The Children's College: A Great Denver Preschool

The Children's College is part of the Community College of Denver. It is located in downtown Denver on the Auraria campus, accessible from Colfax. It is right next door to the Auraria childcare center, a much better known and larger program. Even though it is downtown, there is ample free student pick-up/drop off on the 9th Street cul-de-sac!

The Children's College consists of two classrooms. The Sunshine Room, led by Ms. Sophie, is home to the younger children (ages 2 1/2 - almost 4) and features a great elevated loft space where kiddos can cook up their hearts delight in a great wooden kitchen. The Butterfly Room is led by Ms. Annie and features lots of class animals and a computer learning station. Both rooms have great circular windows that look out onto an expansive outdoor play area, replete with tricycles and riding paths!

The Children's College believes that children learn by exploring their environment with their senses, and the students are immersed in hands on experiences. Teachers also use the High Scope Curriculum to structure their days. High Scope is based on Jean Piaget's theory of constructivism: that children are constructors of their own knowledge. High Scope centers around the routine "plan, do and review". Each morning, free time is followed by a structured group music/dance and whole group reading. Students are then introduced to a small group activity and choose the station that best fits their interests.

The kids have a lot of time during the day to engage in independent play during free time. Teachers are very respectful of each child's individual interests. For the first five months, my son only chose to play with trains and cars during free time. While he was encouraged to check out other activities, his interests were never restricted.