Curriculum
At CDLC, our intentional play-based days are designed to get your child ready for kindergarten — growing emotionally, spiritually, and physically alongside their friends. We’re proud to be NAEYC Accredited and 4-Star Parent Aware.
Our Approach to Learning
At CDLC, everything is built on intentional play — children learn best when they’re actively engaged, curious, and having fun. Our curriculum blends research-based approaches with hands-on discovery. Whether your child attends half-day or full-day classes, they’ll experience every one of these components — full-day students simply get more time immersed in each one.
HighScope Curriculum
HighScope is integrated throughout all of our classrooms. It’s a hands-on approach where children take an active role in their own learning. Each day, children choose activities from different learning areas in the classroom, dive into hands-on exploration with guidance and support from their teacher, and then talk about what they discovered — a simple “plan, do, review” rhythm that helps children build focus and follow-through. Rather than just being told what to do, children learn to make decisions, think through problems, and express their ideas, all within a consistent daily routine that helps them feel safe and secure. It’s an approach that builds real confidence and independence — skills that carry with them into kindergarten and beyond.
Handwriting Without Tears
Children build early writing skills through the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum, a multisensory, hands-on approach that makes learning to write feel more like play than pressure. Using things like songs, wooden pieces, and playful hands-on materials, children build the fine motor skills and letter recognition they need — developing proper grip, posture, and confidence at their own pace, without the frustration handwriting practice can sometimes bring.
Spark Bible Curriculum
Faith comes to life through the Spark Bible curriculum, which brings Bible stories to children through colorful storybooks, songs, and hands-on activities designed just for their age. Each week, children explore a new story together — through conversation, imaginative play, art, and music — in a way that feels warm, natural, and welcoming to every family, no matter their background. It’s less about memorizing and more about experiencing God’s love in ways young children can understand and carry with them.
Life Explorers (Social Emotional Learning)
Several times a month, children spend time with Ms. Essie in Life Explorers, a class built around the social and emotional skills every child needs — like being a good friend, showing empathy, and understanding acceptance and kindness. Through imaginative play, books, songs, puppets, and acting things out, children learn how to name and handle their feelings — even the tricky, uncomfortable ones — and discover that all their emotions are real and valid. It’s a gentle, playful way to build the social confidence and self-awareness that carries into every relationship they’ll have.
Movement with Max
Several times a month, children get moving with Max in a high-energy, inclusive physical education class designed to get little bodies active and hearts pumping. Through teamwork-based games and activities, children build gross motor skills, coordination, and confidence — all while learning to work together and celebrate each other’s unique abilities. Every child is welcomed to participate at their own level, so movement time is about joy and belonging, not competition.
Chapel
Once a month, the whole school comes together for Chapel, where different members of the Prince of Peace community join us to share messages of God’s love with the children. It’s a special time of togetherness — a chance for children to connect with the wider church family and hear from familiar, caring faces beyond their own classroom.
STEM
Children explore the world around them through hands-on experiments and discovery — things like growing plants, mixing colors, observing how everyday objects work, and building with blocks or other materials. Through play, they’re introduced to science, technology, engineering, and math concepts: asking questions, testing ideas, building and problem-solving, counting and sorting, and making predictions and discoveries together. It’s a playful way to spark curiosity about how the world works — skills that grow with them well beyond preschool.
Music
Music is part of every day at CDLC, not a separate lesson. Children listen and move to music from all kinds of genres, sing favorite songs, dance, and explore instruments — building rhythm, coordination, and a lifelong love of music right in the classroom.
Art
At CDLC, art is about the process, not the product. Children explore their creativity through a wide variety of art mediums and techniques, trying new tools at their own pace — with the focus on the joy of creating, not a “perfect” finished piece. There’s no “right way” to create here — each child’s own unique style and personality is celebrated in everything they make.
Snack Time
Snack time becomes a hands-on learning experience at CDLC. Children practice pouring, cutting, measuring, and more, while learning about the foods they eat — building fine motor skills, math concepts, and healthy habits, all through something as simple and everyday as snack. Children also enjoy monthly cooking and baking opportunities, adding even more hands-on fun to mealtime.
Class Options
We welcome children from 33 months old through entering Kindergarten. Our teacher-student ratio is one to ten, allowing the teacher and children to get to know each other quickly, allowing for a class family bond to form. Classes, formed according to age, are typically comprised of children whose birthdays are within months of each other.
Half-Day Classes
Tuesday/Thursday Morning: 9:00 – 11:30 am
Monday/Wednesday/Friday Morning: 9:00 – 11:30 am
Monday-Friday Morning: 9:00 – 11:30 am
All-Day Classes
Tuesday/Thursday Classes: 9:00 am – 3:15 pm
Monday/Wednesday/Friday Classes: 9:00 am – 3:15 pm
Monday-Friday Classes: 9:00 am – 3:15 pm
Tuition & Registration
CDLC offers both half-day and full-day options, with flexible 2-, 3-, or 5-day-a-week schedules.
| Program | Days | Monthly Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Half Day | Tue/Thu | $225 |
| Half Day | Mon/Wed/Fri | $275 |
| Half Day | Monday–Friday | $475 |
| All Day | Tue/Thu | $425 |
| All Day | Mon/Wed/Fri | $600 |
| All Day | Monday–Friday | $950 |
Before & after care is also available. See full rates and scholarship information on our Registration & Scholarships page.