by Julie Cataldo, Sr. Director, 
Early Childhood Education,
YMCA of Metro Denver
As Denver grows and Colorado prepares to launch universal preschool, more families than ever are looking for early childcare/education for the fall. The task can seem daunting, but the key is to find a safe and nurturing option that draws out kids’ interests and encourages them in a fun, welcoming, and creative learning environment. Just ask Christina Graham, who has worked at the YMCA University Hills Academy Preschool for nine years. As someone who discovered a love for music early in her own life, Graham is delighted with the opportunity to bring rhythm and melody into the classroom.
“I sing every day — have a song for every occasion,” she shared. “Learning through music for me always stuck more and was more enjoyable. It makes learning more fun.”
Graham is the lead teacher of the Preschool room at University Hills Y Academy, the first preschool class for children 2.5-4 years old. She teaches foundational concepts like shapes, numbers, and the alphabet to about 20 kids.
“We use Creative Curriculum that gives us a deep dive into different subjects,” she shared “One month we focus on water, and the next month we will focus on the concept of building things.”
Exploration is a cornerstone of Y Academy curriculum and an element that Graham particularly appreciates. There is never a dull moment in Graham’s classroom. From making oobleck, trying yoga, and holding their own dance parties, to learning about reptiles and magic tricks, every week holds a new discovery.
“We have a music center, a block center, and a science center. We teach a lot through play and seeing what the children’s focus is on,” Graham explained. “At this young age, having many opportunities to try new things is key to discovering what you like. You can try basketball, swimming, soccer, and piano classes — all that at such a young age. That is an important opportunity, and I’m really glad we can do that for the community and the kids.”
Having that strong, nurturing community is key too.
“I really like how close we can get with the families. We have families whom I have taught all of their kids, and now their nieces and nephews are coming through as well,” Graham added. “You get to connect and grow with them.”
Graham and her fellow Academy teachers prioritize developing connections with parents and help them stay connected daily through the Y’s “Tadpoles” program, where they can provide an outline of what kids are doing and send pictures and updates throughout the day. The Y Academy teachers also offer simple activities that parents can do to further classroom learning at home.
For instance, Graham “shares the teaching-based songs we are learning with parents, so they sing them at home with their kids.”
Graham has certainly seen the results of this play-based, community-centered learning at the Y. Academy teachers use Teaching Strategies Gold as an assessment tool, which includes photos of assignments over time. Graham shared that she has “some kids who could barely write at the beginning of the year and can clearly spell their name by the end. It’s really fun to see the improvement and celebrate with them as they are getting better and know it too.”
The YMCA of Metro Denver offers three early childhood education centers around the metro area — Arvada, Southwest, and University Hills — as well as programs like swim lessons, youth sports, dance classes, before and after school enrichment programs, and more through school age and beyond. Learn more about all the programs the YMCA has to offer at denverymca.org.