Hilarie Krumm

Hilarie Krumm Christian Preschool ~ In-home academic play-based preschool ~ A 2nd Generation family owned local business, which has been serving the community for 50 years! Hilarie's mom, Shirley Hodge, ran Sunnyside Nursery School (Okemos), Countryside Nursery School (Williamston), and Shirley Hodge Nursery School (Okemos) until retiring and passing the school on to Hilarie. We are pleased to offer a well-balanced, structured academic preschool program which also includes play-based learning. Kindness, love and care are at the core, so children enjoy their first years of school while they become socially well-adjusted, confident learners, that are well prepared for kindergarten & beyond. Besides academics, we also focus on social skills and character development in fun ways, which makes children learn faster and with more enthusiasm while developing a love for school and learning. Our curriculum includes letter recognition, phonics, printing, cutting (and other fine motor skills,) gross motor skills, number recognition, counting, art, reading instruction and more. Both large group and personalized individual teaching is built into the program. Our lesson plans are based on the alphabet and differ each year according to a 3-year cycle. We focus on one letter each week and plan activities around that letter, pausing to make time to celebrate the holidays and seasons, as they come up as well. The children also have the opportunity for creative play-based free choice time where they have the chance to use a large selection of toys, play equipment and dramatic play props. We read books, sing songs and play games as a group. There is a Christian influence in our program, so prayers and a daily Bible story is incorporated. (It is not mandatory that you are of the Christian faith, but it is important that you are comfortable knowing that Christian principles are being taught in our preschool.) Each Christmas we put on our annual "No Room at the Inn" play, which is always a highlight! We feel honored to have taught so many children in our community!