Each day begins with thoughtfully prepared classroom invitations, designed to spark children’s natural curiosity and wonder. Children are greeted with warm routines—unpacking, handwashing, and gentle transitions that set the tone for a day of exploration and discovery before choosing their centers:

Our curriculum introduces academic, social, and emotional skills through hands-on experiences and imaginative play. As the day unfolds, children gather for morning meetings and individual, small-group or teacher-led lessons surrounding exciting themes. Lunch, snack, rest time, free play, music, and gross-motor activities round out the day.

We are an all-weather school. Every day, children spend ample time outdoors, engaging with natural materials and experiencing the rhythms of the seasons.

Whether climbing, digging, pouring, or building, outdoor play develops gross and fine motor skills, fosters cooperation, and ignites wonder. Neighborhood walks take children to Fishtown landmarks like Pop’s Park, Little Free Libraries, and local art spaces, helping them connect to the vibrant community around them.

Children dive into long-term projects based on their interests—studying insects, building structures, or exploring big ideas through collective inquiry.

This project-based approach helps children develop early skills in literacy, mathematical thinking, scientific investigation, and collaborative problem-solving.

Teachers act as guides and co-learners, encouraging each child’s curiosity and supporting them as they learn to ask questions, share ideas, and try new things.

Children’s physical and emotional well-being is at the heart of everything we do. Teachers maintain a safe and welcoming environment through daily cleaning routines, allergy awareness, and ongoing safety training.

Mindfulness activities and gentle routines help children build self-regulation and resilience, while rest time allows for calming and renewal.

We believe in the power of community to enrich every child’s experience. Families are welcomed into our program as active partners—through back-to-school nights, regular newsletters, documentation of learning, narrative progress reports, and classroom events.

We invite families to share recycled materials, skills, and stories, deepening the connections between home and school.

While honoring the importance of childhood, we also keep an eye on the future. Our play-based, inquiry-rich program builds self-regulation, social problem-solving, early literacy, mathematical foundations, and scientific inquiry—key skills for kindergarten readiness and lifelong learning.

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Many students transition to the Frankford Campus when they are three, four, or five, where they have priority in the admissions process, but all children graduate from our Fishtown ECC as confident, capable, and compassionate learners, ready to thrive in their next steps and contribute thoughtfully to their communities.

Students practice kindness, inclusion, and fairness by taking turns, helping friends, and caring for shared spaces. They learn to notice how they feel and how their actions matter, using simple routines such as quiet reflection and group cleanup to build habits of respect and care. These early practices help students see that even small choices can make the classroom and the world around them better.