All Things Preschool

Preschool is not a one-size-fits-all experience, so we offer half-day (8:15-11:15am) or full-day (8:15am-3:15pm) options to fit the needs of your child and family’s schedule. A partnership with parents is important in a child’s education, so we welcome you to volunteer in the classroom (although it’s not required) and to participate on field trips with your children.

3-year-old English Preschools @ South Side & Rose Park:

Your child will explore, create, and discover the beginning structures of a classroom routine in this warm introduction to school. Students engage in learning activities to promote academic, social, emotional, and spiritual development. Our early childhood teachers help our students discover God’s love and how to share it with others, and equip them to learn how to create positive interactions with classmates and adults. 3-year-old preschools are for children who are toilet-trained and are 3 years old by September 1.

• You may choose a 3-year-old 3-day-week program with classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; or a 5-day a week program that meets Monday-Friday.
• You may also choose whether you would like your 3-year-old English preschooler in a half day 8:15am-11:15am program, or a full day 8:15am-3:15pm program.

4-year-old English Preschools @ South Side & Rose Park:

Your child will discover and expand their knowledge of letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and other kindergarten readiness skills in this hands-on class. Our preschool teachers are trained to recognize students’ unique gifts and developmental characteristics, and provide appropriately scaffolded activities for 4-year-olds to learn and grow. 4-year-old preschool classes are for children who are toilet-trained and are 4 years old by September 1.

• You may choose a 4-year-old 3-day-week program with classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; or a 5-day a week program that meets Monday-Friday.
• You may also choose whether you would like your 4-year-old English preschooler in a half day 8:15am-11:15am program, or a full day 8:15am-3:15pm program.

Spanish Immersion Preschools @ Rose Park:

• Our Spanish immersion program for 3-year-olds focuses on learning through interactive play, creating routines and discovering God’s creation outdoors in Spanish. Your child will learn words, phrases, songs and poems in Spanish that will kickstart their Spanish journey with us at Holland Christian. 3-year-old Spanish Immersion preschool meets 2 days a week on Tuesdays and Fridays at our Rose Park Campus, and parents also can choose half days or full days. On full days, afternoons will be taught in English.
• Our Spanish Immersion 4-year-olds classroom focuses on interactive play through themes of study. They start to learn how to ask and answer questions, engage and greet their peers, while also learning the fundamental letters, numbers, shapes and colors all in Spanish. Our teachers help students learn and grow in their character development and in who God made them to be as children of God. 4-year-old Spanish Immersion preschool meets 3 days a week at Rose Park on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and parents also can choose half days or full days. On full days, afternoons will be taught in English.

If you are enrolling your child into a full day preschool classroom that includes afternoon programming, your child will engage in a developmentally-appropriate theme-based activity, hands-on inquiry-based learning, snack/rest time, as well as plenty of physical movement. Each afternoon has its own focus and is designed specifically for the needs of each separate classroom based on age:

• Monday: Little Travelers provides an extension to our social studies curriculum. Preschoolers experience the world outside of their communities and discover just how big God created our world.
• Tuesday: Little Scientists lets students get “down and dirty” with science and math! This afternoon offers a STEM-based opportunity for preschoolers and features a project-based, hands-on, child-centered environment. Children make, create, and experiment with all things science and math, building a foundation for success in kindergarten and beyond.
• Wednesday: Little Athletes is an afternoon focused on gross motor development, which is an essential kindergarten readiness skill and an important element of a child’s physical and emotional health. Every month this class highlights a specific skill children learn and explore through games and hands-on activities to help strengthen gross motor development.
• Thursday: Little Explorers offers students a taste of our Forest School program and experiences in God’s creation in the great outdoors guided by our HC preschool staff. In tandem with classroom activities, preschoolers learn recycling, bird life, animal tracks, animal homes, and much more.
• Friday: Teachers Choice focuses on a different fun and educational theme each month dealing with everything from art, to math, to science. The activities include fine motor, gross motor, creative (music and art), and sensory experiences.

If your child could use the gift of time before starting kindergarten, or your 4-year-old is ready for an accelerated experience, our Young Fives might be the perfect fit. Learn more about our Young Fives classes at both Rose Park and South Side on our All Things Kindergarten Page

23-24 preschool application opens on February 1, 2023 at 9am. You can apply online at our Apply page, or call our admissions at 616.820.2806 to complete the application with us in person.

If you are interested, we enjoy giving tours and scheduling classroom visits for prospective parents! To plan a visit, go to our “Plan Your Visit” page. You can check on class availability or ask questions about the preschool program by contacting our Admissions Department, at 616.820.2806 or filling out our contact form.

If you love our preschool program, you’ll love kindergarten at Holland Christian too! Try out kindergarten at a reduced rate by using the ABC (A Beginning Commitment) Grant given to you if you’re enrolled in our early childhood programs. Families who enroll their child in preschool and then kindergarten and 1st grade the following years at Holland Christian receive a one-time $1,000 grant for $500 off kindergarten and $500 off 1st grade tuition.

• Children need to be 3 years old for the 3’s program, 4 for the 4’s program and 5 for kindergarten by September 1, 2022, to enroll.
• Children enrolling in Young Fives should be 5 by December 1 in order to enroll.
• Preschool children also need to be toilet-trained by the start of the school year.

• In all of our preschools we have happily adopted and adapted the Creative Curriculum for Preschool that has been nationally proven to improve kindergarten readiness and support the whole child with its focus social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development. We’ve simply added the spiritual development portion, and made it local to Holland, Michigan, and all our area has to offer both outside and inside!
• In 3-year-old preschool, children explore, create, play, and discover the beginning structures of a classroom routine. Students engage in learning activities that promote their academic, social, emotional, and spiritual development. Our early childhood teachers help students discover God’s love and how to share it with others, and equip them to create positive interactions with classmates and adults.
• In our hands-on 4-year-old preschool classes, children discover and expand their knowledge of letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and other kindergarten readiness skills.
• Our 3-year-old and 4-year-old Spanish Immersion preschool classes have the same goals as their English counterparts except that classes are taught in Spanish. English is used at the beginning of the school year and Spanish is introduced once students are comfortable with the teacher and the daily classroom routine. No previous knowledge of Spanish is expected or required, and it’s truly amazing how much Spanish these little ones are speaking and understanding within just weeks!
• If you are interested in an accelerated program for your 4-year-old, you may want to check out our Young Fives classes our Kindergarten Page. The content and teaching style of Young Fives is perfect for 4-year-olds who are ready for an accelerated experience based on the teacher’s input, alongside 5-year-olds who need the gift of time before starting kindergarten. However, the schedule and focus is more kindergarten than preschool.

All of our preschool and kindergarten teachers hold bachelor’s or master’s degrees in elementary education or early childhood education. Our preschools are licensed by the State of Michigan. Furthermore, Holland Christian Schools holds dual accreditation through Christian Schools International (CSI) and Advanced Ed.

Meet our preschool teachers through this article about them entitled “Presenting HC Preschool” that was published January 2023 in our Connections alumni magazine.

From our youngest learners, all the way through high school, our Christian faith is integrated in all that we do. And not just in things like prayer, devotions, Bible stories, and praise and worship, but in EVERYTHING we do! Our faith is the lens through which we teach all pieces of our rigorous curriculum, handle discipline and student behavior, and manage every detail of the school day. It is a special privilege to partner with parents in the spiritual formation of their children. You can read more about our faith development across all grade levels on our Faith Development page. 

A partnership with parents is important in a child’s education, so we welcome parent volunteers in the classroom in a variety of ways—although it’s not required—and encourage parents to participate on field trips with their children.

• * Monthly payments are on 9-month schedule September-May of the school year.
• Financial aid is available for 3’s preschool through our partnership with Ready for School. Contact them at readyforschool.org to learn more.
• Significant financial aid is available for our families with students enrolled in our Young Fives-12th grade. We do not provide financial aid for families with only preschool enrollment; however we do factor preschool tuition costs when awarding tuition assistance for families with children enrolled in our preschool and K-12 programs.
• More than $2 million in financial aid is awarded every year through our different programs. Please see additional details at hollandchristian.org/financialaid.
• We truly want to work with parents who desire Christian education for their family to make it affordable for them. If you have questions about tuition or financial aid, please contact our Tuition Accounts Manager, Terry VanderKolk, at 616.820.2807 or tvanderkolk@hollandchristian.org.

• Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis, and some classes fill quickly, so please apply early to ensure your spot! Preschool applications require a $75 deposit that applies directly to your child’s tuition.
• Preschool applications open on February 1 at 7 am online on our Apply page and continue to accept registration until the classes are full.
• If you run stuck or have questions about the application process or class waiting lists, please contact our admissions team at 616.820.2804 or filling out our contact form.