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Early Learners Program

Our longstanding Early Learners program includes a course each session for Weeks 1-7 for four and five-year-olds.

These offerings are generally led by current and former early education teachers, with early childhood experience and expertise. They are assisted by a CIT and Intern each week.

Joining the Waitlist

As of 10:15 pm Saturday 18 January, all Early Learners classes are full except Week 7's Storybooks, with one space.

Family plans do change between enrollment and Summer and we're glad to contact a waitlist family right up to the start of a course.

Options for Five-Year-Olds

The age range for some of our classes for older students, held elsewhere on campus, begins at five — please view our weekly courses for more information. We encourage families to consider if their five-year-old is ready for such classes, thus freeing up space for a four-year-old, who only has the Early Learners option.

Our Day

Early Learners classes run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Extended Day care is available from 8:00 to 9:00 am and from 3:00 to 4:00/5:45 pm.

Our Environment

Classes take place at our 4809 Friends School Road campus early childhood center (Campus Early School), with colorful indoor spaces and beautiful, fenced outdoor play areas, plus access to our 126-acre campus of woods, fields, and stream.

Our Early Learners classes tend to fill very quickly (even within hours of registration opening). We apologize if you end up in a waitlist situation. We will continue to brainstorm ways to enable more young children to enjoy CFS Summer Programs.

Week 1 (June 16-20): Water Wonders | Adelaide Zahren

Come join us for Water Wonders!  We’ll splash the day away as we learn about water dragons, mermaids, fairies, selkies, and other fantastical water creatures.  We will read stories about water creatures both familiar and new, create magical crafts, and use costumes to transform ourselves into the water creatures of our choice!

Week 2 (June 23- June 27): Snackin' Good! | Charlotte Schmitt

Let's get cooking with a week of food-based fun.  We will make real things to eat like fruit skewers and decorated cookies.  We will make up funny recipe ideas as a group and maybe even make a giant pretend sandwich. We will embark on kitchen science adventures by creating gak, slime, Oobleck, and cloud dough from ingredients such as flour, salt, corn starch, cocoa powder, and other pantry items.  We will sing food themed songs like "It's Raining Tacos", play food games, and read books about food.  The week will include unusual sensory experiences using rice, spaghetti, dried beans and corn.

Week 3 (June 30-July 4): Clowning Around Circus! | Dan Hill

Do you love the circus? Come spend a week learning all about and participating in circus activities! Have a cool and special talent? Show it off at our circus presentation at the end of the week!

Week 4 (July 7-11): Let's Go Camping! | Dan Hill

Join us on our camping trip around our school’s beautiful campus. We will use our imagination to explore rivers, climb mountains, tell stories around blazing campfires, and more! If you love the experience of going on a super fun getaway to the outdoors, this is the camp for you.

Week 5 (July 14-18): Squish, Squeak, Eco-Beats | Charlotte Schmitt

Come join the band with a week of musical fun.  We will touch and feel real instruments, make some of our own using recycled materials, and play rhythm instruments.  We will play musical and relay games with parachutes and bean bags, dance with scarves and ribbons, move to Go Noodle music on rainy days, and read musical stories. Open ended play will include building roads, bridges and tunnels for Hot Wheels using Legos and recycled cardboard.  The week will include special sensory experiences using deconstructed bouquets of flowers in water and creating a calming glitter bottle.

Week 6 (July 21-25): Ice! Snow! Water! | Charlotte Schmitt

Come cool off with a week of chilly fun. We will melt mystery ice blocks with water squirters, rescue polar bears from snow sensory bins, read winter stories around our indoor camping tent, and play indoor and outdoor winter themed games.  Play-dough snowmen and ice painting will keep us wanting mittens and hats.  How far does a water squirter send a ball?  We will be measuring!  Who can build the tallest mini marshmallow sculpture?

Week 7 (July 28-Aug 1): Storybooks | Dan Hill

In this camp we will read lots of stories, and find ways to engage with them in the real world! We will make art, learn about STEM, and have tactile play all jumping out from the story books we read.