Battling school daze

Preschoolers have a ball learning

By JUDD WEIL

Staff writer

A simple concept — a ball — is helping Marion Head Start students develop critical early learning skills through hands-on exploration, movement and play.

The ongoing “ball study,” part of the program’s creative curriculum, blends physical activity with foundational academic concepts for students ages 3 and 4.

The study gives students a chance to explore 3-D shapes while building early learning skills, Head Start teacher Lesli Beery said.

Students are learning more than just shapes through the study, which incorporates gross motor development including throwing, kicking, and passing, while introducing scientific and mathematical vocabulary such as force, energy, circumference, and spheres, Beery said.

The program uses hands-on learning through measurement and experimentation. This includes using measuring tapes to find circumferences and scales to weigh balls.

Students also explore how balls move in water through sensory table experiments.

Developing gross motor skills is a key focus because many children do not get enough active, outdoor time, Beery said.

Movement-based learning helps strengthen the connection between brain and body, particularly when children are throwing and catching, she said.

The study also includes real-world experiences designed to reinforce classroom learning.

Students participated Thursday in a preschool basketball camp at the Sports and Aquatics Center with coaches Kevin Dasenbrock and Jason Hett.

A culminating “wow” experience is planned for April 22, when students will visit the Hillsboro bowling alley to connect their lessons to a real-life setting.

The program serves children ages 3 and 4 in both morning and afternoon sessions, with some students advancing to kindergarten and others returning for a second year.

Students who attend for two years experience multiple themed studies and field trips, including visits tied to topics such as pets, gardening and food.

Enrollment for the 2026-27 preschool year is open, with free tuition and special education slots available, Beery said.

Families interested in enrolling can contact Lacie Cole at (620) 755-4351.