The children meet in open classrooms which are divided into play areas and interest centers. Outside are a fenced playground, sandboxes, and a variety of sturdy, imaginative playground equipment. The Carolina Friends Early Schools' philosophy of education blends the Quaker emphasis on the uniqueness and worth of each individual with the work of developmental psychologists and the legacy of traditional nursery schools.
Children learn best through play.
Indeed the foundation for reading, mathematics, and other advanced cognitive skills is actually laid before age six through concrete, manipulative, sensorimotor modes of activity. The Early School's role is to provide a challenging and nurturing environment in which children may acquire this foundation through play. In such an environment children practice and learn social skills with their peers. They learn fine and large motor skills. They learn the joy of creating with art and other resource materials.