Fairfax UMC Preschool offers classes for 3s, 4s, and PreK, as well as Early Bird and Lunch Bunch programs. Click the button at right to register or click through the tabs below to learn more about our classes, curriculum, activities, and more.
Fairfax UMC Preschool is located in Fairfax City near the intersection of Route 50 and Route 123. Since we opened in 1976, we have been characterized by our staff’s passion for working with young children and dedication to offering high quality education and care.
Fairfax UMC Preschool is an outreach of Fairfax United Methodist Church, but we welcome all students, and we love to share in the traditions, music, and foods of all our preschool families. Registration begins the first week of January for church members and returning preschool families and the third week of January for new families. We enroll students on a first-come, first-served basis.
We invite you to contact our preschool to ask questions, meet the teachers, or arrange a personal tour of our bright classrooms and wonderful outdoor play area. You can contact us by phone at 703-591-3177 or by email at preschool@fairfaxumc.org. Please consider joining the Fairfax UMC Preschool family!
Curious what others think of Fairfax UMC Preschool? Watch our teacher and parent testimonials and discover their experiences and what they love about our program.
Early Birds and Lunch Bunch are both optional extended-day programs.
You can register your child for Early Birds, Lunch Bunch, or both via a paper registration form available at the preschool office. Early Bird sessions cost $10 each, and Lunch Bunch sessions cost $20 each. However, both programs offer a 10% discount for full-year registration.
We celebrate special events for children throughout the year. Some favorite events include Mother’s Day, Dad’s Day, our Halloween Parade, a Thanksgiving Day Feast, Christmas programs, Easter activities, and, of course, your child’s birthday! Additionally, we enjoy visits from special groups like puppet shows, storytellers, professional musicians, interactive theater groups, and community helpers such as the police and fire departments.
Our students go on exciting field trips to the planetarium, nature centers and parks, and other locations related to the class curriculum. All children are required to travel in car seats in the rear seat of cars driven by our parent volunteers.
Our normal weekly routine includes many fun and educational activities such as the following:
We love to have our families involved in our program, although this is not required. Teachers welcome parents to help in the classrooms, to share special crafts, projects, and skills, and to provide extra supervision for special events.
Our primary focus for our Threes is supporting independence and self-help skills. Teachers aid children in their language development, help them understand and learn how to follow directions, and facilitate their problem-solving skills through a variety of social, emotional, and physical experiences.
Our Fours receive structured and free play experiences in literacy, mathematics, science, history, and physical/motor development. We offer a project-based approach with week- or month-long themes. This provides teachers time to guide children through interactive in-depth studies through stories, imaginative play, games, art, and hands-on activities to support the theme.
There are two teachers in each classroom and generally no more than 16 children per class. Learn more about our programs under the Curriculum tab.
Our day begins with a staff member greeting and walking each child to the classroom. Once there, children wash their hands, “sign in” by finding their nametag and posting it, and receive a few words describing the activities and materials available for the day.
Children have free time to explore the various centers in the room: sensory table, easel, literacy center, manipulatives, blocks, dramatic play, play-dough, floor toys, and more. During this time, they have opportunities to make discoveries about art, the natural world, literature, construction, math and music while gaining experience and confidence in their emerging fine and gross motor skills. Each center offers similar opportunities to gain skills and experience for the whole child: intellectually, creatively, socially, physically, and spiritually. A typical day incorporates circle time with a story, songs, games, a teacher-guided project, snack, a second circle and weather permitting, outdoor play. Many special activities occur regularly. Learn more about these on the “Activities” tab.
Our PreK program offers older Fours an opportunity to experience preschool in a more rigorous way. PreK students have the gift of time to practice and refine previously learned skills and master new ones as they prepare for kindergarten while still focusing on the elements of wonder, discovery, and joy of learning. They continue to develop emergent reading and writing skills, and the class features an emphasis on STEM learning. Five extended days a week together allows more time for deeper exploration of unit themes and added continuity and carry-over for more involved projects. Learn more about this under the Curriculum tab.
There are two teachers in each classroom and generally no more than 16–18 children per class.
PreK class offers all the elements you see above listed in “Our Preschool Day” as well as additional content geared towards slightly older students.
A typical day in PreK opens with our first circle time, in which children engage with a bilingual greeting song, a prayer, job assignments, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a morning message relevant to the day’s lessons, as well as a review of letter names and sounds and a story. Children are encouraged to give opinions and share ideas and thoughts. Every effort is made to help students feel safe and confident to express themselves freely. They share the day’s news and lead discussions about the question of the day.
First circle time is followed by activity time, which can include handwriting practice, arts and crafts, science experiments, journaling, and math activities. Next, children enjoy an outdoor break. Then, they return for a second circle, in which we sing songs, take turns being weather reporters, and practice our numbers, shapes, and colors in both English and Spanish.
After the second circle, children enjoy a snack, followed by quiet reading time. Children choose from a curated selection of diverse books with engaging content and simple words to spark their love for reading. Lastly, during closing circle, we dance to Spanish songs that teach vocabulary like shapes, numbers, colors, and parts of the body and read books chosen by the children.
Fairfax United Methodist Church Preschool’s curriculum adheres to the following overall themes.
These themes are addressed throughout the year by providing a variety of active learning experiences with literature, music, art, science, health, mathematics, and physical education appropriate to the children’s development levels. Activity or learning centers are maintained within each classroom. Children have opportunities to participate in large groups, small groups, self-selected groups, and individually. In this way, the children encounter many opportunities to gain in language skills, to expand their knowledge, to grow in curiosity, to problem-solve and create, and to improve physical skills. Activities offered include:
Children learn through their important relationships. This is called social learning.
Children learn when they feel good and are engaged in what they are learning. This is called emotional learning.
Children learn when they are making sense of their world. This is called intellectual learning.
Social, emotional, and intellectual learning are all equally important in a complete and well-rounded education.
We challenge each child to do their best and celebrate each victory, no matter how small!
Fairfax United Methodist Church Preschool’s high-quality early childhood program provides the following:
Our program is approved by the Fairfax County’s Office for Children as a Child Care Center and licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Matters relating to health and safety are thoroughly reviewed during biannual, unannounced inspections conducted by a state licensing inspector. Inspection reports are posted for review. Fairfax United Methodist Church Preschool takes great pride in our outstanding safety record.
Both of these programs are available in Full Year (with discount), Custom, and Drop-in formats. Registration for these programs is on paper only and is handled directly through the preschool office staff at the beginning of the school year.
Virginia State School Entrance Health Form
Phone: 703-591-3177
Email: preschool@fairfaxumc.org
Laurie Seaton, Director
Julie Viar, Financial Manager
Address: 10300 Stratford Avenue, Fairfax, VA 22030
2024-2025 Preschool Calendar
Phone: 703-591-3177
Email: preschool@fairfaxumc.org
In an attempt to protect children with serious allergies, we strive to be a PEANUT AND TREE NUT FREE environment.
Our Preschool admits students of any race, religion, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available at the school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national and ethnic origin in administration of our educational policies, scholarship programs, and other school-administered programs.
In response to national concerns and local regulations, FUMC Preschool has conducted water-sample testing on all fixtures in our school. 100% of in-use fixtures complied with EPA guidelines. This testing is a regularly occurring process to ensure that our water supply is clean and healthy.