A Day in the Life
La Jolla Country Day School’s Early Childhood Program offers half-day and full-day Tiny Torreys and Jr. Kindergarten programs with extended care options before and after the school day. Below is a sample schedule of our students' day.
Tiny Torreys
7:50–8:30 a.m.
Family welcome and indoor/outdoor play
- Staggered arrival
- Morning health checks, open learning spaces and free choice activities
8:30–8:40 a.m.
Clean up
8:40–9:15 a.m.
Morning welcome circle and specialty class
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Welcome students and share plans for the day
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Pre-math activities, attendance, calendaring and morning stretches
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Storytelling and read aloud with Lower School librarian
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Music with Lower School music teacher
9:15–9:30 a.m.
Snack time
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Nutritious snack and milk provided for students
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Opportunity to reinforce table manners and healthy eating
9:30–10:15 a.m.
Indoor/outdoor exploration
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Active, unstructured play in the indoor or outdoor learning spaces
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Activities include imaginative play, trike riding, climbing, mud kitchen play, gardening, creative art, sand and water play, reading, writing, sensory table exploration and building
10:20–10:50 a.m.
Physical education
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Motor skill focus and group games
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Taught by physical education teachers
11–11:15 a.m.
Small group activities
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Early literacy, fine motor, math, science or character education
11:15–11:30 a.m.
Indoor exploration
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Free choice
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Unstructured activities, including block building, dramatic play, science table exploration, puzzles, manipulatives and dramatic play
11:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Lunch
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Students bring their own lunch
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Bonding and socializing over a meal
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Learning to be independent and practicing self-help skills, following directions and taking care of their items
12 p.m.
Dismissal for half day students
12:15–1:30 p.m.
Story and rest time
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Teacher reads a story to transition to rest time routine
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Yoga before rest
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Listen to classical music or recorded stories during rest time
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Recoup and reinvigorate
1:30–2:15 p.m.
Transition from rest to activity time
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Students begin to wake up
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Tabletop activities: art, manipulative activities and math
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Snack
2:15–2:45 p.m.
Indoor/outdoor exploration
2:45–3 p.m.
Clean up and dismissal or transition to Extended Day or after-school programs
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Students help clean up and care for their classroom and playground
Junior Kindergarten
7:50–8:10 a.m.
Family welcome and outdoor play
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Staggered arrival
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Morning health checks
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Active, unstructured, outdoor play to enjoy morning light and air
8:10–8:25 a.m.
Morning welcome circle
Morning welcome circle
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Three classrooms come together to share plans for the day
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Students help plan the day with teachers
8:30–9 a.m.
Physical education
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Motor skill focus and group games in the gym
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Taught by physical education teachers
9:10–9:40 a.m.
Specialty class (library, Spanish or music)
Specialty class (library, Spanish or music)
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Read aloud with Lower School librarian, and students check out a book for the week in the library
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Spanish lessons with the Lower School world language teacher
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Music lessons with Lower School music teacher in the Lower School music room
9:45–10 a.m.
Snack time
Snack time
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Nutritious snack and milk provided for students
-
Time for bonding and socializing over snacks
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Opportunity to reinforce table manners and healthy eating
10–10:45 a.m.
Outdoor exploration
Outdoor exploration
-
Active, unstructured play in the indoor or outdoor learning spaces
-
Activities include imaginative play, trike riding, climbing, mud kitchen play, gardening, creative art, sand and water play, reading, writing, sensory table exploration and building
10:50–11:15 a.m.
Group Activities (Storytime, art project, music or language arts)
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Focus on pre-academics—preparation for kindergarten
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Pre-reading, phonics, building words
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Pre-math activities
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Fine motor skills through art projects and creativity
11:15 a.m.–12 p.m.
Indoor exploration
Indoor exploration
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Free choice
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Learning spaces: art maker, STEM, imagineering and writing center
12 p.m.
Dismissal for half day students
Dismissal for half day students
12–12:30 p.m.
Lunch
Lunch
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Students bring their own lunch
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Bonding and socializing over a meal
-
Learning to be independent and practicing self-help skills, following directions and taking care of their items
12:30–1:30 p.m.
Rest time
Rest time
1:45 a.m.
Snack time
1:45–2:15
Outdoor exploration/free choice
2:30–2:45 p.m.
Science class or character education
2:45–3 p.m.
Clean up and dismissal or transition to Extended Day or after-school programs
- Students help clean up and care for their classroom and playground
