Frequently Asked Questions:

What are your hours and attendance options?

We operate from 9 am - 12:30 pm, Monday-Thursday. Our program begins after Labor Day and runs through mid-June. We offer 3 attendance options: M/W, T/Th, or all 4 mornings.

Where are you located?

The preschool program is home-based and located in South Hagerstown.

What style of preschool is Little Lilac Preschool?

We are a mix of several schools of thought regarding preschool. We are a play-based program, so first and foremost, we follow the children. However, we are heavily influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach and the forest/nature school model. We also operate as a screen-free program.

What curriculum do you use?

We observe an emergent curriculum. This means that learning is focused on things as the children explore and learn. For example, in spring, children might be curious about all the birds in the backyard, so we may do a study on birds. Appropriate preschool skills such as math, literacy, fine motor, and large motor activities are naturally built in to all the activities we do and children are allowed to openly explore and practice these skills at any time. Our program has a whole child approach, meaning that we also focus on the social and emotional aspects of preschool and give children time to practice these skills often. We have a school garden and spend a lot of time exploring and learning in the garden space.

Do you go outside every day, even when it’s cold?

Yes. Little Lilac Preschool provides much of the gear needed so that we can play safely outdoors in all weather. If weather is unsafe or conditions are dire, we do not play outside. We spend at least 50% of our day (sometimes more) outside. We participate in the 1000 Hours Outside movement and we are happy to share tracked hours with families to add to their own yearly total.

* Little Lilac Preschool is a MD EXCELS Level 1 Facility. We are also a member of the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children,) ERAFANS (Eastern Region Association of Forest & Nature Schools,) and IPA USA (International Play Association).