Types

• There are many types of preschool curriculum that can be used at a daycare. A thematic unit curriculum will focus on one theme. The same theme will be used over a period of several weeks. A letter of the week curriculum will focus on a different letter each week. The names of activities, songs, games and snacks will often start with the same letter that is being focused on that week. An academic preschool curriculum will teach children about a wide range of academic subjects daily such as math and language arts.
  
  

Time Frame

• The amount of time spent teaching preschool curriculum at a daycare will depend on the time frame in which the children attend as well as other activities going on at the daycare. Some daycares will focus on curriculum only in the morning while letting the kids have free play or taking enrichment activities, such as dance, in the afternoon. Other daycares will use curriculum in the morning, take a break for lunch, naps and outside time and then continue to use curriculum for the remainder of the afternoon.
  
  

Benefits

• Preschool curriculum will provide structure for both the daycare's children and the teachers at the daycare. It will keep children actively engaged and learning as well as keep them from getting bored. Preschool curriculum will also teach children new themes every week that may be beneficial in preparing them for elementary school.
  
  

Considerations

• Preschool curriculum may need to be changed yearly depending on the student's needs. It may also be necessary to purchase different types of curriculum for each aged class at the daycare. For example, toddlers may learn well from a thematic unit while 4 year old's would benefit more from a letter of the week type curriculum. It is best to have different types of curriculum available just in case a curriculum isn't working well and it needs to be changed fairly quickly.
  
  

Misconceptions

• Preschool curriculum does not have to be inexpensive in order for it to be beneficial. There are many free or inexpensive curriculum options available to purchase or view on the internet. Local public libraries will often have preschool curriculum that can be checked out for free for a period of time.