Toddler Program - 18 Months to 2½
Our Toddler program has been developed to ensure positive early experiences with school in order to create positive attitudes towards learning. Our goal is to promote the child’s social skills, empowering him/her to speak up and problem solve for themselves, to build friendships and a sense of belonging. The daily schedule is set to ensure a respect for order and a sense of responsibility for one’s self and one’s place in the group.
Daily Schedule Includes:
Connection Time
As children arrive the teacher greets them individually teaching them the skills to undress and responsibly stow belongings. They are then invited to an activity area where children can play, mingle and connect with their friends. Activity areas are limited to encourage children to make connections and cooperate. Teachers are specially trained in helping children make these important connections, and we believe this is an extremely important and valuable part of our daily routine.
Circle Time
Circle time is rich in language and is a time to introduce new concepts, skills, and ideas to the group. Teachers encourage children to participate and develop listening skills and practice their oral communication skills in a very safe and empowering atmosphere. This time also helps to connect the group by all coming together, respecting turn taking and allowing us to enjoy each other and learn together. Topics include story time, calendar, weather, cognitive games, sharing games, letters, numbers, colours, singing, music and finger plays. The day begins and ends with circle time.
Free Play and Activity Time
This is a time for socialization where speaking up and listening, empathy and cooperation are encouraged. It is a time for taking turns, sharing and caring. Some of the activities are puzzles, blocks, manipulatives, family centre, drama and dress-up, creating with paint, glue, play dough and other craft and sensory materials. These activities increase cognitive development and fine motor skills. Children rotate between one on one teacher led activities and free play. The children also learn to work together to tidy up before moving on to another activity. Teachers encourage the idea that working together is fun and the children learn a feeling of usefulness and importance by contributing to the class. Teachers use encouragement and appreciation to develop the child’s own self-motivation to want to help the group.
Snack
This is a social time and teachers instigate conversation to develop a sense of social belonging. Children are taught the skills to wash their own hands, choose a spot at the table, serve themselves including pouring their own drink, wiping up a spill and tidying up their plate and cup when they are finished. Snack is provided by the centre and is always nutritious.
Gym Time
Children move to the gym for the development of gross motor skills. Activities vary from movement and music to dramatic play to free or teacher led cooperative games.
Home Time
We will take the time to teach specific skills and then children will have the opportunity to work towards being self-sufficient and capable with coats, mitts, hats and boots
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There are currently no |
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March 2010
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Contact us! Phone: 416-544-0133 Fax: 416-544-0437 Email: early.years@bellnet.ca