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Foundations of PreK 3 is designed to support students as they prepare for their first school year as Parish Panthers.

Your child will gain early exposure to classroom routines, learning expectations, and foundational social-emotional skills in a nurturing, play-based environment. By participating in active, hands-on learning, your child will build relationships with their teachers and peers, which will help them feel confident, comfortable, and ready for a smooth transition into their first year at Parish.

Foundations of PreK 3 is taught by the Parish PreK 3 team

When and Where

Date: July 27 – 31, 2026
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am

Where: Parish Episcopal School, Lower School Campus
14115 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, TX 75254

Register Here

A Day at Camp & Day Camps

Camp Day at a Glance

Each day, your child engages in various learning opportunities that mirror an average day in the PreK 3 classroom.

Camp days will include:

  • Small and whole group instruction
  • Targeted skill building through fine motor and sensory activities
  • Foundational literacy and math skills exposure
  • Peer and teacher relationship building
  • Self-help skills through routines
    • Snack time, restroom breaks, and hand-washing
  • Strategies for calming the body

Learning through Play

Learning through play allows PreK 3 students to build essential skills—like language, problem-solving, and social interaction—in ways that feel natural, engaging, and developmentally appropriate. Through hands-on exploration and imaginative activities, children develop confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning that sets the foundation for future success.

Activities Include:

  • Explore shapes, sizes, & how things fit together
  • Practice sharing, teamwork, & solving problems
  • Strengthen small muscles & big muscles
  • Express personal ideas
  • Use imagination in pretend play
  • Make predictions & see what happens next
  • Use sensory play to grow brains, calm bodies, & learn

Day Camps with Parish Summer

If your child turns 3 before June 1, 2026, is potty-trained and ready for group activities, then they can join us all summer in our amazing Day Camps.

Parish Summer Day Camp is an excellent way for PreK students to prepare for the upcoming school year. In addition to making friends and discovering new activities, your child will experience key routines. Morning drop-off, afternoon carpool, transitioning between classrooms and engaging in activities all help them adjust to the structure of a school day.

All camps take place at the Midway Campus (4101 Sigma Rd). There is morning, afternoon, and full-day options. Find out more and register. 

 Sample Activities:
🎨 Arts & Crafts
🎵 Musical Instrument Play
📚 Library Storytime
💧 Waterplay
🤸 Free Play
🌟 Attend Specialty Camp Performances
💬 Counselor Feedback
🍦 Thursdays – Fun Treats
🎉 Friday Fun Day – Wildlife Visits
🍴 Lunch (Full-day campers)/Rest (PM campers)

Preparing for PreK at Home

A strong foundation in fine motor skills can help your child succeed academically and build their confidence. 

  • Have child dress and undress themselves; they try first, then you help.
  • Have child practice opening snacks.
  • Have child clean up their own toys before transitioning to the next activity in their day.
  • Have child pack & unpack, zipping & unzipping, their school backpack.
  • Have child practice daily routine 2-3 weeks before school starts.
  • Try not to have any big changes in their routine to adjust to the school year.

For examples of at-home activities to build these skills, click here.

A strong foundation in social-emotional learning helps your child build positive relationships, manage their feelings, and navigate new experiences with confidence. 

  • Encourage your child to practice taking turns, sharing, and playing cooperatively with others.
  • Help your child name and talk about their feelings (happy, sad, frustrated, excited).
  • Practice short separations to build comfort with being away from caregivers.
  • Model and reinforce using words to solve problems instead of actions (e.g., “Can I have a turn?”).
  • Read books together about friendships, emotions, and starting school, and talk about the characters’ experiences.
  • Establish simple routines that promote independence and predictability in their day.
  • Praise effort, kindness, and perseverance to build confidence and resilience.

For examples of at-home activities to support these skills, click here.

A strong foundation in self-regulation helps your child manage their emotions, control impulses, and adjust to routines, setting them up for success in the classroom. 

  • Practice following simple directions (1–2 step tasks) during everyday routines.
  • Play games that require waiting and turn-taking (e.g., “Simon Says,” simple board games).
  • Establish consistent daily routines for meals, play, and sleep to build predictability.
  • Help your child practice calming strategies like deep breathing or taking a break when upset.
  • Give gentle reminders and model patience when your child is feeling frustrated.
  • Encourage your child to clean up and transition between activities with support.
  • Limit screen time and provide opportunities for unstructured play to build attention and focus.

Check out this article to learn more about how to help your child build their self-regulation toolbox.

Preschoolers love to be independent! Encouraging independence helps children build confidence, develop problem-solving skills, and take pride in their accomplishments. 

  • Create consistent routines around self-help skills like dressing, handwashing, and tidying up.
  • Give your child time to try tasks on their own before stepping in to help.
  • Provide materials and opportunities for child-led play and creative projects.
  • Offer simple choices (e.g., “Do you want the red shirt or the blue shirt?”) to build decision-making skills.
  • Encourage your child to take responsibility for small tasks like putting away toys or helping set the table.
  • Model patience and celebrate effort, not just success.
  • Praise your child as they accomplish new tasks to build confidence and motivation.

For more information from the Child Mind Institute, click here.

Toilet Training Required

At Parish Episcopal School, students enrolled must be fully toilet trained before starting the program. This means that:

Due to health and safety concerns, staff members will not be responsible for changing students, but will assist students if needed while encouraging independence. In the case of an accident, children will be expected to change themselves and if the child requires a great deal of assistance, parents will be contacted to assist at school or take the child home.

Establishing restroom breaks at home can help mirror our restroom breaks at school during our day.