The St. Elisabeth’s Nursery School offers three distinct learning environments.

CLASSROOM: The classroom, newly renovated during the summer of 2008, serves as the primary learning environment. Most of the activities that make up our day take place in this space. The classroom is divided into several areas, each containing a variety of materials designed for thoughtful play. For example, the art area contains work tables, easels and drying racks for use during different individual and group projects. The housekeeping and dress-up area contains a miniature kitchen set as well as a host of costumes for make-believe play. The science area contains a sensory table where various tactile activities and demonstrations take place. On the large floor rug, the children interact and learn as a group—morning meetings are held there and show and tell, read-a-loud, and music-listening activities all take place there as well. In addition, the floor rug area is used for individual play—children may build with blocks, work puzzles, play with a dollhouse or miniature car garage, or sit inside the “cozy corner” tent to to read or listen to a book on tape.

PLAYGROUND: Adjacent to the St. Elisabeth’s parish center building, the enclosed playground is outfitted with a variety of equipment such as a climber and slides, a large playhouse, and sand box. Weather permitting, the children spend some time each day outdoors in this area to allow them the opportunity to develop their gross motor skills.

BASEMENT GYM: This large space on the lower level of the St. Elisabeth’s parish center offers a bright and cheerfully decorated place for the children on days when the weather is inclement and, thus, the playground is not available for use. The basement gym is equipped with climbers and slides, bikes and scooters, a sensory table, large manipulatives, and blocks among many other things.