Infants and Toddlers

  One wing of our school is dedicated to infants and toddlers. We have two infant rooms and four toddler rooms.
  These little guys and girls have their own playground adjoining their wing. It has age appropriate climbers, cars and toys, and is totally separate from the older childrens' playground.

Infants - Our infant classrooms each have 8 babies and 2 teachers. Babies typically stay in the infant room until about 16-18 months of age. Our infant teachers are experienced and loving, holding, rocking, playing and talking to the babies throughout the day. We believe that babies should be in the least restrictive environment possible, so cribs are only used for napping. The rest of the day infants are "out and about" in the classroom. Rooms are well equipped with swings, bouncies, mats and many stimulating toys and books. Teachers talk to and read to the infants throughout the day, as language development is of utmost importance, and starts at birth! They also provide other experiences to enhance growth and development, such as finger painting, block and manipulative play.
  Lesson plans are done for each individual baby, and are specific to his or her development and needs. Monthly units are also planned, and songs, poems, tactile experiences, and art projects center around these units.
  Parents are always welcome to visit during the day, and receive a full report of their baby's day at pick up!
Toddlers and 2's - Our toddlers range in age from 16 months to around 2 1/2. Our younger toddlers have 5 children in a room with one teacher, but these 2 rooms adjoin, with a dutch door and picture window for visibility, which enables teachers to work togetherand help each other as needed. Some classes may be combined, but of course the age of the youngest child in the room determines the ratio of the class. Our 2's have either 7 or 8 children per class, depending on the size of room and development of the children.
  Children in the toddler classes participate in a full preschool curriculum, including language, art, music, free play, social skilles, exploration, and fine and gross motor activities. All activities are related to weekly units, and because children at this age learn through play, we make all learning experiences fun and real!