See life with us, please, artist.
Welcome to The Melbourne Preschool, a leading early childhood learning center in Brevard, proudly voted as one of the top preschools in Florida Today's Best of Brevard 2023. Our team comprises a vibrant community of dedicated, knowledgeable, and innovative educators committed to delivering exceptional early education. At The Melbourne Preschool, we believe that the collective effort of a community is essential in raising a child, and this philosophy is reflected in our teaching approach.
Our curriculum is centered on play-based and hands-on learning that fosters creativity and individuality in each student. We believe that active education and engagement with the community are crucial in preparing young learners for formal schooling and beyond. Our approach encourages a love of learning by igniting children's curiosity and nurturing their creativity.
Our curriculum is grounded in a creative approach, with homey classrooms designed to promote a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We also offer custom-built outdoor playgrounds to ensure that children can engage in active and imaginative play. Moreover, our in-house scratch kitchen prepares fresh, wholesome, and locally sourced meals daily, ensuring that our students receive optimal nutrition while at school.
The Ones (12-24 months)
Our youngest classroom is all about exploration! The Ones is designed for children who are just beginning to walk and talk, and it emphasizes the importance of play, enabling children to build their gross motor skills. With large, soft blocks for climbing and building, a playhouse and kitchen for imaginative play, a cozy library corner for reading, a music section for little musicians, and centers for both child-led and teacher-led activities, children in this age group have ample opportunities for exploration and learning.
Our curriculum in The Ones focuses on fostering each student's independence and imagination. Through teacher-led activities such as painting, coloring, crafting, storytime, outdoor activities, summer water-play, and a variety of other nursery-based games, children in this age group build language acquisition skills, gross motor skills, and socialization.
The Twos
The Twos classroom is a step up from The Ones and caters to the evolving needs of toddlers. With a busy schedule of Circle Time for language acquisition, arts and crafts for creative stimulation and fine motor development, and outdoor play for physical exercise and honing of gross motor skills, children in this age group are kept busy with hands-on activities.
Our Twos classroom features a dramatic play area, block and cars area, a quiet-corner library, music, puzzles, and teacher-led centers such as art, science, and Circle Time. The most popular center in this class is the gross-motor play area, which features soft mats and oversized foam blocks, enabling children to jump, build, and play while developing their gross motor skills.
The curriculum for The Twos focuses on three main goals: language acquisition, independence, and social skills. Teachers work closely with parents to encourage language development through introducing new words and songs, foster independence such as eating lunch with a spoon or drinking from a cup, and learning how to clean up after play. Social skills are learned through daily experiences such as sharing, playing with friends, lining up for outdoor play, and eating meals together. Children in this age group also work on potty-training.
The Threes
The Threes classroom emphasizes the academic and imaginative capabilities of children who are three years old. Key features of this classroom include an ever-rotating variety of table-toys and manipulatives to foster fine motor skills, as well as the largest dramatic play area of any classroom, including a mini-living room set, kitchen, handyman workbench, and full housekeeping area complete with costumes.
The curriculum in The Threes shifts towards cognitive and academic activities, with lessons designed to challenge children and expand their base vocabulary, problem-solving skills, reasoning, and imagination. We introduce a more structured Circle Time to create a foundational love of learning, which children will carry with them throughout their future education.
Overall Experience
Most reviewers have had a very positive experience at The Melbourne Preschool, with many praising the caring and dedicated teachers, excellent communication, and nurturing environment.
Communication and Care
Many reviewers appreciated the extra care and attention given to their children, with some mentioning that the teachers were very good about communicating with them when something happened to their child at school. The teachers were also described as caring, dedicated, and passionate about what they do.
Curriculum and Activities
The curriculum was praised by several reviewers, with many mentioning that their children had learned a lot and were thriving in the educational environment. The preschool's activities, such as art projects and themed events, were also highlighted as a positive aspect.
Staff and Ownership
The staff and owners of the preschool were frequently mentioned as being friendly, helpful, and welcoming. Many reviewers appreciated the personal touch and the feeling of being part of a family-like community.
Negative Experiences
However, one reviewer had a negative experience, citing issues with bullying, inadequate supervision, and unprofessional behavior from a teacher. Another reviewer mentioned that there were some teachers they didn't care for, but this was not necessarily a reflection on the daycare itself.
