Read more about our Preschool in these two Beacon Newspaper articles.

Pint-Size Pupils Perform to Close Year at Wesley   May 28, 2010

School Changes an Adoptive Parent's Life   June 7, 2010

We are located in Wesley United Methodist Church located on the near west side of Aurora at the corner of West Galena Blvd. and May St. which is one block east of Highland Ave.  Please call or send email to set up a tour of our school.   Our school is licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).   We welcome you and hope you will come to visit soon.  

Carole Ruby, Director

Our Mission Statement

Wesley Nursery School exists to provide a high quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood program in a safe, caring, nurturing, Christian environment for children 3 - 5 years of age.  The school is sponsored by Wesley United Methodist Church of Aurora and is offered as a service to our community.

Our Philosophy

Our early childhood program is guided by the philosophy of learning through play.  The child learns how to share, create, cooperate, interact, communicate, and solve problems through play.  Because each child is individual and unique, emphasis is placed on developing a positive self-concept.  The preschool environment will encourage acceptance and growth of each child.  Support for all children will be provided by loving, happy, knowledgeable staff in a working partnership with family, church, and school.

Preschool years are the building blocks to the future.  Children learn through play in an environment that provides "hands-on" experimenting through age appropriate materials.   The children participate in free play, group games, stories, music/singing, art activities, and large motor activities indoors in the gym or outside on the playground.  Through these activities the child develops self-control, physical coordination, and social skills.  Activities are planned around themes involving nature, seasons, holidays, families, and other subjects of interest to preschool age children.

Kindergarten readiness activities are conducted in an atmosphere of play and include a low-key exposure to letters and numbers, an introduction to colors and shapes, and other basic concepts.   We do our best to help our children discover that "learning is fun".

We believe that every child is born with the potential for enjoying and utilizing the full range of the cultural environment which surrounds us.  Children will respond to beauty when taught to be sensitive to it and will reach beyond the present when play, fantasy, and creative arts are encouraged.

We believe the ability to play evolves into the ability to work.  We believe that learning can and should be fun. 

Group Values

The child feels wanted, valued and cared for by his/her peers.
The child develops the ability to interact with his/her age mates.
The child learns to distinguish between personal property and that which belongs to the group.
The child learns the need for sharing and cooperating with others.
Each child respects the rights and feelings of others.
Each child understands their own rights and how to stand up for themselves.
Each child will have opportunities to accept and assume responsibility for behavioral limits.
Each child will have opportunities to experience success from trying.

Curriculum

We are a child centered school with a play centered curriculum.  We are guided by the "Creative Curriculum" program.  Our learning centers are changed often so there is always something of interest for each child to explore.

Our centers include:  Creative Art; Numbers, Manipulatives; Writing; Block Building; Dramatic Play; Science; Sensory Tables; Literacy; Music; and Puzzles.

Our children learn through purposeful play.  We provide on going opportunities to develop social skills, leadership skills and literacy skills.  The children check out books from the school library each week to read at home with their parents.

Science activities include exploring science mysteries like magnets, colors, bubbles, snow, and other natural items.