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Extended Day, Age 2.5 to 6.

How the afternoon hours extend learning, friendship, and independence for children ages 2. 5 to 6.

A young girl in a white sweater stands at a table with her hands clasped together over a tray of blue play dough and plastic tools.

The Extended Day room

In the Extended Day program, children from age 2. 5 to 6 stay past the morning session until 2:45 pm. The room stays calm and unhurried. Children work with materials, eat lunch together, and spend time in play and movement. Teachers give personalized guidance in a small group, so social skills, leadership, and academics grow at a steady pace.

What to expect

Discover the magic of our Extended Day Program, where learning and fun continue beyond the morning.

Extended Day runs from 8:45 to 2:45 for children ages 2. 5 to 6. It is more than morning continued. The afternoon adds its own stretch of growth, socialization, and discovery, with lunch, work time, and play.

Foster Independence & Social Skills

From 11:30 am to 2:45 pm, children take part in activities that build independence and social interaction. Lunch is part of the learning. Children sit together, practice table manners, and use grace and courtesy with their friends. These routines are repeated daily, so they become habits a child carries home.

Tailored Individualized Guidance

Teachers give each child individual attention in a small group. A child may work on advanced math, language activities, science experiments, art projects, or cultural explorations. The teacher watches what the child is ready for and guides the next step. Working close together also helps children build strong friendships.

Creative Play & Gross Motor Development

Children choose imaginative play, chess, group games, and indoor and outdoor activities. These give them room to move and to use their growing bodies. The activities are planned so learning feels like play. A child who has run and played returns to focused work with more ease.

Stepping Stones Extended Day Program

For children 2. 5 to 3 years old, Stepping Stones Extended Day is a gentle introduction to school life. The afternoon follows the same rhythm as the morning, with lunch, restful work, and play among a small group.

PrimaryExtended Day Program

The Primary program is made for older children in our age range who are ready for more structured academic challenges. In the Extended Day hours, those children stay with their work past the morning session, guided by teachers who know what each one is ready to learn next. They practice sustained attention and finish what they start.

What this looks like in practice

An extended day usually follows the morning with lunch, then a quieter work period, then play. Children eat together, choose activities, and move between indoor and outdoor time. Teachers stay with the same small group, so the afternoon feels familiar.

A longer day gives children practice at managing themselves. They carry their lunch routine home, use manners at the table, and speak up in a group. Parents often notice more independence and steadier friendships after a few weeks.

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