CDC Preschool

The Child Development Center at Bethany United Methodist Church

The purpose of Bethany United Methodist Church Child Development Center is to give children their first exposure to education and social development within a Christian environment. We are committed to helping young children grow and develop socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically and spiritually in a developmentally appropriate environment.

Our goal is to provide a nurturing, safe and positive environment where children can experience success and develop a love of learning.

Curriculum: United Methodist Preschool Curriculum and the Creative Curriculum are used as the basis for our program. We follow the SC School Readiness Guidelines,” Good Start, Grow Smart”, for 3, 4 & 5 year old children.

Our teachers provide opportunities to encourage and to support the development of the individual child by providing an ever-changing variety of developmentally appropriate materials and equipment which facilitate opportunities for discovery and exploration, critical thinking and problem solving at each child's own developmental pace.

Each day brings our preschoolers plenty of opportunities to play, investigate and to express ideas through center-based hands-on experiences in:
	Family Living/Dramatic Play: Planning, working and cooperative play in an organized experience fosters social skills, role playing, creativity and problem solving.
	Creative Art: Self-expression through the use of paints, clay, crayons and other media emphasizing the process of creating, not the product, is important to children.
	Large Group: Enjoying stories, verse, rhyme, song, finger plays, conversation and dramatization.
	Music: Attending weekly music class in addition to daily music experiences, including: responding rhythmically to singing, use of instruments, exploring different musical styles and composers.
	Block/Building: Exploring spatial relationships, concepts of weight, symmetry and balance, as well as cause and effect.
	Manipulative/Table Toys: Providing opportunities to develop sorting, matching, classifying, patterning and eye-hand coordination skills.
	Science & Discovery: Providing opportunities for observation, inquiry, prediction, classification and comparison.
	Health & Safety Education: Learning importance of good health habits and safety rules.
	Eating Together: Learning and practicing good table manners and self-help skills, developing healthy eating habits.
	Field Trips: Visiting points of interest in and around the community to help children establish appreciation of people who contribute to their lives and to extend learning opportunities beyond the classroom.