Toddlers

Welcome to the Toddler program or Toddieland, the land of “mine.” During the toddler years, your child will rapidly change and grow, learn skills, and be able to interact with the world in new and different ways. This process is known as child development, and it encompasses several areas, including cognitive development, physical development, language skills, and social development.

Cognitive Development refers to intellectual capabilities, such as thinking and reasoning, as well as the acquisition of knowledge and the ability to process information. During the toddler years, parents will see tremendous leaps in this area.

Physical Development includes a toddler’s growth, as well as their gross and fine motor skills. While changes in this area won’t be as pronounced or rapid as it is in the infant stage, you will see lots of leaps and bounds (literally) from ages 1 to 3.

• Gross Motor Development refers to skills that require the use of a toddler’s large
  muscles, like his legs and arms.
• Fine Motor Development includes skills that involve the use of smaller muscles, like fingers and hands.

Language Skills are another significant aspect of toddler development. From 12 to 36 months, toddlers typically go from using a handful of words to connecting pictures and objects with words to speaking in complete sentences and communicating more complex thoughts and ideas.

Social Development involves your toddler’s ability to learn and adjust to societal norms, like indicating needs, asking for help, and appropriately interacting and playing with his peer group, while also acquiring independence and a sense of self.

An approximate schedule for toddlers would look something like this:

Free Play (8:00 am -9:00 am):  Children will be provided this time to make their own play choices in any center in the classroom.  Centers include Dramatic Play (set up to follow the emergent curriculum of the month), Blocks/Large Manipulative Play, Science and Discovery Hands-on Learning, Art and Creative Expression Center, Tactile Table (playdough, seeds/beans, water, sand etc.), Gross Motor Center (boat/bridge, trampoline, balance beam, curriculum-based obstacle course etc.), Small Manipulative Play (various puzzles, math, letter activities, practical life skills, etc.), and Literature Area (various related literature and picture books).  In addition to the centers, activities and creative projects will be put out daily to encourage developmental growth in all areas.

Snack (9:15 am – 9:30 am):  Healthy and nutritious snacks will be served at this time.  Most likely, preparing snack is an additional activity available to do during free play so children can learn valuable skills through cooking (math, sequencing, measurements, turn taking, etc.).

Circle & Group Activity (9:30 am – 10:00 am):  Music, songs, creative movement, puppets, science experiments, reading books aloud, letter and number games, imagination stories, chants, fingerplays, group games, and more are all activities facilitated during Circle Time.  Activities planned for the Group Activity include any group art or creative expression activity that follows the monthly emergent curriculum or following the children’s interest of the day.  Circle and Group Activities encourage self-discipline, patience, turn-taking skills, following directions, coactive learning, social skills, academic learning, increased self-esteem, beginning and ending of projects, and more!

Outdoor Explore (10:00 am – 10:45 am):  Numerous outside activities will be available to challenge the young learner’s gross motor skills.  Play structures promote development in climbing, balancing, and muscle strength; sand encourages tactile stimulation, math and science learning, and fun adventures.  Outdoor play is needed for children to develop physically, emotionally, and socially!

Gathering (10:45 am – 11:00 am):  A new book will be read daily, as well as fun songs learned, in our gathering before lunch.  OUR songs will include ways to challenge our oral motor strength in order to eat and articulate better!

Lunch (11:00 am – 11:45 pm):  Children and teachers bring their own lunches to school and eat together daily.

Nap Time (12:15 pm – 2:30 pm): Stories will be read to the children, and soothing music will be played during this quiet period daily. Children will be resting on mats during this state mandated rest period. Children must bring a crib sheet, small blanket, small pillow, and may bring a small nap toy to rest with if desired.

Wake-Up Time (2:15 pm – 2:30 pm):  Time to wake up, diaper/potty check, and choose quiet activities to help us get back into our day!

Snack (2:30 pm – 3:00 pm):  After children have picked up their things from nap, we will gather for a story and have their second snack of the day.

Outdoor Explore (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm): Weather permitting

Quiet Activities (4:00 pm – 5:00 pm):  A story will be read aloud each afternoon followed by an art activity, music and movement, or an age appropriate game during this last section of our day.

**Diaper and potty checks are made & documented throughout the day**

Once the child has reached three years of age, they must be potty trained to progress to Our Preschool Program.