Weekday Preschool

About Us

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 for the next school year begins January 21, 2025. 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!

Testimonials

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.

Teacher Testimonials

Parent Testimonials

Our Classes

Threes and Young Fours

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 Pre-Kindergarten Day

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.

Overall Curriculum

Fairfax United Methodist Church Preschool’s curriculum adheres to the following overall themes.

• Children in relation to themselves – developing a positive self-concept and an awareness and understanding of physical and emotional uniqueness and growth.
• Children in relation to others – appreciating family, peers, and their home community.
• Children in relation to the physical world – developing a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty and variety in the natural world, including animals, habitats, and natural systems.
• Children in relation to the non-physical world – respecting and caring for diversity and spirituality.

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:

• Group time (stories, books, poems, show and share, etc.).
• Creative art activities and craft projects (painting, clay, collage, crayons, scissors, glue, etc.).
• Music (finger plays, singing, instruments, records, creative movement).
• Outdoor play (fenced playground with wheel toys, climbing equipment, sandbox, easels).
• Indoor movement center (for inclement weather days).
• Field trips.
• Science and nature studies (walks, gardening, animal care, study of weather and seasons, etc.).
• Snack or lunch (food preparations, cooking, nutrition).
• Play equipment and creative materials for independent or guided learning in math (blocks, puzzles, games, educational materials, toys, etc.).
• Writing center (paper, markers, scissors, glue, dictation, support of dramatic play).

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!

Standards

Fairfax United Methodist Church Preschool’s high-quality early childhood program provides the following:

• Frequent, positive, warm interactions among teachers and children.
• Planned learning activities appropriate to children’s age and development, such as reading stories, block building, painting, dress-up and active outdoor play.
• Specially trained teachers and administrators with ongoing professional development.
• Varied age-appropriate materials.
• Respect for cultural diversity and an inclusive environment.
• A healthy and safe environment for adults and children.
• Regular, two-way communication with families who are welcome visitors at all times.
• Effective administration.
• Ongoing, systematic evaluation.

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.

Office Contact

Phone: 703-591-3177
Email: preschool@fairfaxumc.org

Staff Administration

Laurie Seaton, Director

Julie Viar, Financial Manager

Visit Us

Address: 10300 Stratford Avenue, Fairfax, VA 22030