33 Months – 5 Years

Our Preschool Program

The preschool years are filled with imagination, curiosity, and an eagerness to learn. At Creative Kids Academy, our Preschool Program combines purposeful play with engaging, hands-on experiences that encourage children to ask questions, solve problems, build friendships, and grow in confidence. Every day, our teachers nurture a love of learning while helping children develop the academic, social, emotional, and independence skills that build a strong foundation for kindergarten and beyond.

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Preschoolers dancing with colorful scarves at Creative Kids Academy

How Your Child Learns & Grows

Physical Development

As preschoolers grow, they become stronger, more coordinated, and increasingly independent. Through active play and hands-on experiences, children continue developing the gross and fine motor skills they’ll use every day, including:

  • Running, jumping, balancing, climbing, and active outdoor play
  • Building coordination through dance, movement, and games
  • Strengthening fine motor skills through drawing, painting, cutting, tracing, and manipulatives
  • Developing hand strength and pencil control to support early writing

Cognitive & Language Development

Preschoolers are naturally curious and eager to learn. Our teachers build early literacy, math, science, and critical thinking skills through engaging, play-based experiences, including:

  • Stories, conversations, songs, and language-rich classroom discussions
  • Letter recognition, early writing, and phonological awareness
  • Counting, number recognition, sorting, patterns, and beginning math concepts
  • Weekly learning themes that inspire curiosity and connect learning across subjects

Creativity & Exploration

Preschoolers learn best when they’re encouraged to imagine, create, and explore. Our teachers inspire children to think creatively and discover new interests through:

  • Process art, painting, drawing, cutting, and other creative projects
  • Dramatic play, storytelling, and imaginative role-playing
  • Music, movement, and dance
  • Science exploration, experiments, and hands-on discovery
  • Sensory activities and open-ended exploration that encourage problem-solving

Social & Emotional Development

As preschoolers grow more independent, they also develop the confidence, responsibility, and social skills they’ll carry into kindergarten and beyond. Our teachers foster these skills by:

  • Building confidence and self-esteem through positive guidance and encouragement
  • Encouraging kindness, empathy, cooperation, and respect for others
  • Helping children recognize, express, and manage their emotions
  • Supporting problem-solving and conflict resolution with peers
  • Encouraging responsibility, independence, and decision-making

Kindergarten Readiness Starts Here

At Creative Kids Academy, we believe kindergarten readiness is about much more than knowing letters and numbers. It’s about building confident, curious, and independent learners who are excited to take on new challenges.

Our Preschool Program uses the Learning Beyond Paper curriculum, a hands-on, STEAM-focused curriculum that encourages children to think critically, solve problems, ask questions, and explore the world around them through purposeful play. Combined with caring teachers, engaging enrichment experiences, and meaningful relationships, children develop the academic, communication, and social-emotional skills they need for a successful transition to kindergarten.

Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our NAEYC Accreditation and 4-Star Parent Aware Rating, recognizing our dedication to providing the highest standards of early childhood education and preparing children for lifelong success.

Preschool graduates celebrating in caps and gowns

Enrichment Expands Learning

As children grow, so do their opportunities to explore new interests. Our Preschool Program includes a variety of enrichment experiences, such as dance, music, Spanish, karate, science, theater, and more (offerings vary by location). These experiences encourage creativity, confidence, and curiosity — and they’re all included as part of your tuition because we believe every child deserves the opportunity to discover new passions. Learn more here.

Preschooler playing superhero
A Peek Inside

Everyday Moments from our Preschool Classrooms

Preschoolers gardening outdoorsPreschool story time with a teacherPreschooler doing a creative animal projectPreschoolers enjoying face painting together
Procare app logo

Staying Connected Throughout the Day

There’s always something exciting happening in our Preschool Program, and we love keeping families connected to those moments. Through the Procare app, you’ll receive real-time updates, photos, and highlights of your child’s day, giving you a window into the friendships, discoveries, and accomplishments that make each day meaningful. Strong communication helps us celebrate your child’s growth together and strengthens the partnership between home and school.

What Parents Love About Our Preschool Program

Every day our preschooler comes home excited to tell us what she learned — a new song, a science discovery, or a story about a friend. The balance of play and learning is wonderful.

— CKA Orono Parent

My preschooler loves going to school every day. His language and social skills have drastically improved, and the teachers come up with a variety of fun activities.

— CKA Elk River on 10 Parent

Every time I pick him up they’re sharing stories about how he’s doing. Our child has developed quicker than I imagined — talking in full sentences much sooner than I thought. CKA has been stellar for our family.

— CKA Anoka Parent

The teachers are amazing. CKA is a family atmosphere, my children are constantly learning, and I’m so grateful for how kindergarten-ready they were! The curriculum is fantastic and it’s a great value.

— CKA Centerville Parent

Come See Our Preschool Program in Action

The preschool years are an incredible time of growth, curiosity, and discovery. Schedule a tour today to meet our teachers, explore our classrooms, and see our Preschool Program in action.

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