Toddlers - The Sea Lion & Sea Horse Rooms
The third year of life, from 25 to 36 months, is another critical period for healthy brain development. It is the time when children gain greater control over their bodies, develop a first vocabulary and first begin to suspect that they are not the very center of the universe! As with the Infant Program, we believe two -year -olds need respect, nurturing care and individual attention. They also need a bit more challenges in their environment, plenty of opportunities to talk and interesting experiences to talk about. They need specific help in communicating their feelings and needs to the other children with whom they want to play. They need encouragement and reassurance when things do not go their way.
The Environment
There are two toddler classrooms, each with a several separate play and caregiving areas to allow children to be in small groups as is appropriate for their age. The rooms and the outdoor play yard provide a opportunities for exploring, imaginative play, dressing up, reading, using small manipulatives, and of course, art and sensory activities so beloved by toddlers. The children sleep on small cots after stories and back rubs. While most of the toddlers take a nap after lunch in Sea Lions Room, children who have already slept, are arriving, etc. will play in the Sea Horse Room during nap time and may rest later. The toileting area of each room has both a changing table and a small toilet and low sink.
The Staff
Personal qualities critical to the education of toddlers are patience, a highly developed sense of humor, a commitment to children’s healthy development and a respect for the children’s desire to “do it themselves.” The Toddler staff has these special qualities and together they have a formidable knowledge and experience of toddler development. They use a team approach, planning children’s experiences together. Each child has a Home Base Teacher to help them adjust to the Toddler Program, to turn to during the day for special support, laughs and hugs. For parents, this teacher will be the person for communicating about daily experiences, routines and concerns.
We use a consistent approach that feels safe and familiar to the children. For example, teachers speak to the children in a normal adult voice, gently and clearly, getting down to children’s eye level whenever possible. They let a child know what to expect, before it happens. For example, a teacher may say, “It’s almost time to clean up before snack,” giving the two-year -old a chance to mentally disengage from what they are doing. Later they will say, “Now it is time to clean up,” and engage the child’s cooperation. The Toddler Lead Teachers provide overall guidance and planning for the program.
Activities
Toddlers have many emerging abilities; language, greater control of the body to run, jump and climb, greater fine motor skills, sensory discrimination and social skills. These are nurtured through Activity Centers, projects, and special materials. Children have choices of what to do, but not so many as to be overwhelming. Activities are offered in such a way as to put most emphasis on “doing,” with a 3-8 children working in an area at a time. Projects are often open-ended, without a specific final product in mind. Some examples: finger-painting with two colors, pouring and measuring at the water table, singing and acting out a nursery song, making a fruit salad, talking about animals we know personally. During Circle Time the children learn songs, fingerplays and group games together. Toilet learning is a part of the curriculum of the Toddler Program. The staff approaches it in a relaxed, easy going fashion, with lots of communication with each family about readiness, etc.
Every week the children have Enrichment Classes in music and movement education in addition to their classroom daily activities.
Our Influences
The Toddler Program is guided by the accreditation standards for high quality early childhood programs developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Additionally our approach is influenced by two nationally recognized curriculum models; the WestEd Training for Infant Toddler Caregivers and Resources for Infant Educarers.