Where To?
3-and 4-Year Old Program
Your child must be
3 years old
by August 31 of his or her year of enrollment
to participate in this program.
Pre-K Program
Your child must be
4 years old
by August 31 of his or her year of enrollment
to participate in this program.
Program options
The Program at The Wilder School!
Wilder Memorial Nursery School · Founded in 1924 · Hingham, MA
Days and Hours of Operation
Wilder School is open Monday through Friday, from a week after the opening of the Public Schools until the second Friday after Memorial Day.
Our morning classes run from 8:30AM to 11:30AM, Monday through Friday. The afternoon sessions for Pre-K classes run from 12:30PM to 3:30PM, Monday through Thursday, and Tuesday through Thursday for the younger class.
Program Plan & Learning Objectives
Teachers are always ready for those unplanned "teachable" moments that occur when children are playing. The teacher's plan du jour often changes when children become creative. In the words of one teacher, "The very best things just happen!"
We recognize the importance of the environment in the life of a child; it will have a direct effect on his or her development. Our program is planned with a special blend of structure that is open and flexible. We want children to feel physically safe and emotionally secure while they are at school. We are not concerned with the product they create but rather the process. Hands-on, open-ended experiences help children to learn.
topAges and Stages
Wilder professes to have a developmental approach to early education. What does developmental really mean?
- It means that each child develops and grows mentally and physically at his or her own individual pace, not adhering to a standard.
- It acknowledges that there are behavioral and emotional changes that go along with the physical growth of a child.
- It recognizes that environment has a tremendous effect on the development of a child; that there is both nature and nurture at work in a child's life.
At times learning is VERTICAL; sometimes it is HORIZONTAL! Wilder teachers encourage children to seek further, to observe, to study, to question, to ask the "what ifs."
The staff recognizes different growth patterns in children. A three-year-old might not use a piece of equipment the same way a five-year-old would; yet even several five-year-olds may well use the same piece of equipment differently. There is a constant growth progression in a child that can be observed in their use of equipment and toys. To that end, we offer a varied and engaging curriculum and a variety of tools that will appeal to all the "ages and stages" of our students.
Teachers know what to expect at different ages and stages, but respect the individuality of the child and the different processes used by each child to "figure things out" on their own. Our teachers hope to challenge but not discourage a child.
topProgram Options
3-and 4-Year Olds
Your child must be 3-years old by August 31 of the year they wish to enroll to participate in this program
- Morning classes (running 8:30am-11:30am)
- 3-Mornings (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
- 2-Mornings (Tuesday, Thursday)
- Afternoon classes (running 12:30-3:30pm)
- 3-Afternoons (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
Pre-Kindergarten
Your child must be 4-years old August 31 of the year they wish to enroll to participate in the Pre-Kindergarten program.
- Morning classes (running 8:30am-11:30am) see note
- 5-Mornings
- 3-Mornings (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
- Afternoon classes (running 12:30-3:30pm)
- 4-Afternoons (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
Fun 'Til One for Morning Pre-K
Note: All children in the morning Pre-K classes have the opportunity of participating in Fun 'Til One on Mondays and/or Fridays. The children bring a lunch and are dismissed at 1:00pm rather than 11:30am. Sign-ups are done during the month of September after children have already started their school year.
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