Intermediate-Level Preschool Near Portland

A Structured Next Step for 3-Year-Olds

For 3-year-olds who have completed a beginner-level preschool program, the next stage should build on emerging skills without rushing the transition to pre-kindergarten. At our Tigard school, Safari Kid of Tigard offers the Curious Twiga Intermediate Level Preschool for families near Portland, Oregon who are considering that next step.

The program sits between beginner-level preschool and pre-kindergarten in our curriculum sequence. Children encounter a more structured and challenging curriculum while still having room for hands-on learning, open-ended exploration, and nurturing guidance. We pair that structure with individualized attention across five areas of whole child development.

Five Areas of Whole Child Development

The Curious Twiga Intermediate Level Preschool combines interactive experiences with purposeful activities designed for growing 3-year-olds. Our educators use hands-on learning and exploration while guiding children through five connected development domains.

Children participate in experiences across these curriculum areas:

• Cognitive Development: Numeracy, patterns, cause-and-effect relationships, open-ended play, and artistic projects encourage children to observe, experiment, and engage with new ideas.
• Language and Literacy Development: Storytelling, phonics, language games, and read-alouds create varied opportunities to engage with words. Children are also introduced to foreign language vocabulary and sign language vocabulary.
• Physical Development: Fine motor activities support increasingly precise movements, while complex indoor and outdoor active play gives children opportunities to move their bodies. Yoga sequences are also included.
• Social and Emotional Development: Cooperative play and perspective-taking help children engage with their peers. Activities also address identifying and managing complex emotions and working toward independent conflict resolution.
• Health and Care Development: Children take part in discussions about emotions and practice mindfulness and breathing techniques. They also explore negotiation and ways to find win-win solutions.