The back-to-school season prompts many families with preschoolers to evaluate early learning programs, seeking environments that build foundational skills for lifelong learning beyond traditional academics. Researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education identify six foundational skills—creativity, critical thinking, curiosity, self-regulation, perspective-taking, and early identity—as essential building blocks. These skills are strengthened through enrichment experiences that encourage exploration, creation, communication, and problem-solving.
Parents want their children to have access to enrichment classes but also need these opportunities to fit into busy schedules. Providers like The Crème School build enrichment directly into the day. Alongside a research-led core curriculum, children ages two through five participate in four daily, 30-minute enrichment experiences in dedicated classrooms: STEM, Spanish, music, and art. These extend classroom learning and reinforce skills that Harvard researchers say matter most.
STEM encourages children to ask questions, investigate, experiment, and solve problems through hands-on exploration, nurturing curiosity and critical thinking. Research shows early inquiry-based experiences lay the foundation for later scientific thinking and innovation. Music engages children in singing, movement, rhythm, and instrument play, supporting creativity and strengthening memory and attention; it has been linked to improvements in early language skills and executive functioning. Visual arts encourage children to create, experiment, and express themselves through drawing, painting, and sculpting, developing creativity, fine motor skills, and problem-solving abilities. Spanish introduces a second language during a key developmental window, helping build communication skills; research suggests multilingual children develop stronger perspective-taking and communication abilities.
“Our enrichment classes do more than expose children to new subjects,” said Stephanie Sturdevant-Ward, vice president of operations for The Crème Schools. “They help develop the habits that support learning throughout life, such as asking questions, working through challenges, collaborating with others and approaching problems with curiosity and confidence.”
As families consider school choices, it’s worth asking not only what children will learn but how they'll learn it. When enrichment is woven into the daily curriculum, children have more opportunities to grow curiosity, creativity, and the foundational skills that support future learning and development.
