Kindergarten/ Elementary

Kindergarten & Elementary Program In California, MD, Where Curiosity Grows Into Capability

The transition into kindergarten and elementary school brings a wonderful change in your child. Their questions become more detailed, friendships grow more meaningful, and they begin to see themselves as readers, writers, problem-solvers, creators, and independent thinkers. At Starmaker Learning Center, our Kindergarten and Elementary Programs in California, MD, give your child the structure they need for strong academic growth without losing the curiosity and joy that make learning meaningful. Reading, writing, math, science, creativity, movement, and real-world discovery come together through hands-on lessons, purposeful activities, conversations, projects, and opportunities to explore.

Schedule a tour and discover how Starmaker can help your child grow into a capable, curious, and confident learner.

Kindergarten & Elementary Program Enrollment At Starmaker

Ages Served:
5 to 9 Years.

Location:
23443 Cottonwood Parkway, California, MD 20619

Hours:
Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Learning approach:
Hands-on, play-based, inquiry-led, and relationship-centered.

Academic focus:
Reading, writing, math, science, cultural studies, creativity, and critical thinking.

Whole-child development:
Independence, communication, collaboration, physical development, and social and emotional growth.

Outdoor experience:
Nature trails and a large outdoor play area on our woodland Campus.

Family communication:
Daily conversations, Procare updates, and regular school communication.

Program status:
Approved by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Enrollment:
Availability can change during the year, so families are encouraged to contact us early..

A Strong Academic Program That Keeps Learning Joyful

Beginning kindergarten or elementary school can feel like a big step for your child and your family. You want an academic Program that builds strong skills, but you also want teachers to understand that your young learner is still developing emotionally, socially, and physically. At Starmaker, academic expectations grow alongside your child rather than replacing the need for movement, creativity, meaningful relationships, and active exploration.

Your young learner works with important concepts in reading, writing, math, science, and cultural studies, but the experience extends beyond simply memorizing information. Teachers encourage students to ask questions, discuss different ideas, test possible solutions, and connect what they learn to the world around them.

Two Important Stages Within One Connected Program

Starmaker’s Kindergarten and Elementary Program serves students from ages 5 through 9 years. While the Program remains connected, teachers understand that a child entering kindergarten has different needs from a student moving into the later elementary years. Activities, expectations, responsibilities, and academic challenges develop as your child grows.

The Kindergarten Years

During kindergarten, your child begins turning early knowledge into more formal academic skills. They strengthen letter and sound awareness, begin reading and writing with greater purpose, explore number relationships, and learn how to participate more independently within a classroom community.

Teachers support this stage through experiences that help your child:

Connect letters with sounds.
Recognize and read familiar words.
Build reading comprehension through stories and conversations.
Express ideas through drawing and early writing.
Count, compare, sort, measure, and recognize patterns.
Explore early addition and subtraction concepts.
Observe, predict, and investigate during science activities.
Listen to instructions and complete familiar routines.
Share ideas during group discussions.
Work independently for gradually longer periods.
Cooperate with classmates.
Ask for help when they need it.
Manage personal belongings and classroom responsibilities.

Kindergarten should feel challenging enough to inspire growth without becoming overwhelming. Teachers provide support, encouragement, and time for your child to practice until new skills begin to feel familiar.

The Elementary Years

As your child moves through the elementary stage, their ability to read, write, reason, and work independently becomes more advanced. Lessons encourage deeper thinking, longer periods of concentration, greater personal responsibility, and more detailed communication.

Your elementary student begins to:

Read increasingly complex texts.
Discuss characters, ideas, themes, and information.
Write longer and more organized pieces.
Use spelling, grammar, and punctuation with growing accuracy.
Apply math concepts to multistep problems.
Explain how they reached an answer.
Investigate scientific questions.
Conduct research using appropriate resources.
Make connections across different subjects.
Plan and complete longer projects.
Collaborate with classmates.
Manage time and classroom responsibilities.
Reflect on their progress.
Develop personal learning goals.

Teachers remain available to guide your child, but they also encourage students to think before asking for an answer. This balance helps your young learner become more resourceful and confident when something feels difficult.

What Your Child Gains From Our Kindergarten & Elementary Program

Starmaker’s Kindergarten/Elementary Program supports academic achievement while helping your child develop the personal skills that make continued learning possible.

Your young learner has regular opportunities to build:

Strong reading skills through phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, stories, and informational texts.
Confident writing skills through meaningful opportunities to plan, draft, explain, describe, and create.
Mathematical understanding through hands-on materials, practical problems, patterns, measurement, number relationships, and reasoning.
Scientific curiosity through observation, prediction, investigation, and discussion.
Critical thinking by comparing ideas, asking questions, testing solutions, and explaining conclusions.
Communication skills through classroom conversations, presentations, storytelling, reading, and collaborative activities.
Independence by managing materials, beginning tasks, following routines, and taking responsibility for work.
Executive function skills through planning, organization, focus, flexibility, and self-control.
Social confidence by working with classmates, listening to different viewpoints, and contributing to a group.
Emotional resilience by learning how to respond to mistakes, frustration, change, and challenges.
Creativity through art, storytelling, building, music, imaginative thinking, and open-ended projects.
Physical confidence through outdoor play, movement, coordination, and active classroom experiences.

Learning On Starmaker’s Woodland Campus

The natural world creates learning opportunities that cannot always be planned in advance. A changing tree, an animal track, a sudden shift in weather, or an unfamiliar sound can lead to questions that connect science, language, writing, math, and creativity.

Outdoor learning may encourage your child to:

Record observations
Compare natural objects
Measure distance or size
Sketch plants and animals
Track seasonal changes
Ask scientific questions
Write descriptive passages
Create maps
Collect and organize data
Build with natural materials
Discuss environmental responsibility
Work with classmates to investigate a discovery

Teachers help students look more closely and communicate what they notice. These experiences make learning feel connected to the real world while building respect for the environment. Schedule a tour today and come and experience our Campus for yourself.

Why Families Choose Starmaker’s Kindergarten/Elementary Program

Families choose Starmaker because the Kindergarten/Elementary Program offers:

A connected Program for ages 5 through 9 years, that supports growth across several important school years.
Strong academic foundations in reading, writing, math, science, and cultural studies.
Hands-on learning that helps students understand and apply new concepts.
Play-based and inquiry-led experiences that keep curiosity active beyond preschool.
Critical-thinking opportunities that encourage your child to ask questions and test ideas.
Individual support from teachers who take time to understand how your child learns.
Growing independence through routines, responsibilities, planning, and decision-making.
Social and emotional guidance during an important stage of friendship development.
Creative expression through writing, art, building, movement, and projects.
Outdoor learning opportunities on a peaceful woodland Campus.
Family communication through conversations, Procare, and regular school updates.
A Program approved by the Maryland State Department of Education.
Homework Center support for school-age students beyond the academic day.
A welcoming school community that has served local families since 1994.

Other Programs at Starmaker Learning Center

a child building motor skills through practical life exercises

Infant/Toddler Program

6 Weeks to 24 Months

Our Infant/Toddler Program offers responsive care, a 1:3 staff-to-student ratio, and age-appropriate experiences in movement, sensory discovery, music, language, and play.
Learn More

Pre-Primary Program

24 to 42 Months

Our Pre-Primary Program supports your toddler’s language, physical development, growing independence, emotional awareness, and first friendships through purposeful play.
Learn More

students engaging in hands-on science experiments

Primary Program

3 to 5 Years

Our Primary Program builds kindergarten readiness through active learning in literacy, math, science, art, movement, creativity, social development, and imaginative play.
Learn More

Homework Center

School-Age Students

Our licensed Homework Center gives your child a supportive place to complete assignments, read, ask for help, relax, and spend meaningful time with friends beyond the academic day.
Learn More

Summer Camp

5 to 13 Years
Summer Camp combines outdoor discovery, creative projects, movement, friendships, and engaging seasonal activities in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
Learn More

Parent Reviews

Matthew L.

February 14, 2025

9/10

They have these two girls Michaela brown and mykaya weisnforth that are just amazing they engage with kids and the girl that runs the place Taylor I think her name is she is wonderful and also very engaging to ppl and kids and staff

Olivia K.

February 5, 2025

10/10

The teachers are amazing!

Jennifer G.

February 5, 2025

10/10

My daughter has been at Starmaker for almost three years. Communication with her teachers is always quick and easy. I get pictures of her throughout the day and updates through the app. I feel like she is in a safe and enriching environment. I love that she is exposed to music and learning some Spanish. Highly recommend.

Brandon C.

February 5, 2025

10/10

We love the small classroom size, the focus on independent play and the attentiveness of the teachers. Starmaker provides everything we were looking for in a daycare.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Kindergarten/Elementary Program

What subjects will my child study?

Your child will develop skills in reading, writing, math, science, cultural studies, creativity, physical development, and social and emotional learning. Teachers connect subjects through active experiences, classroom discussions, projects, games, and real-world investigations.

Does play-based learning continue in Kindergarten?

Yes. Play and active exploration remain valuable during the kindergarten and early elementary years. The experiences become more complex and connect with increasingly advanced academic goals. Your child may use dramatic play to strengthen literacy, games to practice math, or building projects to explore measurement and engineering.

How does Starmaker teach reading?

Reading development may include phonics, letter-sound relationships, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, stories, informational texts, discussion, and independent reading. Teachers provide guidance according to your child’s current skills and reading development.

How does the Program support writing?

Students write for meaningful reasons, including storytelling, recording observations, explaining ideas, responding to books, and sharing information. Teachers support handwriting, spelling, grammar, punctuation, organization, and revision as those skills become developmentally appropriate.

How is math taught?

Math is explored through hands-on materials, games, discussion, written practice, practical problems, number relationships, measurement, shapes, patterns, and reasoning. Your child is encouraged to explain how they reached an answer rather than simply provide the final result.

How do teachers support different learning needs?

Teachers observe how each student responds to instruction and may adjust the materials, group size, pace, explanation, or level of challenge. Families are encouraged to communicate concerns so the school and home can work together.

Will my child receive homework support?

Starmaker offers a licensed Homework Center for school-age students. Your child can complete assignments, read, ask for guidance, and enjoy time with friends in a familiar environment beyond the regular school day.

Does the Program include outdoor time?

Yes. Outdoor play, movement, and nature exploration form part of the Starmaker experience when weather and daily conditions allow. Our woodland Campus includes nature trails and a large outdoor play area.

How does Starmaker support friendships & conflict resolution?

Teachers guide students as they learn to communicate concerns, listen to another viewpoint, take responsibility, and find respectful solutions. Your child receives support while gradually becoming more confident managing everyday social situations.

How will I know how my child is progressing?

Families remain connected through conversations with teachers, Procare updates, and regular school communication. You can also request a conversation whenever you have a question about your child’s academic, social, or emotional development.

Schedule A Tour Of Starmaker’s Kindergarten/Elementary Program

Your child deserves an education that builds strong academic skills while protecting their curiosity, creativity, and confidence. At Starmaker Learning Center, reading, writing, math, science, movement, relationships, and real-world discovery come together in a Program that supports your young learner as a whole person.

Visit us at 23443 Cottonwood Parkway in California, Maryland, to explore the Kindergarten/Elementary classroom, meet our caring teachers, and experience the woodland Campus that has welcomed local families since 1994.

Call (301) 863-7740 or email [email protected] to schedule your personal tour.