Early Childhood Learning

It is never too early to start learning. 

Parent-Tot

Join us for Parent-Tot Fun Year-Round!

Children from 0-5 and their adults are invited to come play, sing, read and enjoy time with us every Friday from 10:00AM-12:00AM in the LIFRC Family Playroom (upstairs) and during the summer months at Odlin Park.

The Parent-Tot program provides enrichment to new families and prepares children for preschool.

Parent-Tot groups are the first step on a continuum of community-supported education involving collaboration between LIFRC, the Lopez Children’s Center and Lopez School.

Thanks to a generous grant from the DV & Ida McEachern Foundation there are two great new additions: 1) a large sensory table which builds brain connections, gives young children new experiences with materials and can be a great back and forth for cause and effect, in addition to promoting increased social interaction and cooperation in a group setting, and 2) some climbing equipment and games to get the rainy day wiggles out. Gross motor (big body movements) support toddlers’ physical development and increase balance, coordination, and strength. In addition, their spatial awareness skills are challenged as they look out for other friends around, and this equipment promotes increased social interaction and cooperation in a group setting.


New to Parent-Tot is the inclusion of elements of the “PurposeFull People” curriculum from Character Strong! Together, we model and work on skills such as how to build strong friendships and how to work together to solve big and small problems. Simple things like having meaningful contact when families arrive lays the groundwork for positive, real connection. Adding PurposeFull People corresponds with our beliefs that parents/caregivers are their child’s first teacher, and we want to be here to support that every step of the way.


For more information or to get on our mailing list for monthly updates, please email Katy Hill, Early Learning Programs Manager.

Seed to Sprout

Join us for Outdoor Learning!

Outdoor learning is a key part of summer learning for preschoolers through Seed to Sprout, a six-week gardening program held in the Lopez School Garden. 

Toddlers learn about plant parts, beneficial insects, and what seeds need to grow. Each week, families joined circle time to read a gardening story and take part in related activities, from crafting “bug hotels” out of recyclables to exploring which nasturtiums were mild enough to eat. 

The program wraps up with hands-on projects in the school’s Sensory Garden, just outside the kindergarten classroom, where students painted rocks, made plant tags, and crafted wind chimes to leave their personal mark.

A Playroom for Me!

 

A Playroom for Me! is our Preschool-based play program using training provided by the Children’s Institute. Students, referred to the program by teachers, staff, or parents, spend 30 minutes in the playroom once a week. In this one-to-one setting, children play through situations related to social and emotional skills. Research shows that children who receive this type of support in school may experience increased self-esteem, improved focus and ability to learn, and more positive social interactions.

To learn more, review our fact sheet: A Playroom for Me! (English) / ¡Una sala de juegos para mí! (Español).

A Playroom for Me! Program also runs at Lopez Island Elementary School as PIP (Primary Intervention Program).

For more information, please contact Katy Hill, Early Learning Programs Manager, or review our fact sheet by clicking on the button below.


Para obtener más información, revise nuestra hoja informativa haciendo clic en el botón a continuación

Fact Sheet
Más Información

Bilingual Pre-school Family Reading

This program fosters a lifelong love of learning, literacy and leadership.

Through engaging storytelling and discussion, the program helps families bond over books while encouraging analytical thinking, reading comprehension, and a deeper appreciation for literature.

The sessions, led by bilingual trained facilitators, are designed to empower families to enjoy books together and discuss important themes in an inclusive, supportive environment.

The program is based on the elements of the Prime Time Reading framework and the Elements of PurposeFull People, a social-emotional curriculum.

 

LIFRC hosts successful 4 to 6-week bilingual sessions, one for pre-school aged children and one for elementary-aged children, which leave lasting impressions on participating families.


A preschool parent shared this about the program:
“Our children were processing everything when we went home and couldn’t stop talking about the book and activities. They asked me when we were going back, and when I said it would be next Tuesday, they asked if that was tomorrow.”


We are grateful for support from Humanities Washington and San Juan County which makes this program possible.

Kindergarten Transitions

As each new school year begins, it’s a big time of transition—graduates head off to college, elementary students move up to middle school, and preschoolers take their first steps into Kindergarten. To ease this transition, the Lopez Island Family Resource Center (LIFRC) offers multiple programs over the year, giving incoming Kindergartners positive, supported experiences both at Lopez Island School District (LISD) and with their new peers before their very first day.

We host a Kindergarten Welcome Picnic at Lopez Elementary. Families gathered to share a picnic dinner on the playground, giving students a chance to meet one another in a familiar setting surrounded by their parents—without the bustle of older students around. Ms. Kendra, the Kindergarten teacher, Martha (LISD Principal), and Brady (LISD Superintendent) joined the event to welcome their newest students with big smiles.

New to the lineup this past summer was a special camp just for incoming Kindergartners: “Fairy Tales & Creature Tails.” With Kindergarten beginning later in the week than the rest of the elementary grades, this camp not only created a perfect opportunity for some last-minute fun and learning, it also filled a vital gap for necessary childcare.

Each day, campers gathered in a circle to listen to fractured fairy tales, then broke into small groups for STEM and art activities inspired by the stories. They took walks to the beach for snack and playtime, and came back together for more stories and hands-on projects.

Through the books, campers explored big topics—like bravery and trying new things—and connected them to their own feelings about starting school. They also practiced important classroom-readiness skills such as sitting together, taking turns, and listening with open hearts. Learning happened in the most natural way possible for children—through play!

One parent shared how much the program boosted their children’s confidence, “This was exactly the kind of program my kid needed to give them more confidence for their first day of Kindergarten.”

Early Reading Intervention

Since the Summer of 2022, Early Reading Intervention has demonstrated success by inspiring a lifelong love for literacy, transforming how children approach reading by making it not only an academic skill but a source of joy.


Designed to support young learners struggling with their literacy skills, the expert-run program provides personalized attention and strategies from an evidence-based curriculum rooted in the Science of Reading. Additionally, with knowledge gained at the DyslexiaCon training, we continue to use the most up to date research in learning to read and write. Coaches tailor each lesson to each child’s learning style by using multi-sensory techniques.


Through interactive reading sessions, storytelling, and activities designed to spark curiosity, children are not just learning to read—they’re learning how much they love it!

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