2-Year-Old Class

Building Confidence Through Play and Connection

Our Two-Year-Old program offers a gentle and joyful introduction to the school experience. Children must be 2 years and 6 months old to begin and attend two mornings per week (Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday). In a nurturing and supportive environment, children begin learning how to be part of a group—building relationships, sharing, taking turns, following simple routines, and growing in independence.

Learning at this age happens through play, movement, exploration, and connection. Children enjoy open-ended art, sensory experiences, music, stories, early exploration of colors and shapes, snack time, and plenty of indoor and outdoor play. Teachers encourage each child's individual development with warmth and attention to emerging language, motor, social-emotional, and self-help skills.

Our goal is for each child's first school experience to be a happy one—helping them feel safe, capable, connected, and excited to come to school.

3-Year-Old Class

Fostering Curiosity, Language, and Independence

Our Three-Year-Old program builds upon children's growing social skills and independence while introducing foundational skills for future learning in a developmentally appropriate, play-based environment. Children must be 3 by October 1 and attend three mornings per week (Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday/Friday).

Children engage in meaningful experiences that support language and communication, early literacy, number sense, fine and gross motor development, creativity, problem-solving, and independence. Teachers meet children where they are developmentally and provide opportunities for both individual growth and collaborative learning.

Classroom experiences include circle time, music, weekly chapel, stories, creative art, sensory play, pre-writing and fine motor activities, and playful exploration of letters, sounds, numbers, patterns, shapes, and early math concepts. A balance of teacher-guided experiences and open-ended play encourages children to ask questions, make discoveries, build friendships, and develop confidence.

Most importantly, our teachers foster a love of learning in a warm and inclusive classroom where laughter, imagination, singing, and curiosity are part of every day.

4-Year-Old Class

(Pre-Kindergarten)

Empowering Learners for Kindergarten and Beyond

Our Pre-Kindergarten program is a dynamic four-morning program (Monday–Thursday) designed to help children approach Kindergarten with confidence, independence, curiosity, and a genuine love of learning. Children must be 4 by October 1.

Our curriculum blends kindergarten readiness with the joyful, hands-on learning that is at the heart of early childhood education. Guided by the New Jersey Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards, children build skills across all areas of development through purposeful play, exploration, teacher-guided instruction, small-group learning, and collaborative experiences.

Children engage in rich language and literacy experiences, letter and sound exploration, early math and science, fine motor development, creative art, music, weekly chapel, stories and puppetry, dramatic play, and indoor and outdoor exploration. Learning centers and small-group activities allow teachers to differentiate instruction and support each child at their individual level.

Kindergarten readiness at HCNS extends beyond academics. Children practice problem-solving, communication, cooperation, self-regulation, responsibility, and independence—skills that help them become confident and capable learners. Special traditions such as the 100th Day of School, author studies, seasonal projects, and classroom celebrations make learning memorable and fun.

By the end of Pre-K, our goal is for children to leave HCNS not only prepared for Kindergarten, but excited for what comes next.