Questions Parents
Often Ask
We understand that every parent wants the very best start for their child. Our FAQ section provides helpful information about our learning environment, experienced educators, daily routines, and commitment to your child’s growth and happiness.
What begins to happen at this age?
This is the age where children’s sense of self truly begins to blossom.
Their language expands rapidly, their imagination deepens, and their desire to connect with others becomes much more intentional. Children begin exploring not only who they are, but how they belong within a group and community.
In Roots, children are constantly building relationships, testing ideas, expressing opinions, and learning how to navigate the very human experience of working and playing alongside others.
How do children this age work and play together?
This is where cooperative play begins to truly emerge.
Children move from mostly parallel play into shared play, collaboration, and co-construction of ideas. You may see two or three children building together for long periods of time, negotiating roles, solving problems, or expanding upon each other’s ideas.
And naturally, with this growth also comes conflict.
Children at this age are learning:
- how to enter into play
- how to express boundaries
- how to navigate disappointment
- how to communicate when something feels unfair
- how to repair relationships
You may hear things like:
“You’re not invited.”
“That’s mine.”
“I’m still using it.”
“You hurt my feelings.”
These moments are not viewed as “bad behavior.”
They are opportunities for growth, communication, empathy, and emotional development.
Our educators guide children through these moments with presence, conversation, and problem-solving — helping them learn how to use their voice with clarity, confidence, and care.
What does learning look like in Roots?
Children’s thinking, language, and collaboration deepen rapidly in Roots.
This is the age where children become very interested in storytelling, print, symbols, and the idea that writing carries meaning. You’ll often see them drawing, labeling, recognizing letters, sharing stories, and trying to communicate their ideas in new ways.
To support this stage, we introduce intentional small groups focused on early literacy, handwriting, beginning math concepts, and areas of inquiry and research.
Rather than pressured academics, learning is connected back to the children’s interests, investigations, and natural curiosity—making it meaningful, engaging, and deeply understood.
What social and emotional growth happens here?
Roots is a powerful year for emotional intelligence and relationship-building.
Children begin developing:
- empathy
- perspective-taking
- resilience
- confidence
- collaborative problem-solving
- a stronger sense of belonging
Friendships begin to deepen naturally, but we do not pressure children into friendship labels or forced socialization.
Instead, we create environments where authentic relationships can unfold through shared experiences, play, communication, and trust.
The Rhythm of a Roots Day
The rhythm of the day is flexible, allowing children to follow their natural curiosity while feeling supported by a predictable environment.
Why does this stage matter so much?
Roots is where children begin understanding the impact of their voice, their actions, and their relationships within a larger community.
They are no longer only exploring the world around them they are beginning to understand their role within it.
And through that process, they develop the confidence, communication, and emotional foundations they will carry with them for years to come.
How do children this age work and play together?
In the Roots classroom, cooperative play begins to emerge.
In earlier classrooms, children spent much of their time exploring independently or playing alongside one another. Now, their interest in others grows stronger, and they begin experimenting with working together.
You may see two children building side-by-side, observing each other’s creations, slowly influencing one another’s ideas. Soon another child may join, curious to participate in the shared play.
This is the stage where children begin learning how to truly enter and exit play, share materials, negotiate ideas, and express their needs.
Because these social dynamics are new, you may also see moments of quick “no’s,” disagreements, or conflicts. These are not problems to eliminate—they are important learning moments.
With the support of attentive educators, children practice using their words, listening to others, and finding ways to collaborate. These early experiences lay the groundwork for the deeper cooperative learning that flourishes in the years ahead.