Curriculum 

Toddler Class (2 1/2 Year Olds)

Social Development

The toddler's primary job is to learn about themselves and others through play. They will be sharing, taking turns, and learning how to interact with others. Independence is fostered by encouraging children to dress themselves and teaching them how to use appropriate health routines such as washing hands, toilet use, and proper use of tissues. The children will learn to accept instruction from adults (other than family members) and follow simple directions. Appropriate social behavior is learned through dramatic play. Children enjoy imitating kitchen and house routines, as well as the jobs of community workers. Toddlers love the self-expression provided by music. They enjoy learning songs, body movements, and using instruments.

​

Emotional Development

Working towards the ability to separate from family, the children learn to express feelings and concerns using verbal skills. Kids will learn to trust adults and begin to have friendships.

 

Physical Development

The toddler enjoys using large muscle skills while playing. Running, jumping, rolling, and climbing, as well as kicking and throwing a ball, are some favorites. Small muscle skills are developed through manipulation, such as puzzles and beads; art mediums, such as coloring, painting (finger and brush), and play dough. Eye/hand coordination is developed through the use of both large and small muscle skills.

 

Intellectual Development

Fall: The toddler loves to explore, look at books, and has the ability to listen to short stories. They complete simple puzzles and can follow one set of directions at a time. Through play, conversation and discussions, vocabulary growth is encouraged. The children will begin identifying colors, shapes, and familiar pictures in books and games.

 

Spring: The toddler now has a longer attention span with an increased interest in stories and more advanced puzzles. The children are currently developing better visual discrimination of objects, such as recognizing size differences, matching, and the concept of spatial relations (how things fit relative to size). The children are now counting two or more consecutive numbers, and they can remember simple poems and songs. Due to the rapid growth of language development, there is an increase in the general vocabulary and the identification of colors, shapes, and common pictures.