Welcome to Hobbit House where imaginations take flight and intellects soar! The Valie Genuardi Hobbit House is a licensed academic lab school, connected to the School of Education and located on Gwynedd Mercy University’s campus.  

The Hobbit House offers a unique teaching and learning partnership in that it brings together certified early education teachers and a select group of GMercyU education, nursing, and science majors to create a very collaborative teaching and learning environment. The faculty is comprised of state-certified, highly qualified teachers, several with a master’s degree in Reading Education. When we add our Hobbits’ primary educators (YOU!) to the mix, it creates an early education combination that can’t be matched.

Hobbit House educators believe children learn best when they are actively engaged. The classrooms are highly interactive, integrating the use of digital technology, such as Smartboards and iPads® into the curriculum.

Hobbits also enjoy moving between many bright, colorful, and child-friendly spaces. The Hobbit House provides separate areas for library, art, interactive and creative play. The faculty develops cross-disciplinary projects and activities to enhance learning.  Hobbit House embraces a child-centered approach to learning, where individuality is respected and creativity is encouraged. Students work and play together in a family atmosphere with a 1:7 teacher/child ratio.

Academics are based on enhanced Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood Education, and modifications for students who need special services are supported.

The Nursery School enables 3 and 4 year-old Hobbits to enjoy a state-approved curriculum that incorporates music, art, science, math, reading readiness, and language development. Students acquire socialization skills and engage in creative play daily.

The state-approved Pre-K curriculum provides opportunities for children ages 4 and 5 to build more self-confidence and develop decision-making abilities that will prepare them for their entry into formal education.  Building a strong social, emotional and academic foundation for kindergarten and a lifelong love of learning is the #1 goal at the Hobbit House, the love of God is presented in our SEEDS program.

The primary goal of Hobbit House is to meet the needs of the child and to respect the child’s individuality and personality, while providing a program which encourages creativity. Hobbit House is a happy house where children enjoy a nurturing environment in which they can build confidence and knowledge in the fundamental skills needed for success in school and in life.

The students from the University interact with the Hobbit House students sharing their love of Science and Math during Science Week.

Hobbit House offers the following programs:

HALF DAY, FULL DAY, 3 DAY, 4 Day, 5 DAY

Nursery Program:

Half Day: 8:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Full Day: 8:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Pre-Kindergarten Program:

Half Day: 8:30 a.m. -11:45 a.m.

Full Day: 8:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

LUNCH BUNCH:

Students enrolled in the morning program have the option of joining the “Lunch Bunch” daily, which dismisses at 2 p.m.  During this time students enjoy additional educational activities and socialization.

EXTENDED SCHOOL DAY PROGRAM FOR WORKING PARENTS

Morning program begins at 7:45 a.m.

Extended school day program ends at 5:40 p.m.

*All programs run September through the end of May. A summer camp is offered during the month of June.

Come to the next Open House and see where the magic begins!

For more information, please visit the website here or call 215-641-5567.

All photos courtesy of Valie Genuardi Hobbit House