The Toddler Program has been
organized to provide care for nine children aged 18 months to 2.9 years. There
is opportunity every day for all the toddlers to interact with the three year
olds from the adjacent room, especially in the early mornings and late afternoons.
One of our main goals is to
help each toddler develop a positive self-image and some degree of independence
and self help. The toddler room has been designed to create a sercure and
warm environment so as to encourage each child to move about freely and explore.
Most of the materials are arranged on low shelves so that the children can
select their own activities.
At this age the children are
acquiring language rapidly, and we strive to reinforce this growth. Some of
the ways we do this are by encouraging the toddlers to express themselves
verbally both to adults and other children, reading books with them, and expressing
in words the actions and activities that are going on in the room.
The toddler room is arranged
so that most of the activities are child-choice. There is one short structured
group activity daily, such as art, cooking, music, movement, etc. We do incorporate
the Reggio Approach in the classroom in a way appropriate to the age of the
children. We follow their interests, and often themes arise and are focused
on for a time, such as "cows" or "babies". (more text...need
more room on this page)
