At Hometown Academy, we know children grow and learn best when their experiences are tailored to their stage of development. That’s why our programs are designed with clear age groups, each offering a balance of play, exploration, and skill-building activities — all enriched with STEM learning that sparks curiosity from day one.
Early Explorers (Ages 1–2)
Our youngest learners are just beginning to explore the world around them, and every experience is an opportunity for growth. Each day is filled with sensory play that engages sight, sound, touch, and movement. Teachers guide children through cause-and-effect activities, such as stacking blocks or pouring water, to develop problem-solving skills. Language development is encouraged through songs, finger plays, and storytelling, while soft climbing structures and movement games help build gross motor skills. STEM is woven into daily routines through texture exploration, simple sorting and classifying, and noticing patterns in the environment — planting the seeds of curiosity in even our tiniest learners.
Young Innovators (Ages 3–4)
As children become more independent, their natural curiosity and imagination take center stage. In the Young Innovators program, hands-on exploration drives learning. Children work together on building challenges, engage in beginner science experiments like mixing colors or growing plants, and explore the outdoors to observe weather, insects, and natural changes. Early literacy is fostered through letter recognition, storytelling, and rhyming activities, while math skills grow through counting games, shape hunts, and simple measurements. Social–emotional learning is a daily focus, helping children share, cooperate, and express themselves. STEM is fully integrated through open-ended projects that invite children to ask “what if” and “why,” encouraging both creativity and critical thinking.
Pre-K Pioneers (Ages 4–5)
Our Pre-K Pioneers are ready to take their learning to the next level as they prepare for kindergarten. Academic readiness blends seamlessly with STEM-rich experiences that challenge students to think critically, work collaboratively, and communicate their ideas. Children use age-appropriate coding tools to understand sequencing and problem-solving, design and test structures in our engineering stations, and conduct science experiments that explore cause and effect. Alongside STEM, literacy skills are strengthened through phonics, guided reading, and early writing, while math learning covers patterns, addition, subtraction, and graphing. Leadership skills are encouraged by giving children classroom responsibilities, and social–emotional learning prepares them for the structure and expectations of elementary school. By the end of this program, children leave confident, capable, and excited for the next stage of their education.
STEM in Every Stage
From our sensory tables to our STEM stations, every child at Hometown Academy benefits from engaging, developmentally appropriate science, technology, engineering, and math activities. STEM isn’t taught as a separate subject — it’s a natural part of our daily learning. Whether a toddler is stacking cups, a preschooler is coding a robot, or a pre-kindergartener is testing bridge designs, each activity is designed to encourage exploration, experimentation, and a lifelong love of learning.