Jack and Jill Cooperative Preschool occupies the bottom floor of Grace Baptist Church in the North End of Tacoma. The interior of our school is comprised of three classrooms, two private bathrooms (one with a changing table), as well as a foyer with a secure entrance. The foyer provides a place for parents to gather during class time and for children to transition into and out of school. Outside there is an enclosed playground that provides children with a safe place to play.
Circle Room
The Circle Room, as with all of our rooms, is multi-functional. It serves as a gathering place for our group time and often as a dance floor for our music time. There are blocks, both large and small, for muscle development, creative thinking, and math concepts in this area. This room also includes a library section, a manipulatives area, and the discovery center for science exploration.
Muscle Room
The Muscle Room is filled with equipment that encourages the development of gross motor skills. The centerpiece of the Muscle Room is an indoor play structure that safely allows for climbing, jumping, and sliding. This is so important when inclement weather prevents the children from going outside! The Muscle Room also houses a train table with wooden tracks and trains, large exercise balls, a balance board, toy cars and trucks, dollhouses, big pillows, and stuffed animals.
Art Room
In the Art Room you will find an open area for children to explore and make their own choices in various media, which often makes it the busiest room in our school! There is a writing desk where children are invited to expand their manual dexterity skills while creating books or mail for friends. Another focal area in this room is the sensory table, through which the children are offered the opportunity to utilize many skills that encompass all domains of early childhood development. The Art Room is also used for our snack time. Snack time gives the children the chance to practice manners and cooperation.
Imaginative Play Area
The Imaginative Play Area is in an alcove adjacent to the Art Room and contains many items that encourage the children to use their imaginations and engage in role playing. There are baby dolls and clothes, costumes for dress-up, a small kitchen set up with play food, cash registers, and toy kitchen appliances. With the children playing together and using their imaginations for creativity, they are also practicing the skills of turn taking, cooperation, sharing, peer interaction, and empathy.
Playground
Our private, safe, and secure playground allows for the the children to get outside and run, jump, and climb freely, furthering their gross motor skill development. Our playground focuses on natural play, with equipment made from natural materials. There is a stage for performances by children and a log cabin just big enough to provide shelter and imaginative play for little ones! We have a watch tower accessed by either a climbing wall or a notched log stepper, with a slide for easy exits. The playground also has a large sandbox, a garden, several musical instruments, and an area for riding in toy cars, drawing with chalk, and playing ball.
