SMILE

Sensory Motor Integration Learning Enrichment

SMILE Tuition Information Now Available

Our Mission

You can only think about what you experience- Albert Einstein

The SMILE™ program provides a multi-sensory approach to academic, social, cognitive and motor
learning. The SMILE™ program is a half day program designed to serve as a preparatory program to
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, serving children who would benefit from a sensory-rich, movement based, dynamic, multi-dimensional learning experience. The SMILE™ program curriculum areas includes gross motor, fine motor, Handwriting Without Tears®, Talkies™, social skills development, visual spatial skills,visual sequencing skills and motor planning skills.

Our program is designed for children within the ages of 3-6 needing a structured learning environment and who require small class sizes with trained sensory and motor therapists. Children who would benefit from our multi-sensory approach to learning may exhibit sensory integration, motor planning, fine motor deficits, gross motor delays, attention deficit and low muscle tone.

The SMILE™ program curriculum was designed to develop skills to prepare children for reading, writing, math and group socialization. Through the use of therapeutic resources, we have developed a multi-dimensional unique curriculum specifically designed to enhance left and right brain networking.

Class Structure

The SMILE™ classes are small have a maxiumum of 6 children with 2 teachers. Teachers have a Masters degree or higher and at least 7 years of experience teaching at the kindergarten or preschool level.
Some of the students in the SMILE™ program may have been diagnosed with a developmental delay such as Hypotonicity and Motor Delays, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS). Children accepted to the SMILE™ program benefit from a dynamic, interactive, movement rich learning experience as apposed to more traditional classroom learning with little opportunity for motor skill and perceptual motor development.
Children are grouped by age and social skill ability.

Curriculum
The SMILE™ program curriculum was designed to develop skills to prepare children for reading, writing, math and group socialization. Through the use of therapeutic resources, we have developed a multi-
dimensional unique curriculum specifically designed to enhance left and right brain networking.
Curriculum includes:

  • Gross Motor development
  • Balance and coordination
  • Upper body strength
  • Lower body strength
  • Core strength development
  • Playground skills (bike riding, swinging, monkey bars, rock wall, trampoline)
  • Daily obstacle course training
  • Cardiovascular fitness

Perceptual Motor Development

Visual Motor development

  • Sorting and sequencing across space
  • Movement based counting and ordering
  • Ball work (throwing, catching, kicking)
  • Eye tracking skills
  • Alphabet training via movement and music
  • Visual discrimination (scanning, seeking, pairing)

Auditory Motor Development

  • Music based imitation skills (drums, bells, sticks, maracas)
  • Music and movement
  • Auditory processing training (metronome based movement)
  • Rhythm and timing (internal counting and temporal awareness)
  • Frequency and intensity training
  • Multi-step commands (2 step, 3 step , 4 step commands)
  • Auditory memory

Motor Planning

  • Spatial awareness
  • Body awareness
  • Space and time awareness
  • Distance awareness
  • Directionality (up, down, over, under)
  • Laterality (left, right)

Language Development

  • Group activities enhancing social skills (team work, waiting turn)
  • Finger plays
  • Songs and poems
  • Movement based vocabulary

Fine Motor Skills
Hand strength
Whole arm movements
Wrist and finger control
Handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears®)
Tactile awareness (textures, shapes, sensory materials)
Art (gluing, cutting, coloring, creative expression, finger painting)
Social Skills
Developing pragmatic language and play skills
Group-based intervention focusing on social language skills
Group-based sensory motor activities enhancing peer relations
Communication and interaction skills

Testing
Children in the SMILE program will undergo a series of Evaluations through the year.

2011-2012 Schedule

AM Session: Monday- Friday 9:30-12:00

PM Session: Monday-Friday 1:00-3:30

Daily Schedule

9:30-10:00 Sensory Preparation ( organization, self regulation)

10:00-10:30 Morning Meeting ( body awareness, space awareness, social skills)

10:30-11:00 Sensory Motor Integrative Activities ( gross motor, balance, coordination)

11:00-11:20- Perceptual Motor Activities ( ball skills, visual motor skills, auditory motor skills)

11:20-11:30- Snack

11:30-12:00  Fine Motor Coordination ( Manual Dexterity, Handwriting Without Tears, Hand strength)