​ The Stems ( 2 Year Old Preschool Class: 24 Months -36 Months)

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The Toddler program offers sensory exploration in a nurturing atmosphere. It also offers a wide variety of Indoor Enrichment Activities, Free Choice, and Outdoor Activities.  The toddler classroom is a whirlwind of energy. Consistent daily schedules provide security which is essential for toddlers' healthy growth and development.

The focus of this environment and curriculum is to offer each child the opportunity for exploration and promote language development through role-modeling and sign language. Our program offers elements needed to motivate the young child to learn are choices, increasing complexity, and a variety of activities for new challenges. Our classroom arrangements and schedule of activities support the way young children learn. 

 

With our low staff to child ratio, the toddlers have room to let out all of their energy and enjoy stimulating activities such as:

 

• Circle Time: This is the time where the toddlers interact with each other and their teachers.  We use circle time for name cards that help with name recognition, sing songs to start their day, talk about shapes, colors, letters, and learn sign language and Spanish.

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• Singing and Movement: This widens the children's vocabulary and helps children learn basic speech patterns through singing and movement. This also helps the children identify patterns, express emotions, and develop coordination balance and control through music.

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• The Block Center: The block learning center is vital because block play helps children develop motor skills and learn about basic concepts of architecture and engineering. Block play also helps children learn to work with others and gives them creative design opportunities.

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• The Classroom Library: This area helps develop literacy and language skills. It helps children with focusing on listening, reading, and writing while giving children the opportunity to explore and learn through hands-on learning. The area is supplied with picture books and soft furnishings. The teachers and children can use fingerplays, storytime, puppets, and stories to broaden the toddler’s language skills.  

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• The Dramatic Play Center:  This area helps children accept and designate roles, and then act them out. It is an activity where they break through their norms, pretend to be someone or something different from themselves, and dramatize situations and feelings for the characters they have chosen. The area includes a toddler-sized play kitchen, baby dolls, and furniture, as well as, age-appropriate dress-up clothing.  

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• The Cognitive Center: Appropriate puzzles, lacing activities and interlocking blocks are used to help develop the learning brain. ​

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GROSS MOTOR PERIOD:

The gross motor period on most days takes place on the playground where there are swings, basketball hoops, playhouses, seesaws, slides, climbers, cars, sand tables, and water play to help stimulate large muscle development. Each day a mixture of teacher planned games and activities as well as free play time is provided.

 

ON SOCIAL INTERACTION: 

Social interaction takes place in all areas and helps the child mature in their interpersonal relationships. Our curriculum teaches positive social interactions and character development through hands-on activities and projects.