does not place all of the ages together, but rather has a seperate class or program for their child's age group. The class size should be small, allowing each child to receive individual attention throughout their day. Some classes that are offered may have up to 18 students in a class with a teacher and a helper, but this situation only means that if one student is struggling and a teacher is helping that student, then the other teacher is is left with 17 other students.

At Move-N-Learn, classes are age appropriate and we realize their learning needs are different. Classes at Move-N-Learn are small in size because we know that your child deserves to have as much attention to their needs as possible. Our maximum number is 8 for 2-3 yr olds and 10 in a class for 4-5 yr olds. Classes this size are very manageable and allows the teachers time to keep a fun learning atmosphere where every student excels.

2. What Is The School Focus?Some school spend all of their time on the ABC''s, while other preschools use the free-learning approach and the child wonders around all day choosing what they want to do. While neither approach is bad, some parents may wonder if the first is too regimented for young learning and the second is not able to be tracked as far as accomplishing educational skills. Knowing what is best for your child can be very confusing. You want them to learn and have fun, but you want to know that they are learning the necessary skills needed for further education.

A 1991 study showed that students in schools with an arts focused curriculum reported significantly more positive perceptions about their academic abilities. A University in California (Irvine) reported that preschoolers showed a 46% boost in their spatial reasoning IQ after only eight months of piano instruction. Several other studies have shown similar outcomes with the introduction of arts based classes in dance, art and music for young children.

Move-N-Learn Academy offers an arts based focus to enhance and increase academic learning and social skills. Through music, movement and art, students learn fun activities that helps with personal focus, listening, sorting, counting, body awareness (for a great personal image of oneself), balance, coordination, vocalizing and more! This program is not your typical program that teaches a young child to "shhh", but instead to question and explore on their own and as a group.

3. How Will I Know My Young Child Is Learning?
Preschool age children are at a stage in life that they are too busy to remember what all that they learned in their class. Most will only focus on what they enjoyed best for the day. So parents sometimes find it frustrating as to why they cannot get their child to tell them the answer to "What did you learn in school today?"

The Move-N-Learn Academy staff and faculty have many years of experience in teaching young children and we recognize the importance of communication with our parents. It is for that reason that we have many ways of letting parents know what is being taught and how to get the information they are looking for. Just a few are:

♦Front desk always available to assist you
♦Parent/Teacher Conferences 3 times a year and available when needed on a daily basis
♦Informative bulliten board, Facebook page and a great website!
♦Email blasts that are for your child's class situation only
♦Yearly and Monthly Calendars
♦Observation windows for parent to observe the classes
♦The ability for parents to request to "sit in" on a class day
♦Goal forms to be able to track your child's abilities
♦A Parent Portal that you can access to review your account, registration, announcements, skills achieved and much more.
♦ a parent/member page on our website with lots of good information.

4. Does it feel and look like a good fit for your child?
Not one school can be the best fit for every child. Visit the preschools in your area and use your "Mommy Instinct" to be your guide. Be sure to bring your questions to make sure you feel comfortable with the philosophy of the school's academic and free play learning. And of course, look for clean, colorful and bright classrooms with a friendly and caring teaching staff.

We invite you to take a tour of our preschool. We would love the opportunity to show you our unique school and answer any questions that you might have. We also invite you to read the testimonials that our parents have written on our academic program as well. You will find them posted on our website.

Move-N-Learn Academy of Enid

UPDATE!!!
Although we are still battling a legal issue with roof and the improper install of it, we have made forward steps to be opening this fall! Move -N - Learn Academy will be held this fall and classes are scheduled to begin the Tuesday after Labor Day 2013



Unfortunately, our Enid location is still in dispute over the new roof that was placed on the building. The building still leaks terribly and the roofing contractor has been difficult to deal with. This matter has been turned over now to an attorney who understands the importance of getting the room completed and the school opened.

We are currently in the process of trying to locate a temporary location so that we can open this fall. Please continue to follow this situation from our website, facebook page and this blog for updates. Call our office at 580-747-4799 and leave your contact information with us and we will happily keep you personally informed.

We are very sorry for this delay. The school should of been open 6 months ago with no problem, but with a difficult carpenter and roofer, we have been held back from completion of the Enid location.  We want it to be perfect for our students and once completed, you will be very surprised at the professionalism of the school.

Open House and Registration

Open House for tours and registration will be this Thursday and Friday from 2-6 pm at 609 Main street in Woodward. Families can talk to staff members and find out more information about the different age programs of Move-N-Learn Academy. Registration for fall classes is now being accepted on line and in person. Call our office at 256-3262 for more information or assistance in registering on line.

Why A Private Kindergarten Program?

Move-N-Learn offers Junior Kindergarten programs for children ages 4-5 years. This is the perfect solution for those children that have been in preschool and are ready to move forward but not old enough for Kindergarten, or those that do not meet the state cut off date for public Kindergarten.

What sets our kindergarten program apart from others is the amount of fun learning! Unlike the typical public kindergarten classes, there is more doing than sitting at a desk (although we do have desk time too). Students learn through thematic project based curriculum that allow a child to explore and begin to learn to make decisions as well as develop creativity and ideas.

Our Pre-K and Kindergarten programs meet and exceed all of the Oklahoma P.A.S.S. standards and records of each child's advancement are recorded. Our parent portal system actually all parents to go into the portal and check their child's advancement. Each child also takes home a daily report card to show the parent what they worked on during that days time in Move-N-Learn Academy.

We offer the Starfall Kindergarten curriculum and reading program that even some public schools use to supplement the schools curriculum. This curriculum meets core standards and is a great beginning towards success in reading and writing.

So if you are looking for something totally different from the typical Pre-K or Kindergarten programs, we suggest that you visit with us about our educational programs for children ages 2-5 years. Call us at 580-256-3262 (Woodward) or 580-747-4799 in Enid.

NEW Extended Day At Move-N-Learn This Year!

New this year at Move-N-Learn Academy is an extended day! Students will now attend our academic programs for three and a half hours per day. Our 2-3 yr old preschool program will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays and parents have a choice in enrolling for one day or two day a week from 8:00 am-11:30 am.
The 3.5-4 year pre-k/jr kindergarten attends Monday through Wednesday and the 4.5-5 yr old accelerated/kindergarten meets Monday through Thursday at the same times.

The accelerated/kindergarten class meets all and exceeds the Oklahoma P.A.S.S. standards and will include group pre-piano/keyboard.

Registraation for each age group is limited and so early registration is highly reccommended.

Why A Summer Program?

Children that stay in a learning mode year round tend to not have as much trouble re-adjusting when school is back in session.  Some feel that children that are in an educational setting year round also have a large advantage over their peers that do not. And then there is the group of working parents that would prefer schooling year round rather than to struggle to find daycare situations.

No matter what your thoughts are about year round schooling (or not), the thing to remember is that a child naturally is curious and wants to figure things out. So no matter where a child is during the summer months, it is an opportunity to continue to explore and learn, if they are in the right setting.

Summer education programs can actually be entertaining and of great academic value. But not all programs are the same. A parent should make sure that there is time to explore and move during the summer program. A program that makes learning fun and will be retained.

We offer a summer Move-N-Learn Academy for one reason. Because it is fun! But then we add a few more reasons such as we believe that children are their happiest when they are moving, exploring, being physical, and exercising the brain and body.

Summer Move-N-Learn is a great opportunity for young children ages 2 - 5 years to continue to build on their academic skills while also enjoying creative movement, gymnastics, dance, art, music lessons, computers and swimming lessons. Parents love the fact that the program is built around activities and fine arts that speak to a child's heart. They have also stated that being in the Summer Move-N-Learn Academy was "the  best choice for their child and it was evident that fall."

But Summer Move-N-Learn is even more. Summer Move-N-Learn is an opportunity for your child to not sit on the sofa all day watching televsion and playing video games. It is an opportunity to not be babysitted every day by a teenager or in a daycare. It is an opportunity to make new friends. It is an opportunity to be introduced to different musical instruments. It is an opportunity to learn to dance and do gymnastics. It is an opportunity to discover art and computers. It is an opportunity to reach high and have a well trained teacher to encourage them to reach even higher.

Summer Move-N-Learn Academy just may be the biggest opportunity in your child's life that will take him or her to the highest levels ever explored. We invite you to take a look at our summer program for your child. Discover the difference. There are summer programs, daycares and activities, and then there is SUMMER MOVE-N-LEARN!

Call 256-3262 today.

Visit Our Facebook Pages

Visit our facebook page at www.facebook.com/movenlearnacademy

Fine Arts Learning For Preschoolers

A 1991 study showed that students in schools with an arts focused curriculum reported significantly more positive perceptions about their academic abilities. A University in California (Irvine) reported that preschoolers showed a 46% boost in their spatial reasoning IQ after only eight months of piano instruction.

Arts based learning is not new to the preschool setting. Arts based learning is the enhancement method that is used in the Move-N-Learn Academy Pre-K and Jr Kindergarten programs. It is our belief that young children learn best through movement and arts based activities such as music, pre-piano, art, dance, gymnastics and swimming. These art elements allows the young student to connect the cognitive learning of a core curriculum to true life activities. Adding the arts to general pre-education needs is a great way to learn.

We encourage you to take a look at the Move-N-Learn Academy for your young child's early learning program options either as a stand alone program, home schooled enhancement or public school enhancement. We believe you will be pleased with the out come. Move-N-Learn Academy offers a child more because we believe that they deserve it.

Call us today about summer and fall registration!
580-256-3262

Still Time To Register For Summer Classes!

Summer session starts June 6th and there is still time to register for our great summer enhancement program. $ for $ there is not a better value for your young child in the Woodward area for summer! Enhancement training in academics that keeps them fresh for fall school year and it even includes gymnastics, dance, art ( not just crafts), music (not just singing), computers, swimming lessons  and more!

Call today 580-256-3262 today or visit our website for more information and online registration!

Give Your Child An Edge In Life! And Learn A Life Skill too

Study Shows Children That Learn To Swim At A
Young Age Have Developmental Advantages

An article that outlines preliminary results of a study at Griffith University in Queensland reveal that children who learn how to swim at a young age have physical, social, intellectual and language development advantages compared to the non-swimmers. For more information on this study, please go to http://topnews.co.uk/215868-swimming-fosters-children-s-development

Now registering For Summer and Fall Move-N-Learn Academy

If you are wanting the best opportunity for your child this summer or fall, be sure to look at Move-N-Learn Academy. No other preschool education program in the area offers the many academic and fine arts learning as Move-N-Learn Academy! Smaller classes also mean that your child gets more attention, more assistance and more praise!

Visit our website at www.academyoffineartsok .com and online regsitration is now available for the Woodward location!

Dont't let your child be left behind in school, give them the best opportunity to fully prepare!

Call 580-256-3262 for more details. Summer session fills quickly so early registration is advised. Summer session begins June 6th.

What is the ideal age for piano lessons?

Most professionals believe that between the ages of 3 and 5 years is a great time to start classes because the child is more "open" to learning new and exciting skills. It apprears at this time that the child, though short on focus, can be coached back to the task easily and encouraged to continue. They also believe at this age that they can do anything and are therefore not fearful in trying.

It is because of this and the studies that have been done with kindergarteners learning keyboard that we incorporate pre-piano skills into the Move-N-Learn Academy program. By experiencing music and instruments at a young age, students start learning about patterns and movement. The learning of patterns then leads to better reading and math skills at an older age that can lean towards better success in school.

Parents that understand and see the value of music instruction on a regular basis, and not just once a week, for their young child are on the right track in setting the environment for better learning of skills for the future. And that is why they choose Move-N-Learn Academy over other early childhood learning options.

Be sure to check out the Move-N-Learn Summer Enhancement program in June and July! Summer program includes daily swimming lessons. Call our office at 580-256-3262 for more information or visit our website at www.academyoffineartsok.com or our Facebook page for more information.

What Makes Move-N-Learn Preschool Academy Different From Others?

Alot! But first let's talk about how Move-N-Learn offers the same programs as other preschool options. Most preschools offer a good academic program in learning the alphabet, numbers, pre-reading and pre-writtting skills. Some even take it further with adding social skills, such as learning about holidays, months of the year, days of the week, tying shoes, getting along with others and more. The next step up is that they mix in a bit of science, music and arts and crafts. This is all very good and we offer that at Move-N-Learn Academy as well.

Now, what makes Move-N-Learn Academy Different? Like I said before,alot!
Move-N-Learn Academy offers a terrific academic program for ages 2-5 yrs in age appropriate settings and groups. Then we turn it up a notch ( or two or three)!

 Children in the program learn the foreign languages of French and Spanish. Not just how to count or say the colores, but actual phrases. They do this by using age approapraite software in our computer lab as well as in conversation with the teachers, thus taking what they learn and are able to apply it in real life. As the world becomes more global, it will be important for young children to grow up bi-lingual in the job market as adults.

Children in the program also learn pre-piano and keyboard skills. This is a great way to stretch the cognitive leraning capacity and there is much research no available as to the value of preschool through kindergarten learning to play the piano or keyboard. Students pareticipate in the learning through using keyboards and specialized computer software in our computer lab area.

Art class is fun and messy! But it is also more than just arts and crafts. Although there is a fun place in every persons heart for messy arts and crafts, we take it further and teach about color mixing, different medias approriate for the age group and senses. Children in Move-N-Learn Academy become well versed in colors, shapes and structures through art. They learn patterns that take the form of pictures and more.

Gymnastics and dance are also part of our curriculum. These are true programs and not just a sampling of movement to music and cartwheels. We offer a gym that is fitted with specialized preschool sized gymnastic equipment and a dance studio with ballet barre, mirrors, soundsystems and a profession floor for learning ballet, jazz, creative movement and more.

Music class is a wonderful plus with Move-N-Learn Academy. We use a national music program designed for the younger child by The Music Class. Materials and fun and inviting, but not just learning to sing a song. Our program teaches rhythem, like most do, but also toning. Toning also helps to develop better listening skills.

Swimming lessons are a part of our summer Move-N-Learn program during the months of June and July. We offer the best young student swimming program in the western half of our state and work hard to be sure students learn to be comfortable in the water and learn to make good choices around the water. The program offers a safety lesson in every class!

There is more that sets us apart from other programs and we would love to visit with you in person. To learn more about Move-N-Learn Academy, please give us a call at 580-256-3262 for more information. Or visit our website at www.academyoffineartsok.com/movenlearnacademy  today. Registration for summer and fall 2011 is now being accepted.

Welcome to Move-N-Learn Academy!

Welcome to the Move-N-Learn Academy Blog site. Here we will post new and upcoming information regsrding our blog as well as current standards in preschool education. We hope you find the information informative and useful in selecting the right educational program for your child.

Move-N-Learn Academy is based on arts based learning and we emphasize the imporatnce of movement, music and art in a child's life.