AGE GROUP: INFANTS (BIRTH - 18 MONTHS)
Social Skills/Interaction:
Teacher facilitated free play to allow the children to explore their environment and build social skills.
Emotional:
Our teachers will cuddle infants and attend to their needs throughout the day to build up a trusting relationship with each infant.
Safety/Health:
Our teachers will assist the children with hand washing before and after diaper changes and before and after meals. The teacher will wash the younger infant's hands at those times as well.
Language:
Our teachers will show children a flash card and softly talk about what is being shown on the flash card.
Physical Development:
Our teachers will play on the floor with smaller infants on their tummy to develop their muscle strength. Our teachers will sing songs such as “Wheels on the Bus” or “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and move the older infants hands to the movements of the song.
AGE GROUP: TODDLER (18-36 MONTHS)
Physical Development:
Weather permitting, children will play on the playground. If weather does not allow, then the children will play in the soft play area.
Language:
Children will learn and practice words related to the weekly theme.
Social Skills/Interaction:
Our teachers will read a theme related story and start a conversation with the class by asking open ended questions to allow for the toddlers to use thinking and reasoning skills.
Educational:
Children will rotate throughout the theme related centers.
Safety/Health:
Children will wash hands before and after meals and toileting/diapering. The teacher will sing the hand washing song to help teach the children about hand washing and will assist the children with hand washing.
Cognitive:
Our teachers will offer materials of different sizes, texture and shape. The children should feel and match or describe differences. This will teach the children about opposites while also providing a sensory experience.
Cultural Awareness:
A theme related activity will appear in the form of a letter from the mailbox for the children. The activities will provide opportunity for the children to learn about themselves, their communities, and each other.
Emotional:
Our teachers will show children large pictures of a variety of facial expressions and ask questions such as “Who looks happy?”
