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
Weekly Options
Three Full Days
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Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8 a.m.–2:45 p.m.
Five Half Days
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Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–Noon
Five Full Days
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Monday– Friday: 8 a.m.–2:45 p.m.
Sample Schedule
7:30–8:20 a.m.
Family welcome and indoor/outdoor play
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Staggered arrival
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Morning health checks, open learning spaces and independent choice activities
8:30–9:15 a.m.
Morning welcome circle and specialty class
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Welcome students and share plans for the day
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Storytelling and read aloud with the LJCDS 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 practice 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 social/emotional lessons
11:15–11:55 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
12 p.m.
Dismissal for half-day students
12–12:25 p.m.
Lunch for full-day students
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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
12:25–1:45 p.m.
Story and rest time
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Teacher reads a story to transition to rest time routine
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Listen to classical music or recorded stories during rest time
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Recoup and reinvigorate
1:45–2:30 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 is offered
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Indoor/outdoor exploration
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Clean up and dismissal or transition to Extended Day
2:45 p.m.
Dismissal
2:45–5:30 p.m.
Extended Day
Junior Kindergarten
Weekly Options
Five Half Days
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Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–Noon
Five Full Days
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Monday– Friday: 8 a.m.–2:45 p.m.
Sample Schedule
7:30–8:15 a.m.
Family welcome and outdoor play
-
Staggered arrival
-
Morning health checks, open learning spaces and independent choice activities
8:15–8:40 a.m.
Morning welcome circle
-
Students help plan the day with their ECC educators
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Morning Message
8:45-9:15 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
9:20–9:50 a.m.
Specialty class (library, Spanish, art or music)
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Read aloud in the Lower School library, and students check out books for the week.
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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
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Art lessons in the LS art studio
9:55-10:10 a.m.
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 practice table manners and healthy eating
10:10-10:55 a.m.
Outdoor exploration
-
Active, unstructured play in the outdoor learning spaces
-
Activities include imaginative play, trike riding, climbing, mud kitchen play, gardening, art, sand and water play, reading, writing, sensory table exploration and building
11–11:15 a.m.
Group activities
(Storytime, art, music & movement, math or language arts, science, global studies or social/emotional lessons)
(Storytime, art, music & movement, math or language arts, science, global studies or social/emotional lessons)
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Focus on pre-academics—preparation for kindergarten
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Literacy, phonics, building words
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Math activities
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Fine motor skills through art projects and creativity
11:15 a.m.–12 p.m.
Indoor exploration
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Free choice
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Learning spaces: art and creation stations, dramatic play, block building and writing center
12 p.m.
Dismissal for half-day students
12–12:30 p.m.
Lunch
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Students bring their own lunch
-
Bonding and socializing over a meal
-
Learning to be independent and practicing self-help skills, following directions and taking care of their items
12:30–1:45 p.m.
Rest time
Transition from rest to activity time
1:45–2:30 p.m
Transition from rest to activity time
1:45–2:30 p.m
Snack is offered
Indoor/outdoor exploration
2:30-2:45 p.m.
Indoor/outdoor exploration
2:30-2:45 p.m.
Science, SEL, music and dancing fun, or student author and illustrator time.
Clean up
2:45 p.m.
Dismissal
2:45–5:30 p.m.
Extended Day
