--- title: "Preschool Curriculum for 3 to 5 Year Olds in California" id: "23372" type: "page" slug: "preschool-curriculum-in-california" published_at: "2026-05-30T16:31:30+00:00" modified_at: "2026-05-30T16:31:30+00:00" url: "https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/preschool-curriculum/preschool-curriculum-in-california/" markdown_url: "https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/preschool-curriculum/preschool-curriculum-in-california.md" excerpt: "DRDP-alignedKindergarten-readiness focusedBrightwheel integratedNAEYC approved Explore other Experience Curriculum age bands in California Experience BabyBirth to 18 monthsExperience Toddler18 to 36 monthsExperience Preschool3 to 5 years About the curriculum What is Experience Preschool? Experience Preschool is a research-based curriculum designed for..." taxonomy_language: - "English" --- [Brightwheel](https://mybrightwheel.com/) › [Experience Curriculum](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/) › [Preschool Curriculum](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/preschool-curriculum/) › [Preschool Curriculum In California](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/preschool-curriculum/preschool-curriculum-in-california/) › Preschool Curriculum for 3 to 5 Year Olds in California # Preschool Curriculum for 3 to 5 Year Olds in California ## A complete, research-based preschool curriculum for California childcare programs — DRDP-aligned, kindergarten-readiness focused, delivered monthly, and integrated with brightwheel. DRDP-alignedKindergarten-readiness focusedBrightwheel integratedNAEYC approved Explore other Experience Curriculum age bands in California [Experience BabyBirth to 18 months](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/infant-curriculum/infant-curriculum-in-california) [Experience Toddler18 to 36 months](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/toddler-curriculum/toddler-curriculum-in-california) [Experience Preschool3 to 5 years](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/preschool-curriculum/preschool-curriculum-in-california) About the curriculum ## What is Experience Preschool? Experience Preschool is a research-based curriculum designed for children ages 3 through 5 — the years immediately preceding kindergarten entry. Each month, a complete curriculum kit arrives at your program with four weeks of leveled lesson plans, literacy and math manipulatives, dramatic play materials, teacher guides, and family engagement tools, organized around a rich, thematic monthly topic. Experience Preschool takes a whole-child approach to kindergarten readiness. Rather than narrowly focusing on academic skills, it builds the full range of competencies children need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond: social-emotional regulation, language and literacy foundations, mathematical reasoning, scientific inquiry, physical development, and approaches to learning. Leveled activities for every child Experience Preschool includes leveled activity variations within each lesson plan, allowing teachers to meet children where they are developmentally. A single monthly theme can engage a child just turning three as meaningfully as a child approaching five-year-old kindergarten readiness — without requiring separate planning. #### What’s in each kit - 4 weeks of leveled daily lesson plans - Literacy materials: books, letter activities, phonological awareness games - Math manipulatives: sorting, counting, patterning tools - Dramatic play props and scenario cards - Family engagement take-home materials - Experience Assessment documentation prompts - Brightwheel digital activity companion #### Developmental focus - Pre-literacy: phonological awareness, print concepts, letter recognition - Early numeracy: counting, patterns, shapes, measurement - Cooperative play and conflict resolution - Expressive and receptive language development - Scientific inquiry and observation skills - Self-regulation and executive function foundations - Kindergarten social and academic readiness California-specific context ## Why Experience Preschool is a strong fit for California programs ### California preschool and pre-K landscape Key regulatory and program context for California preschool providers 1:8California’s preschool teacher-to-child ratio for licensed programs TK/VPKCalifornia’s Transitional Kindergarten and state preschool programs DRDPCalifornia’s official early learning assessment for preschool programs California has one of the most expansive publicly funded preschool systems in the country. The California State Preschool Program (CSPP), Transitional Kindergarten (TK), and Head Start together serve hundreds of thousands of California four-year-olds, with TK eligibility recently expanded to include younger children. All of these programs require DRDP documentation. Experience Preschool’s formal DRDP alignment makes it one of the few commercially available preschool curricula that directly supports this documentation requirement. For programs participating in Quality Counts California (QCC), a structured, research-based curriculum with embedded assessment tools, leveled lesson plans, and family engagement materials supports higher ratings in the Curriculum and Learning Environment domain — one of the most heavily weighted areas in the QCC rating rubric. ### Kindergarten readiness in California California kindergarten teachers consistently identify social-emotional skills, language development, and foundational literacy as the competencies children need most at kindergarten entry. Experience Preschool addresses all three directly, with SEL woven throughout every monthly theme, language-rich read-alouds and vocabulary activities in every kit, and phonological awareness and print concepts embedded across the curriculum — not treated as separate subject blocks. California Preschool Learning Foundations In addition to DRDP alignment, Experience Preschool is also aligned to California’s Preschool Learning Foundations — the state’s framework describing what children typically know and can do in eight domains at around 48 and 60 months of age. The [California Alignment PDF](https://www.mothergoosetime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/MGT_California_DRDP_Align.pdf) documents both alignments. Kindergarten readiness ## How Experience Preschool builds kindergarten readiness Kindergarten readiness is not a single skill — it’s a constellation of academic, social, and self-regulation competencies. Experience Preschool builds all of them systematically across the 3–5 age range, so children enter kindergarten with a strong, balanced foundation. #### Language & Literacy Phonological awareness, vocabulary, print concepts, and early writing emerge through read-alouds, rhyme games, and daily language-rich activities. #### Mathematics Counting, patterns, shapes, measurement, and early number sense through manipulative-based, hands-on math activities woven into every theme. #### Social-Emotional Cooperative play, conflict resolution, self-regulation, and perspective-taking — the skills kindergarten teachers identify as most critical at school entry. #### Approaches to Learning Persistence, curiosity, flexible thinking, and attention — the executive function foundations that predict long-term academic success. Skills & developmental domains ## Developmental domains covered in Experience Preschool Experience Preschool integrates all eight developmental domains from Experience Curriculum’s 35-skill framework, with activities calibrated for the 3–5 age range. Each monthly kit embeds 2–3 skills per activity, building all domains simultaneously through thematic, play-based learning. Social-Emotional Cooperative play, conflict resolution, emotion management, perspective-taking, friendship Physical Gross motor refinement, fine motor for writing readiness, self-care, body awareness Language & Literacy Phonological awareness, vocabulary, print concepts, early writing, listening comprehension Math & Reasoning Counting, patterns, shapes, measurement, number sense, early data and graphing Science Observation, prediction, experimentation, scientific vocabulary, nature exploration Creative Arts Drawing, painting, music, movement, dramatic play, creative expression across media Social Studies Community, families, roles and helpers, cultural celebrations, civic concepts Approaches to Learning Persistence, initiative, curiosity, flexible thinking, attention, problem-solving Experience Assessment Experience Preschool includes embedded documentation prompts that connect directly to the [Experience Assessment](https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/items/0ae3a188-0111-40ab-ae97-bd17126698a6) — a psychometrically validated tool covering 73 skills across all eight developmental domains. For California programs, these prompts also map to DRDP measures, enabling educators to complete two documentation systems simultaneously. Sample monthly themes ## What arrives each month Each Experience Preschool kit is organized around a rich monthly theme that integrates all eight developmental domains. Themes are selected to be familiar and relevant to preschoolers’ lived experience while offering multiple entry points for deeper exploration. SeptPre-K #### Welcome to Our Classroom Community-building theme to start the year. Focuses on learning names, establishing classroom rules and routines, building a sense of belonging, and introducing the classroom as a learning community. Strong social-emotional emphasis. Social-EmotionalCommunityRoutine-building NovPre-K #### Community Helpers Social studies theme exploring community roles and helpers. Integrates dramatic play (doctor, firefighter, teacher), early literacy through non-fiction books, and math through counting and sorting tools by job. Social StudiesDramatic playLiteracy FebPre-K #### Stories and Books Literacy-focused theme with phonological awareness games, author and illustrator roles, retelling activities, and early writing experiences. Strong DRDP Language and Literacy Development alignment. LiteracyPhonological awarenessWriting readiness AprPre-K #### Bugs and Gardens Science-focused theme with hands-on observation, measurement, life cycle sequencing, and outdoor exploration. Integrates math through graphing, sorting, and counting in a natural context. ScienceMathOutdoor learning Digital integration ## Experience Preschool and brightwheel: a complete solution Experience Curriculum is fully integrated with brightwheel, the #1 childcare management platform. For California preschool programs already using brightwheel for billing, attendance, and family communication, adding Experience Preschool creates a seamless curriculum-to-documentation workflow. ### Document as you teach Educators can log DRDP and Experience Assessment observations directly in brightwheel during or after activities. Documentation links to developmental levels and builds each child’s portfolio automatically — making end-of-semester conferences and QRIS reporting significantly easier. ### Keep families connected Parents receive real-time activity updates, photos, and developmental progress through brightwheel. Experience Preschool’s family take-home materials can be shared digitally, keeping caregivers engaged in kindergarten readiness at home throughout the year. For California preschool programs navigating DRDP documentation, QCC rating requirements, and parent engagement simultaneously, brightwheel and Experience Preschool together reduce administrative overhead while strengthening program quality across the board. Frequently asked questions ## Questions about Experience Preschool in California #### Is Experience Preschool aligned to California’s DRDP and Preschool Learning Foundations? Yes. Experience Preschool is formally aligned to both California’s Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) and California’s Preschool Learning Foundations. A detailed [California Alignment PDF](https://www.mothergoosetime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/MGT_California_DRDP_Align.pdf) documents the mapping of each activity to specific DRDP measures and Preschool Learning Foundation indicators. This document is accepted by CDSS-licensed programs as curriculum alignment documentation. #### Is Experience Preschool appropriate for California’s Transitional Kindergarten (TK) programs? Experience Preschool is well-suited for TK programs serving four-year-olds working toward California’s Preschool Learning Foundations and preparing for kindergarten. The curriculum’s leveled lesson plans and kindergarten-readiness focus align closely with TK goals. We recommend confirming TK-specific curriculum requirements with your district’s early education coordinator. #### How does Experience Preschool support California State Preschool Program (CSPP) requirements? CSPP programs are required to use the DRDP for developmental documentation and to implement a research-based curriculum. Experience Preschool meets both requirements. The DRDP Alignment PDF is specifically designed to support CSPP documentation needs, and the curriculum’s research foundation is documented in the Experience Curriculum Research Foundation PDF available on the Mother Goose Time website. #### Can Experience Preschool help our California program achieve a higher Quality Counts California rating? Many California programs find that Experience Preschool supports their Quality Counts California rating, particularly in the Curriculum and Learning Environment domain. The curriculum’s embedded assessment tools, leveled lesson plans, and family engagement materials address several elements assessed at higher QCC levels. We recommend confirming specific QCC requirements with your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency. #### What is the cost of Experience Preschool for California childcare programs? Experience Preschool pricing is based on program size and the number of children served. California programs may qualify for subsidized pricing if serving children through state-funded programs such as CSPP or Head Start. Pricing details and a free tour are available through the [brightwheel website](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/) . Keep exploring ## Related pages [Same stateExperience Baby in CaliforniaInfant curriculum for California programs serving children birth–18 months](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/infant-curriculum/infant-curriculum-in-california) [Same stateExperience Toddler in CaliforniaToddler curriculum for California programs serving children 18–36 months](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/toddler-curriculum/toddler-curriculum-in-california) [Standards alignmentCalifornia Social-Emotional DRDP standardsHow Experience Curriculum maps to California’s DRDP social-emotional domain](https://mybrightwheel.com/early-learning-standards/california/social-emotional/) [Same age bandPreschool Curriculum HubPreschool curriculum resources and state-specific links for all 50 states](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/preschool-curriculum/) ## Ready to bring Experience Preschool to your California program? Research-based preschool curriculum for California programs — delivered to your door every month. [Get a free tour](https://mybrightwheel.com/experience-curriculum/)