Toddler Program

We believe children should be in small intimate groupings with a primary caregiver, where they can build trusting relationships in order to feel secure enough to explore the world around them. Caregivers should be supportive, sensitive and interested observers, using those observations as an ongoing process so that children can be given the opportunities to succeed at their own level of development. We believe children are explorers.

Play is the way children make sense of their world and is the natural way to learn. Play is self initiated, spontaneous, a way of finding out about people, a way of learning to interact with people, a means of thinking, a means of developing and practicing skills, an opportunity for children to use their curiosity to explore, experiment, and test ideas, and aid to developing concentration, a way of nurturing creativity and a means of self- expression.

We strive to provide an environment which contains materials that are stimulating, challenging, changing, varied, familiar, and loved. We provide an environment that encourages different kinds of play, such as construction, role playing, movement, problem solving, discovering, communicating, creating, imagining, reading, writing, using numbers, space and measurement.

Things to bring...
A blanket and cuddly toy for nap time
Diapers
Pictures of your family for your child's family album...
Two changes of clothing, including, shirt, pants, socks...
Shoes to wear indoors...
Clothes for outside... boots and rain coats for rainy days... warm boots and extra mittens on snowy days... sunscreen and a hat for sunny days...

A Typical Day for a Toddler

7:45 The Toddler room opens and the children and their parents meet up with their caregiver and friends to explore activities in the room...
8:30 Snack arrives and everyone sits down together to meet, have a healthy snack and make plans for our morning...
9:00 After snack some children will explore painting, waterplay, playdough, collage... and some children will enjoy music, stories, games, and maybe a walk in the Bye Bye Buggy...
10:00 We get ready for Outdoor play or walks...
11:00 We come back inside for stories, songs and prepare for lunch time...
11:30 Lunch time, together at our dining table.
12:15 After the children finish lunch they help put away their dishes, wash their faces and brush their teeth and get ready for a nap on their cots.
12:30 Nap time.
2:00 As the children wake up they begin activities set up in the room. Once everyone is awake, some children will experience more painting, waterplay, playdough, etc... and others have a turn for music and games.
3:00 We have snack time together.
3:30 We get ready for Outdoor play again in the playground...
4:30 We come back inside and say our goodbyes as Moms and Dads arrive to take the children home.
5:10 School is closed 'til tomorrow.