Early Learners Program

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

For 2021, current and former CFS school-year educators, all with early childhood experience and expertise, led these offerings. They were assisted by a CIT and Intern each week.

Joining the Waitlist

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 — view our weekly courses for more information.

The courses below are for 2021. We hope to see you in 2022!

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 increase our capacity. Spaces Remaining last updated: 2:45 pm on 2/7/21.

Week 1 (June 21-25): Wacky Water Week - Williette Zigbuo | Waitlist

Water, water, everywhere! Activities will revolve around exploration with water, science experiments, and adventures in small pools and our on-campus creek. Children create beaches, relax, and have fun!

Week 2 (June 28-July 2): Design and Engineering - Williette Zigbuo | Waitlist

We put the excitement in S.T.E.M. education. Children dive into age-appropriate, inquiry-based, hands-on-learning through FUN designing and constructing activities using Legos, blocks, Thinker Linkers, and more!

Week 3 (July 5-9): Summer Fun! - Marit Nelson | Waitlist

The warm weather provides opportunities for ice and water play, sun art, observations about the seasons and make-believe summer adventures. See how long it takes for different sized and shaped ice to melt, use water to paint the ground, watch shadows, and use them to trace and draw. This camp will celebrate all things sun and summer (even if it rains!).

Week 4 (July 12-16): Magical Masks and Creative Costumes - Marit Nelson | Waitlist

Paper mache masks, customized capes, animal ear headbands, oh my! In this camp we will take inspiration from stories about people and animals that transform into something else to develop our own costumes and engage in make-believe and theatrical play. 

Week 5 (July 19-23): Global Dance Party - Nylah Jimerson | Waitlist

Come learn dances from all over the world. Fan dance, afrobeats, salsa, ballet, and more! We’ll have fun exploring various cultures by seeing how they express themselves through dance. We’ll also have the chance to show off our own dance moves and dances that are important to our families. Get ready to get your groove on!

Week 6 (July 26-30): Nature Artists - Alice Turner | Waitlist

There is an unlimited amount of beauty in nature. Explore multiple art mediums while using the physical world as inspiration. We'll create looms from sticks, leaf rubbings, collages, nature drawings, and more. Each day will bring a new nature-inspired art project. We'll spend lots of time outdoors this week!

Week 7 (August 2-6): Secret Life of Insects - Jasmine Lang | Waitlist

Ever wonder which insects make all that racket in the summer months here in North Carolina? If so, get ready to spend some time this summer turning over rocks, digging in the dirt, and looking closely in trees and bushes to investigate local insects up close. We'll record what we discover about insects, read books about insects, study insect anatomy, build insects using clay and other materials, and sing insect songs.