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
Welcome to the Toddlers!
Teacher/Child Ratio = 1:7
Age Range = 18-27 months
For the Toddler's, we focus on:
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
Our General Schedule
The following is a general guideline to how your child will spend his/her day. Obviously, the child’s needs (diaper changes or bathroom breaks, for example) are taken into consideration.
Open to 8:30 a.m. = Arrival: Children participate in child-initiated activities and eat breakfast. Breakfast is served at 8:00. As children finish breakfast, they can visit learning centers or participate in individual or small-group activities until most children have arrived or are finished eating.
8:30 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. = Group Time: Teacher brings the group together for morning routines, calendar, sharing, featured activity, literacy-building, and discussion of the day’s activities and themes.
9:25 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. = Learning Centers and Small-Group Activities: Children choose from activities in the creative arts, dramatic play, writing, library, blocks, manipulatives, math, science and sensory learning centers. Teachers implement small-group activities, focusing on skill-building activities and observational assessment.
10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. = Snack
10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. = Group Time: Children come together to listen to a daily read-aloud and/or to finish or repeat activities from the early morning group time.
10:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. = Reflection Time
11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. = Outdoor Play: Children select from a variety of outdoor activities.
11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. = Lunch: Children wash hands, help set the tables, and prepare and eat lunch.
12:15 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. = Group Time: Teachers read aloud to the children as they settle down for naps.
12:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. = Rest Time and Quiet Work Time: Most children nap or rest quietly. As children wake from rest time, they can select from a variety of quiet choices, such as manipulatives, drawing and writing, books, or the listening center.
2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. = Learning Centers: Children choose from activities in the learning centers.
3 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. = Snack
3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. = Group Time: Children come together for an afternoon featured activity and closing routine.
3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. = Outdoor Play: Children select from a variety of outdoor activities.
4:15 p.m. to Close = Learning Centers or Small-Group Activities: Children select from a variety of activities that are easy to clean up, such as books, listening center, and manipulatives.