Our Philosophy
At Roseville Parent Education Preschool (RPEP), we believe children learn best through play, exploration, and strong family involvement. As a parent-participation, play-based preschool, our 1:5 adult-child ratio—made possible by caregiver involvement—creates a supportive and enriching environment.
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Our child-led, all-weather approach fosters curiosity, confidence, and independence, while outdoor exploration and healthy risk-taking help build resilience and self-trust. We prioritize emotional regulation, guiding children to express and manage feelings through connection and play.
Studies show that parents involved in cooperative preschools remain engaged in their children’s education, strengthening their confidence and self-esteem. By partnering with families, RPEP nurtures a love of learning that extends far beyond preschool—preparing children not just for school, but for life.
Why Play is important..
Recent research continues to affirm the essential role of play in child development. Studies have shown that play is crucial for developing cognitive skills, emotional well-being, and social abilities. For instance, engaging in active, creative play benefits nearly every aspect of child development, including language acquisition, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.
Moreover, play is fundamentally important for 21st-century skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity. It also helps relieve stress and supports emotional regulation.
Additionally, research indicates that unstructured play is vital for children’s mental health, confidence, and language
What is Play-Based Learning?
Outdoor Play: Children need fresh air and exercise, as it helps develop strong muscles and healthy bodies. Physical play develops body awareness (balance, strength, coordination) and builds confidence. Listening Center/Story Time: Sitting quietly develops concentration and attention skills. It is also an introduction to the wonderful world of books and reading. Block Building: Building is a bridge between pretend and reality. It provides experience in spatial relationships, opportunities for sharing, and develops large and small muscle control. Blocks also provide pre-math experience through size and shape sorting, as well as balance. Open-Ended Art: Art provides an opportunity for self-expression and enjoyment. The process is more important than the product. Children build confidence through the fun of creating; they learn colors, and develop fine motor skills. ​ Cutting and Pasting: These activities help develop the muscles in little hands and fingers, which is a prerequisite for writing. Different textures, shapes and objects to glue allow for self-expression, and children enjoy their creations enormously. Play Dough and Clay: Modeling provides release for aggressive feelings and offers general creative enjoyment. It also provides the visual discrimination of the clay shape against the background, which is a necessary skill for reading. Water Play and Sandbox: Play in these areas encourages experimentation in texture and measurement. It also presents science and math concepts in a fun way. ​ Music and Movement: These provide a means of self-expression through experimentation with songs, instruments, finger plays, games and dancing. These are excellent ways for children to develop the ability to make their own pictures in their head - which is a crucial reading skill. Dramatic Play: This type of play is used to re-enact experiences and stories, fears and feelings. It allows children to try out different roles, to sort through emotions, and promotes cooperation. Language Communication: Communication and speech improve enormously at preschool. They are developed through all forms of play. Table Toys: Puzzles, beads, and other games help a child develop hand-eye coordination, sequencing skills, ability to follow directions, and concentration. ​ Science: Objects and experiments feed a child's natural curiosity about the world around them and expand general knowledge. Sensory Area: Various sensory-motor activities develop fine-motor skills and encourage self-expression.