More time to explore, create, and learn with friends
Enrichment at GMPS
Enrichment gives children in our 3’s and 4’s programs the opportunity to extend their school day from 12:00–1:30 with lunch, friends, and hands-on experiences built around a special theme.
Children bring lunch, enjoy extra social time with classmates, and then dive into activities that allow them to explore an interest more deeply.
Our older 2’s can also join the fun! Children enrolled in our T/TH 2’s classes can participate in Little Lunch Bunch, a relaxed, once-per-week extension of the school day with time for lunch, play, and friends.
Stay for lunch. Try something new. Spend a little more time with friends.
Enrichment at a Glance
3’s & 4’s · 12:00–1:30 · Fall, Winter & Spring Sessions · Rotating Themes · 2’s Little Lunch Bunch
Three Sessions = More Flexibility
Enrichment is offered in three separate sessions — Fall, Winter, and Spring.
Families do not have to commit to an entire year in the fall. A child who may not be ready for a longer day at the beginning of the school year can wait and join Enrichment later when the timing feels right.
Families can also choose different experiences throughout the year based on their child’s interests and schedule.
Not ready in the fall? That’s okay. Children can join Enrichment when they’re ready.
One Day — or More
Families can choose the amount of Enrichment that works for their child.
Some children begin with one afternoon a week, while 4-year-olds who are ready for more time at school may enroll in Enrichment on multiple days.
Enrichment is very popular, so we offer up to two sections on a day when demand supports it. We try to create enough space to accommodate as many interested children as possible while keeping groups comfortable and engaging.
This gives families flexibility both in when their child begins Enrichment and in how much Enrichment feels right.
Start with one day, add more when your child is ready.
What Might Children Explore?
Enrichment themes rotate throughout the year. Here are a few examples of classes GMPS has offered:
Creative Dramatics
Imagine it. Act it out. Create it together.
In partnership with Oil Lamp Theater. Children explore imaginative play, storytelling, characters, and performance through creative drama experiences.
Cooks & Books
Stories you can taste.
Children’s literature paired with hands-on cooking experiences.
Nature Explorers
Take the learning outside.
Outdoor discovery, seasonal changes, and hands-on nature investigation.
Math Madness
Count, sort, measure, and solve it together.
Playful counting, patterns, measuring, games, and problem-solving.
Little Scientists
Experiment, investigate, and ask “What happens if…?”
Hands-on experiments, observation, and exploring how things work.
Music & Movement
Sing, play, find the beat, and make some music.
Singing, instruments, rhythm, movement, and musical exploration.
Little Lunch Bunch
11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
T/TH 2’s students only
Pack a lunch box and stay a little longer! Children enjoy lunch, play, and time with friends while practicing lunchtime independence in a relaxed, familiar setting.
Children do not need to have turned 3 to participate.
The classes above are examples from past sessions. Current offerings are listed on the Registration page.
Themes change from session to session, giving children opportunities to explore a variety of interests throughout the year.
Lunch Is Part of the Experience
Enrichment begins with lunch together.
That extra time gives children another opportunity to practice independence, conversation, managing their lunch and belongings, and enjoying a relaxed meal with friends before the afternoon activity begins.
More Time to Go Deeper
One of the special things about Enrichment is that there is time to stay with an idea a little longer.
A science experiment can continue while children are still asking questions. A cooking project can move from a story to measuring, mixing, tasting, and talking about what happened. A dramatic-play idea can grow into a story created by the group.
Enrichment gives children time to follow an idea a little farther.
Choose What Works for Your Child
With Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions, rotating themes, and the option to participate on one or more days when appropriate, families can choose when Enrichment feels right and which experiences are the best fit for their child.
Related GMPS Resources
Written by Karen Coan, M.A. in Education, Director of Glenview Methodist Preschool
Last updated: October 2026