At Families First, every child has the opportunity to:
- Participate in activities that are both quiet and active, teacher-directed and child-initiated, and indoor and outdoor using a variety of equipment and materials
- Work and play in a safe, loving atmosphere with children of the same age, always under direct supervision
- Establish positive and caring relationships with both adults and other children
- Develop a curiosity for the world around them by asking questions, trying new ideas, providing input and feeling good about their efforts of response
- Develop a positive self-esteem which allows independence in the pursuit of learning through problem-solving and the confidence to try things on their own
- Challenge their physical and intellectual abilities
Physical Development
- Large muscle – encouraging movement, climbing, sliding, ball play, riding toys, swings
- Balance – providing obstacles, creative movements, and all of the above-mentioned objects
- Small muscle – hand/eye coordination activities, cutting, pasting, large block play, bead stringing
Emotional Development
- Self-esteem – positive reinforcement and encouraging self-exploration, discussion of feelings, storytime, dramatic play
- Independence – providing choices encouraging self-motivation, self-help skills
Intellectual Development
- Language – encouraging speech, conversations, show and tell, storytelling, reading
- Cognitive – exploration, nature studies, matching through storytime, shapes and colors, books, puzzles
- Creative – dramatic play, art activities, music activities
Social Development
- Behavioral – separating children during disagreements and over activity. They cannot yet mediate themselves.
- Communication – providing conversation skill development, sharing, listening, and communicating