Where Curiosity Leads and Confidence Grows: Inside Our Threes and Fours Programs
This blog was written by Melissa Barissi, the Director of the Threes and Fours program
At York Avenue Day School, we believe early childhood education should be a joyful and enriching experience. Our Threes and Fours programs nurture curiosity, independence, and a love for learning, all while supporting children’s developmental needs. As the oldest age groups in our school, we focus on continuity, helping children feel secure and confident as they grow. By building on their existing skills and experiences, we create a smooth transition and a supportive learning environment.
A Balanced Approach to Learning
We understand that young children learn best through a mix of guided instruction and hands-on, independent exploration. That’s why our program thoughtfully blends teacher-led activities with open-ended play, creating meaningful learning experiences.
Structured Learning: Our educators introduce early literacy, math, science, the arts, and social-emotional development through engaging lessons, stories, and group activities. These experiences help children build confidence, develop foundational academic skills, and learn to work collaboratively.
Open-Ended Exploration: Equally important, we provide plenty of opportunities for children to make choices, explore materials, and engage in creative play. This fosters independence, problem-solving, and a lifelong love of learning.
The Threes Program: Growing Independence and Social Skills
Moving from the Twos to the Threes marks an important developmental leap. Social-emotional development remains a key focus in the classroom. In the Twos, many children were experiencing school for the first time, learning to communicate their needs and navigate social interactions. Now, as Threes, they are ready to deepen those connections—learning to express their thoughts and emotions, build friendships, and contribute to their classroom community.
At the start of the year, teachers provide strong guidance, modeling language and behavior that helps children advocate for themselves and resolve conflict. As the year progresses, they gradually step back, empowering children to take the lead in problem-solving and expressing their wants and needs. This focus on social-emotional growth builds empathy and cooperation, encouraging children to take ownership of their actions, relationships, and learning.
The Threes year is also an exciting time for academic discovery. Through a thoughtfully designed, emergent curriculum, children are developing foundational skills in math, literacy, and science. More importantly, they are discovering who they are as learners—how they approach challenges, solve problems, and engage with new concepts.
Our teachers closely observe each child’s interests and weave them into the curriculum, making learning dynamic and meaningful. For example, if a group of children becomes fascinated with building, teachers might introduce engineering concepts and collaborative problem-solving while seamlessly incorporating academic standards and developmental goals. This responsive approach keeps children engaged, fostering curiosity and critical thinking.
The Fours Program: Preparing for Kindergarten and Beyond
As the final year in our program, the Fours year is about equipping children with the skills and attributes needed for a smooth transition to kindergarten. Like the Threes program, the Fours curriculum is guided by children’s interests, but with an added emphasis on kindergarten readiness. Our Fours teachers and educational director closely observe students and refine best practices to develop phonics and math programs tailored to their needs. By incorporating auditory, visual, and hands-on learning experiences, we ensure that every child remains actively engaged.
Understanding that children learn in different ways, our experienced teachers use differentiated instruction to meet each child where they are academically while challenging them to grow. Small group work and individualized learning plans allow for targeted support. For example, during math time, you might see the entire class playing a game focused on the concept of more and less. Within that activity, differentiation is seamlessly integrated—one group might use a six-sided die with dots, another with numerals, and yet another might work with a ten-, twelve-, or even sixteen-sided die. This thoughtful approach ensures that every child engages with the same concept at an appropriate level, building knowledge, and independence.
Ready for What Comes Next – A Journey Through Exmissions
At York Avenue Day School, we are committed to helping each family find the right kindergarten placement for their child. This journey begins in the spring of your child’s Threes year with an informational meeting led by our educational and admission directors. This session serves as a starting point for reflecting on your child’s learning style and considering which school environment will be the best fit.
Whether your family chooses a public or private school path, we provide personalized support every step of the way. From helping you research and rank schools, prepare for visits, review application essays, and advocate for your child, we are here to guide you through the entire process. Our goal is to ensure that every child transitions to their next school with confidence, excitement, and a strong foundation built during their time here at York Avenue Day School.