Appletree’s Pre-K 4 Program

Kindergarten is right around the corner, and Appletree Preschool's Pre-K 4 program makes sure your child gets there ready to shine! For children ages 4½ to 5½, we build the academic skills, independence, and self-confidence that turn a big transition into an exciting one.

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Our Pre-K 4 Program

This program builds upon the skills developed in earlier preschool years and introduces more advanced academic concepts, critical thinking, and responsibility within a structured, engaging classroom environment. Our Pre-K 4 curriculum intentionally supports social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development, ensuring children are not only prepared for kindergarten but also excited for it.

Our experienced Pre-K 4 teachers follow thoughtfully prepared lesson plans that challenge children to think deeply, communicate clearly, and take pride in their work, while still allowing room for creativity, exploration, and play.

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What Makes Our Pre-K 4
Program Special

Appletree’s Pre-K 4 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:

Continued focus on social skills, confidence, and leadership.

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Strong focus on literacy, phonics, math, and writing.

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Kindergarten-readiness curriculum with clear academic goals.

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Collaborative learning through small groups and partner work.

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Higher-order thinking through discussion, questioning, and problem-solving.

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Emphasis on independence, responsibility, and self-management.

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Our Pre-K 4 Curriculum

Appletree Preschool’s Pre-K 4 curriculum is comprehensive, structured, and intentionally designed to prepare children for the academic and social expectations of kindergarten.

Through teacher-guided instruction, hands-on learning, small-group activities, and independent work, children strengthen their skills across all developmental domains.

Our curriculum supports growth in the following areas:

    • Recognizing, writing, and reading upper- and lowercase letters

    • Letter-sound correspondence, beginning and ending sounds, and sight words

    • Developing phonemic awareness through rhyming and sound manipulation

    • Writing first and last names and beginning sentence writing

    • Listening to and discussing story books and longer stories

    • Learning to read decodable books

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    • Following multi-step directions independently

    • Asking and answering thoughtful questions

    • Comparing and contrasting ideas

    • Understanding cause and effect

    • Retelling and sequencing events from stories

    • Connecting stories to real-life experiences

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    • Counting and recognizing numbers (including higher number ranges)

    • One-to-one correspondence

    • Comparing quantities (greater than, less than)

    • Introduction to addition and subtraction using concrete objects

    • Patterning, sorting, sequencing, and graphing

    • Understanding time concepts (days, months, seasons)

    • Measurement and comparison

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    • Working cooperatively with peers

    • Participating in group discussions and activities

    • Managing emotions and resolving problems appropriately

    • Taking responsibility through classroom jobs and routines

    • Demonstrating leadership, confidence, and self-control

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    • Refining fine motor skills for writing and classroom tasks

    • Mastering proper pencil grip and scissor use

    • Developing gross motor coordination through structured movement and play

    • Increasing stamina, balance, and control

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A Pre-K 4 Day in Action

Throughout the day, children engage in meaningful learning experiences that promote independence and accountability, including:

Literacy and math instruction.

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Phonics and handwriting practice.

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Science and social studies exploration.

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Journal writing and creative expression.

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Outdoor play and movement activities.

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Cooperative learning centers and partner work.

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Assigned classroom jobs and responsibilities.

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Pre-K 4 Developmental Milestones

The milestones below highlight key skills supported in our Pre-K 4 Voyagers classrooms. Children develop at individual rates, and these benchmarks help guide instruction and readiness.

    • Understands similarities and differences

    • Draws a person with five or more body parts

    • Understands daily routines and sequences

    • Follows multi-step directions

    • Counts and recognizes numbers

    • Understands fiction vs. non-fiction

    • Identifies sequence of events

    • Recites name, address, and phone number

    • Recalls and discusses story details

    • Asks and answers comprehension questions

    • Demonstrates cause-and-effect reasoning

    • Runs, jumps, and navigates obstacles with control

    • Participates in relay races and obstacle courses

    • Catches a ball from a distance

    • Balances on one foot for extended periods

    • Pedals and steers a tricycle or bicycle

    • Traces, draws shapes, and completes detailed work

    • Cuts, glues, and colors with precision

    • Demonstrates proper handwriting posture and grip

    • Dresses and undresses independently

    • Comprehends and responds to stories and texts

    • Expands vocabulary and sentence structure

    • Participates in Show & Tell discussions

    • Retells stories in sequence

    • Demonstrates phonics and sound awareness

    • Writes in journals and practices early writing

    • Uses language for problem-solving and social interaction

    • Creates original art

    • Expresses ideas through movement and music

    • Engages in dramatic and imaginative play

    • Participates in teacher-guided creative activities

    • Uses language to describe artwork and ideas

    • Observes life cycles and natural processes

    • Experiments with materials and makes predictions

    • Learns about weather, seasons, plants, animals, and the senses

    • Explores hygiene, nutrition, and healthy habits

    • Learns about national holidays and traditions

    • Understands community helpers and neighborhoods

    • Develops self-awareness and identity

    • Demonstrates one-to-one correspondence

    • Recognizes quantities beyond ten

    • Understands greater than and less than

    • Applies basic addition and subtraction

    • Creates and extends patterns

    • Sorts and orders objects by attributes

    • Represents data through simple graphs

    • Understands positional and time-related concepts

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