We were thrilled to be able to welcome the Fireflies back to a newly renovated classroom. They arrived to find it lighter and brighter and with updated cabinets and countertops. In fact, it took them no time at all to make themselves at home! Lead teacher Joanne Schock says, "My favorite element is...

When feelings show At PIC, summer is full to the brim with transitions. In our classroom Roadrunners from the last year are moving up, and new children are joining our class. As parents and teachers know well, transitions can be challenging for children. For your child, leaving their familiar...

What’s in a garden? Once we began collecting flower petals for the classroom from under trees outside, read Eating the alphabet by Lois Ehlert, and watched a few beans sprout in jars on our windowsills, we knew we were ready to answer the Peanut’s big question: What’s in a garden? We set out on many...

Bugs! We have started a new investigation on insects and it has been very exciting. The nature playground was where it all began. We were looking at worms in the garden every day! The kids got interested in searching for ants when playing on the steps in the blacktop. So we are now exploring the...

Every semester there are more PIC teachers who are earning their degrees, giving us much cause to celebrate! Help us congratulate: Starfish Lead Teacher Lily Cavanagh who earned her Master's Degree in Education from Bank Street College. Fireflies Classroom Assistant Latosha Green who earned her...

At PIC, we pride ourselves on our child-lead emergent curriculum. Teachers are careful observers of young children, watching their discoveries and tracking their wonderings. In the beginning of April, spring begins to unfold in Philadelphia, and even we adults who are well used to the season’s...

Gardening in the Classroom With spring in full bloom, the Leapfrogs observations and curiosity of the changes in the natural environment around them have led into a new study on nature and plants. To learn more about plants and nature, we started with gardening in the classroom to provide hands-on...

Seeds are Super! The Grasshoppers have been very interested in seeds. These days, we look forward to finding seeds in our foods during snack and lunch times. Part of our interest began as the Grasshoppers participated in preparing and making our community snacks in the classroom. Many children are...

written by Lead Teacher Lily Cavanagh Don't Say I Can't Play I want to share this sweet conversation. While two Starfish were cleaning out the sensory table I overheard this exchange: One said to the other, “You are my friend.” The second Starfish responded in-kind, “ You are my friend, too.” The...

Written by Roadrunners Teacher Danny Galpern Using Laughter to Resolve Feelings Children are naturally joyful and excited. But if something scary or painful happens, they can feel alone with powerful emotions. As Preschool Program Coordinator Tamara Clark wrote in her recent blog post, children need...