Our Curriculum
At The Mothership our curriculum is rooted on the idea that when a child is given a playful, nurturing, and emotionally connected environment they are then at their optimal state to learn, develop, and thrive. We have morning greetings with hugs or finger boops, we sing personalized songs with children who are working through big emotions, and we co-regulate with deep breaths and calming words. We educate children about the rainbow of emotions and how to identify them explaining all feelings are ok. This connectedness fosters classrooms that feel like family.
Music
As we create a rhythm to our day we use songs to joyfully transition from one activity to the next. We sing songs to greet each other, to honor the seasons, during celebrations, and sing songs to close our day. We create music circles that allow our children to improvise and experiment with instruments, their voices, and their bodies. Music is a universal language that we teach our children. We marvel at their ability to sing a melody while dancing and playing an instrument.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of cultivating present moment awareness of our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations by integrating breathing, stretching, and a focus on relaxation techniques into our daily schedule. The playful tools we practice with our children will develop emotional resilience and self-regulation skills which promote a calmer and more engaging environment.
Nature
We might find ourselves scooping dirt in a sensory bin, watching a ladybug climb a branch, passing around a sunflower during circle time, taking a discovery walk to listen to the birds, gazing at the clouds in the sky during a picnic, collecting acorns, or eating a carrot from our garden. Mother Nature is a classroom at The Mothership and we also find great joy in bringing natural wonders into our classrooms. We strive to celebrate each season and observe changes in our gardens. It is a magical experience for our children to inspect a seed, plant it in the dirt, watch it grow, harvest its fruit, and then taste its goodness.
Art
All children are artists. Whether it’s painting a picture, building a block tower, making a pattern with colorful leaves, sculpting a pinch pot, or writing a poem with friends, our curriculum uses this creativity as an opportunity to connect the children first to themselves and then to their community. Children naturally exist in the creative process and our space invites the freedom to explore many art mediums to deepen this experience. Not only do we see hearts explode while creating but our arts-based curriculum supports the development of your child’s fine motor skills and their ability to think critically all while their focus and patience grow.
Our Classrooms
Each classroom at The Mothership is designed to foster learning through play. Our materials and our daily rhythm reflect our curriculum’s focus on nature, art, mindfulness, and music. Our daily activities are created to stimulate fine and gross motor development, language growth, and social and cognitive understanding. Our classrooms invite children to be challenged, encourages their willingness to take risks, and stimulates their developmental growth.
preschool Hours 9 am - 1 pm
september - may
We also offer extended care hours from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on a first-come, first serve basis. Beforecare is open to all ages. After-care is open to children ages 3-5 who have given up their afternoon nap.
stargazers
ages 1-2
(must be 1 by Aug 31 and walking)
Our Stargazers classroom is a warm, nurturing setting for our one-year-olds. Continuity care is the foundation of our one's room, where the teacher will build a trusting relationship between your child and your family. This year provides for our littles an environment where they will learn through play, and a consistent daily routine. Our Stargazers classroom is a beautiful beginning to your child's first year of preschool.
5-Day program
Monday – Friday
3-day program
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
2-day program
Tuesday, Thursday
little lunas & little dippers
ages 2-3
(must be 2 by aug 31)
The Little Lunas are a fun bunch of twos and threes. This group is learning through play and social experiences. We help our Little Lunas practice following directions, using simple phrases, making requests, and taking turns. We focus on following routines in a group setting. We take great care in supporting your child in toilet training during this sweet year of development.
5-Day program
Monday – Friday
3-day program
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
2-day program
Tuesday, Thursday
curious comets & halley’s comets
ages 3-4
(must be 3 by aug 31)
The Curious Comets are rooted in community and enjoy engaging in play with their peers. This classroom is always exploring and experimenting with materials and the environment. Peering into their room you will find them building structures, making art, engaging in imaginative play, or digging in the sensory bin. They love spending time on the playground or exploring the outdoors in our backyard at Independence Park.
5-Day program
Monday – Friday
3-day program
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
2-day program
Tuesday, Thursday
moonwalkers
ages 4-5
(must be 4 by aug 31)
The Moonwalkers class is filled with our fours and our five-year-olds. This class is guided by the awareness that these children may be entering traditional school in a year. With an emphasis on creative play, children are introduced to a more formally structured day. Materials in this class are modified to reflect the Kindergarten curriculum and are developmentally appropriate for students who show readiness. Our overall focus is to provide an environment that allows our Moonwalkers the ability to develop the social-emotional skills they will need when they enter Kindergarten alongside an introduction to ABCs and 123s.
5-Day program
Monday – Friday
Our Environment
St. Martin’s Episcopal Church
1510 7th Street, charlotte, nc 28204
Our preschool is located inside St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. We have renovated the space to reflect our core values and inspire those who choose to join us here. We are beyond grateful to St. Martin’s for their openness to house our program and their continued partnership with our preschool. We share the same goals of inclusivity and spreading joy to the Charlotte community. Please note that although our values align with St. Martin’s, our program is not affiliated with the church and our curriculum is not religion-based.
We feel children are inspired by a natural environment with age-appropriate materials that promote creative learning.
We love the outdoors and love to go outside to learn from Mother Nature.
Located directly across from Independence Park, we take advantage of being able to utilize the park on weather friendly days for our older classrooms.
Our raised bed gardens create a natural learning environment for children. We love teaching them how to care for our planet.
We aren’t afraid of messes here! We believe in exploring all of our senses and getting our hands dirty when we learn and play.
Each classroom is designed with a cozy nook to create space for reflection, calming our bodies, quieting our minds, and relaxing.