Children in this facility range in age from 6 weeks – 36 months and are placed in either of two infant and toddler rooms or in either of two pre-toddler/toddler rooms according to age, development and space availability within the rooms. By grouping children in multiage settings, we hope to create a place where children can remain with the teacher for a longer timeframe, have fewer transitions and establish a bond with the primary caregivers in his/her room. Every effort is made to place children in the best possible room according to his or her individual needs.
Some of the most important ingredients for a successful infant environment are the feelings of warmth and security. These are important in helping the infant establish basic trust in those who care for them. An individualized routine that is both comfortable and organized helps a baby to feel more secure and nurtured. Individual learning styles are accommodated with an open-ended discovery, interactive problem solving, and modeling opportunities that are supported with self-initiated and self-paced activities and reactions.
The pre-toddler age group focuses on the 12 – 24 month old child, and as such, provides the bridge between the infant and toddler. The program continues to concentrate on loving care and an ordered, nurturing environment to provide the pre-toddler a base of security from which he can venture out and experiment with independence. During this time, staff continue to encourage self-help skills and offer opportunities for increasing independence and sensory exploration. The indoor and outdoor spaces are designed to foster a pre-toddler’s increased physical mobility and curiosity.
We recognize the toddler’s emerging need for feeling independent and therefore set up the environment for them to freely choose and move from area to area within the room. A toddler’s language ability has significantly increased from that of a pre-toddler. He can now utilize language to label things in the environment, to express some of his needs and to problem solve. Children at this age also begin to socialize with others and staff facilitate opportunities to help them grow in this manner as well.
Infants and toddlers are constantly changing and learning through their sensory experiences, those around them, and their environment. It is our goal to provide a caring and safe environment in which children’s needs are met with each day. We recognize that the first 6 years of a child’s life are the most important, and for this reason, we believe in developing the “whole” child. Activities are included in the program to develop the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs of each child.