Early Learning Center | 3–6Y

At Avenues, learning a second language is more than an academic pursuit; it is a daily practice that transforms the way students see and think about the world. From nursery to 5th grade, students spend 50% of their time learning in English and 50% learning in a second language: one day in English, one day in Mandarin, and so on. This way, students learn languages as tools of daily communication that will be useful for the rest of their lives.

Whether children are playing with wooden blocks or enjoying an age-appropriate game on an iPad, teachers act as guides, stimulating their natural curiosity and ensuring that they feel challenged but not frustrated. Tactile play develops fine and gross motor skills, physical play stimulates growth, and make-believe play accelerates social-emotional learning. Most importantly, play fosters a love of learning that young children will carry with them as they move upwards through school.

The Avenues Discovery Course is a rich, thematic, interdisciplinary curriculum combining the sciences, humanities and arts. In Kindergarten, the course focuses on the broad themes of self and community to foster self-awareness, a sense of belonging, and the burgeoning world-views of our youngest learners.

Interdisciplinary study combines knowledge from two or more academic disciplines into a single activity, while project-based learning allows students to learn from the process (as opposed to simply the outcome) of their work. In our Kindergarten program, students are presented with questions that require them to think and work across disciplines, and are challenged to complete creative projects that leave them feeling empowered and confident.

The early childhood facility at our beautiful new Shenzhen campus has been purpose-built for language immersion and will provide safe and stimulating spaces for different kinds of learning and play. Highlights include a glass-walled “tree house” library built around a beautiful 100-year-old banyan tree, elevated walkways and outdoor living walls. An open-air science terrace and rooftop garden invite hands-on engagement with nature and provide an exciting venue for experiential learning.