Toddler – 12 Months to 3 Years

Toddlers love to move! Teachers will offer your child many ways to be active, both indoors and outdoors. They will provide materials and activities that interest children and support the development of gross and fine motor skills.

More and more research highlights EQ (Emotional Intelligence) as important as IQ when it comes to long term success. The roots of emotional intelligence begin in early childhood and these skills should be taught. Drawing upon research from the Fred Roger’s Center, teachers will coach children in naming and maintaining their emotions, navigating social situations (such as initiating and sustaining interactions with peers). They will give your child opportunities to try new social skills and to try doing things independently. Teachers will encourage children and help them express their feelings in positive, healthy ways.

Cognitive development is your child’s ability to make sense of the world around him/her. It includes memory, language, thinking, problem-solving and reasoning. Classrooms are designed so toddlers can learn to how to solve problems by sorting objects, doing puzzles, taking things apart and fitting them back together, and so much more! Teachers will offer children a range of activities and experiences that inspire and challenge them, from building on their curiosity to helping them use their imagination.

Teachers support dynamic language development (which is vital to long-term reading success) by talking with children so they learn how words should sound and how conversations go back and forth. Teachers will seek out opportunities for hands-on explorations to introduce vocabulary. Vocabulary is essential for reading and content comprehension. New words are best retained through hands-on, multisensory experiences. Teachers will read books with simple stories and use songs, rhymes, and finger plays that have repeating patterns. They also help toddlers by asking questions about the books they read (“Brenda lost her doll. What do you think will happen next?”), expanding on their answers (“You said, ‘Cry.’ Do you think Brenda is sad about losing her favorite toy?”) and using new words (“Look how excited Brenda is now that she found her doll!”).

We look forward to partnering with you in supporting the growth and development of your child. You are the most important person in your child’s life and his/her first teacher! Working together, we will ensure that your child will be happy, healthy and successful.