Appletree’s Pre-K 3 Program

This is the year it all starts coming together. Appletree Preschool's Pre-K 3 program is where children ages 3½ to 4½ grow into little students - curious, capable, and confident. We take kindergarten readiness seriously, without ever losing sight of how much fun learning should be.

Schedule a tour of our pre-k 3 classroom
Schedule a tour of our pre-k 3 classroom

Our Pre-K 3 Program

At this stage, children are becoming more independent thinkers, confident communicators, and active participants in their learning. Our Pre-K 3 program introduces more formal academic concepts while still honoring creativity, play, and social development.

Our Lead Teachers implement thoughtfully prepared lesson plans that support early literacy, math, handwriting, and problem-solving skills, helping children gain confidence as learners and preparing them for Pre-K 4 expectations.

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What Makes Our Pre-K 3
Program Special

Appletree Preschool’s Pre-K 3 curriculum bridges early learning and school readiness through teacher-led instruction, hands-on activities, small groups, and purposeful play to build academic skills and independence.

Our curriculum supports development in the following areas:

A structured, engaging curriculum designed to prepare children for kindergarten readiness.

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Introduction to early math concepts and logical thinking.

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Emphasis on fine motor development and handwriting readiness.

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Opportunities for creativity, critical thinking, and self-expression.

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Continued focus on social skills, manners, and cooperative play.

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Strong focus on early literacy, phonics, and language development.

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Our Pre-K 3 Curriculum

Appletree Preschool’s Pre-K 3 curriculum is intentionally designed to bridge early learning and school readiness. Through a combination of teacher-guided instruction, hands-on activities, small-group learning, and purposeful play, children build the skills needed for academic success and independence.

Our curriculum supports development in the following areas:

    • Letter recognition and letter-sound correspondence

    • Introduction to beginning consonant sounds and phonemic awareness

    • Recognizing rhyming words and early sight words

    • Beginning reading and writing of first and last names

    • Expanding vocabulary and sentence structure

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    • Counting, writing, and recognizing numbers 1–20

    • Comparing quantities (more vs. fewer)

    • Creating and recognizing patterns

    • Introduction to measurement concepts such as length and weight

    • Completing and retelling simple stories

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    • Answering “why” and “how” questions

    • Learning to explain thinking and reasoning

    • Remembering and discussing past events

    • Engaging in activities that promote prediction and sequencing

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    • Playing cooperatively with peers

    • Using manners and respectful communication

    • Sharing ideas during group discussions and activities

    • Building confidence when speaking in front of peers

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    • Strengthening fine motor skills for writing and classroom tasks

    • Developing gross motor skills through movement and outdoor play

    • Encouraging independence in daily routines

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Two young boys hugging and smiling at the playground with a girl in a pink jacket in the background.

A Pre-K 3 Day in Action

Throughout the day, children participate in activities that reinforce learning and independence, including:

Teacher-led lessons and small-group instruction.

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Phonics, literacy, and math learning centers.

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Art, science, and social studies projects.

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Storytime with comprehension discussions.

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Handwriting and fine motor practice.

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Free play to encourage creativity and individuality.

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Outdoor play and movement activities.

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A group of young children sitting on a colorful circular rug in a classroom, facing a teacher dressed in blue, engaging in a singing or learning activity with their hands raised. The classroom has educational posters and charts on the wall.

Pre-K 3 Developmental Milestones

The milestones below highlight key skills supported in our Pre-K 3 classrooms. While children develop at different rates, these benchmarks help guide instruction and individualized support.

    • Recognizes letters A–Z

    • Counts and writes numbers 1–20

    • Understands basic comparisons (more vs. fewer)

    • Creates and recognizes patterns

    • Understands basic measurement concepts

    • Completes and retells simple stories

    • Remembers and discusses past events

    • Walks in a single-file line

    • Jumps with both feet

    • Balances on one foot

    • Throws and catches a large ball

    • Rides a tricycle

    • Uses the bathroom independently

    • Traces, draws shapes, and builds hand-eye coordination

    • Builds block towers

    • Opens containers, lunch boxes, and zip-lock bags

    • Holds a pencil using proper finger placement

    • Uses non-dominant hand to stabilize paper

    • Threads small beads onto a string

    • Cuts around simple shapes

    • Completes 4–10 piece puzzles

    • Dresses independently

    • Writes first and last name on a dotted line

    • Draws a recognizable person

    • Screws and unscrews caps

    • Understands positional and time-related words (before, after)

    • Demonstrates phonics and letter-sound recognition

    • Shows phonemic awareness through rhyme

    • Answers “why” questions

    • Uses complex sentences (because, so, if, when)

    • Participates in show-and-tell and group discussions

    • Follows multi-step directions

    • Speaks clearly using a broad vocabulary

    • Assigns or takes on roles during pretend play

    • Acts out stories and scenarios

    • Uses imagination during dramatic play

    • Engages in storytelling and role-play

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