Open Time

There is a lot of play going on at Canterbury Community Nursery School and there should be! Research on children's learning and development documents the benefits of play for children's intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and language development. Children at play are actively involved in creating themes, exploring and establishing environments, solving problems, and developing shared understandings. As children play together they learn to see other children's point of view and begin to become more empathetic and caring. They develop techniques for making friends, sharing, tolerance, patience, and sensitivity to others.

In 1978, Canterbury implemented an Open Time program to meet the diverse and ever changing learning styles of children and to begin fostering a life long love of learning, discovery, and creativity. This multi-age, room specific hour offers children many benefits not possible in a self-contained classroom. During Open Time, children may choose from rooms devoted to art, carpentry, dramatic play, an imagination station, a listening station, process, and science. Children are taught to make constructive use of their time and are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities. They are allowed to make choices for themselves based on individual interests. This fosters independence, risk taking, decision making, and exploration. Children learn to make simple plans at age appropriate levels.

The number of children in each classroom is regulated by the use of colored clothespins as "tickets" to enter each room. During this hour there is a hall teacher helping children make choices and gathering groups to go outside for each of the three playground times. Listed below are the activity centers available at Open Time:

Room	Activity
Red	Imagination Station - Activities that promote imaginative play.
Yellow	Library - Children may read and check out books.
Orange	Thinking Room - Activities that strengthen fine motor skills and cognitive skills - Process Table.
Green	Art - Creative learning with painting and pasting; experimenting with other media.
Blue	Drama & Carpentry - Puppetry, storytelling props, hammering, and woodworking.
Polka Dot	Movement & Music - The children will be able to explore balance, movement, and coordination in a creative environment.
Purple	Science- Sensory exploration and experimentation.
Main Hallway	Technology Lab - Small groups utilize computers for learning new skills.
Outside	Motor Development - Playground, sandbox, and more. On Fridays, organized movement and fun physical activities.

Address: 8960 B River Road, Richmond, Virginia 23229

804.741.4118