Rainbow Kids Integral Preschool is in the Mira Mesa/Scripps Ranch/Sorrento Valley area of San Diego, and serves children from ages 2 1/2 to 5. It is innovative and fun! With low student/teacher ratios, individual learning plans for each child, and a focus on helping the children find a true joy in learning, the Rainbow Kids Integral Preschool is really all about the kids! Through unique programs such as yoga for children, and an emphasis on the creative arts, as well as learning their numbers and letters, not only do the children experience joy, but the faculty and families do too!
Integral education begins with the inborn qualities of each child: eyes big with wonder; boundless curiosity; small hands extended in trust to people and the world; and a profound interest in meaningful activity, self-expression, courage, laughter, and love. Integral education prizes these qualities. Integral Education is a philosophy and practice of education for the whole child: mind, body, heart and soul.
In the preschool program, thematic learning forms the core curriculum, with an emphasis on practical life, sensorial development and social development. Throughout the year there is a progression in complexity of materials offered, and the precision and refinement of skills and performance expected of the child increases as he matures. We introduce the children to a wide variety of information during the year through our weekly themes. Our weekly themes are as varied as: outer space, pond life, dinosaurs, flowers, the 5 senses, weather, farm life, etc. Additionally, we have two letters of the week, a number of the week, colors of the week, shape of the week, and community worker of the week. We offer daily some form of creative movement, dance or yoga. And we introduce a new continent about every eight weeks to the children as well. During each continent’s period, we introduce countries, their languages, customs, food, dress, etc. The teachers observe each child’s inclinations and typical areas of focus, and encourage them to develop in those directions, so that they grow according to the best in their own being.
Here’s what some preschool parents have to say about Rainbow Kids:
“Our daughter Rose has been in Rainbow Kids Integral Preschool for one year. When she started school we were allowed to take our time in transitioning her into the school environment and away from us. She has been thriving in the RKIP environment. Rose is excited to go to school and participate. She has never been coerced into doing things she is not ready to do. We are excited to have her meditate. She learns so much at school that the time we spend together out of school can be fun. Rose’s experience at RKIP is positive and nurturing. The staff is absolutely the best.”
“Julie is our single child after 12 years of marriage. As one can imagine, we wanted to give her the best of everything. Sending her to the Rainbow Kids Integral Preschool is one of the best things that we have done for her. Julie was only three years old but had already attended three other preschools (including a Montessori school). Almost immediately, we saw how the Rainbow Kids School made a difference. For example, in the other schools, when we went to pick Julie up at the end of the day, she always ran to us wanting to go home right away. But starting right away in her first week at Rainbow Kids, Julie wanted to stay longer and do more “work” when we went to pick her up. It used to be very hard to convince Julie to go to school in the morning. Now she even wants to go to school on weekends! We were also impressed by Julie’s head teacher Ms. Nancy. Her patience and support greatly helped Julie to overcome her shyness in terms of communication with the teacher and the other kids. We were always delighted to discover Ms. Nancy’s efficient teaching skills reflected in Julie playing school in the evenings. We don’t have enough good things to say about this school. All the staff there are so loving, caring, and full of entrepreneurship sprit; you can see that their heart is completely into making the Rainbow Kids Integral Preschool a model success of Integral Education.”
