A Curriculum Designed for Young Minds
Active, holistic, experiential learning built on the British EYFS Standards.
Our Curriculum
The Colorado early learning curriculum is built on the understanding that every child deserves a strong foundation for lifelong learning. It emphasizes hands-on exploration, supportive relationships, and stimulating environments that encourage each child’s natural curiosity and growth. Guided by key areas of development—including social-emotional, language and literacy, cognitive, approaches to learning and physical development—the curriculum nurtures all aspects of a child’s growth, from communication and problem-solving to creativity and self-regulation. By combining intentional teaching with opportunities for choice and play, it prepares children to become confident, capable learners ready to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.
The Third Teacher
At Smart Start, we embrace the idea of the environment as the “third teacher.” This means our learning spaces are thoughtfully designed to inspire curiosity, independence and meaningful exploration. Every detail—from layout to materials—is intentional, encouraging children to engage, make choices and take ownership of their learning. We also believe that families play a vital role in this environment. Through special events like International Day, Grandparents’ Day, Storybook Week, All About My Family, and Professions Week, we actively involve parents and caregivers in the learning journey. These moments strengthen the bond between home and nursery, creating a warm, connected community where every child feels supported and seen.
Early Arabic Learning
Arabic is introduced in the early years through fun, engaging activities that help children develop a natural ear for the language. At this stage, the focus is on building familiarity and confidence through songs, stories, games, and everyday conversation. Children begin to recognise key sounds, words and phrases, laying the groundwork for future reading and writing. By integrating Arabic into daily routines in a playful and immersive way, we help children develop a strong foundation in the language while fostering cultural awareness and communication skills, as well as embracing the UAE’s rich culture and heritage.
Experiential Learning
Children learn best when they are actively engaged, using their senses to explore the world around them. Hands-on experiences spark curiosity, build confidence, and help develop problem-solving skills. Play allows children to make sense of new ideas in a natural, enjoyable way. Through doing, they build strong foundations for future learning.
Holistic Approach
Holistic learning that nurtures every aspect of a child’s development. By supporting their mind, body and emotions, children grow with confidence, resilience and a love for learning. This well-rounded approach lays the groundwork for a happy and successful future.
Environmental
We teach the importance of recycling and sustainability by weaving it into everyday routines and leading by example. From reusing materials to caring for our environment, children learn to make thoughtful choices that support a greener future.