- Cruisers ~ 14 months to 20 months (1:5 ratio)
- Toddlers ~ 20 months to 26 months. (1:6 ratio)
- Transitional Toddlers ~ 26 months to 36 months & fully potty trained. (1:8 ratio)
Christ-Centered Values
The Christian message of God’s grace, love, and forgiveness is the foundation of all learning at Open Arms. The Toddler program at Open Arms encourages children to grow in all developmental areas while experiencing God’s love. On a daily basis there is a Bible lesson, carried out through music & movement, language development, motor skills activities, creative arts, social/emotional development, sensory exploration, and outdoor play. The children also attend chapel every Wednesday with the pastor and every Friday the children participate in devotions at the center. Most importantly, the teachers at Open Arms incorporate Christ’s love into their lesson plans and demonstrate His love throughout each and every day.
Safe, Secure, and Nurturing Environment
Children in the Toddler program are developing communication and academic skills and learning self-help skills, such as table manners, toilet care, and dressing themselves. Social skills such as sharing toys and positive interactions with peers are stressed throughout the day. The positive atmosphere in the toddler room enhances a child’s good feelings about him/herself and those around him/her.
For Toddlers, play is their work and learning evolves from it. They will leave the Toddler program having been exposed to such skills as: following simple instructions, identifying animals and their sounds, identifying basic colors, utilizing various types of art materials, building blocks, stringing beads, doing simple puzzles, sitting for stories, singing, and other group activities, understanding that there are numbers and letters and recognizing some of them, beginning to recognize one’s own name and understanding concepts of big and little, over and under, in and out, up and down. Learning and interest centers are an active part of the curriculum. Books are read to the children every day. The children have opportunities to work in smaller groups and make specific choices in the following areas: Housekeeping, easel painting, gluing, play dough time, sandbox (measuring/pouring), dollhouse play, car mat/cars, match-up games, tool center, and Lego table. This time encourages necessary social skills- kindness/sharing taking turns, taking care of classroom property and using it properly, and settling conflict appropriately. The teachers move from area to area to monitor, encourage and assist them when and where needed. Weather permitting; we have two outdoor play periods a day. Our playground is age appropriate and beautiful. As we plan our day, we keep in mind that children need a balance of free and directed play and of play and quiet times. We enjoy what we plan to do with the children and our enjoyment transfers to them.
The Toddler class works on introducing potty learning. The Transitional Toddler class continues the potty learning process.
Open Arms Learning for Toddlers
Quality child care begins with quality programming. Pinnacle Early Childhood Curriculum™ is designed to engage children in developmentally appropriate activities that move them toward their potential. Pinnacle Curriculum for toddlers provides activities that stimulate growth and development that can be incorporated into the routines of the day. Encouraging an atmosphere of caring, love, and hugs, Pinnacle Curriculum provides teachers with fun activities to do with little ones all day. For two-year-olds, Pinnacle Curriculum follows a daily activity format that matches the ever-changing needs of each rapidly developing child! Pinnacle Curriculum provides small and large group time activities, along with center-based activities for the classroom. The activities in Pinnacle Curriculum meet learning objectives that will help each child move towards their potential as they explore and experiment with materials and activities in the classroom.
Units of Learning in Toddlers
- Music & Movement
- Bible Focus
- Language & Cognitive Development
- Fine & Gross Motor Skills
- Social & Emotional Development
- Creative Arts & Expression
- Sensory Exploration
- Outdoor Learning
In the Toddler program each child’s developmental growth and development are assessed on an ongoing basis. Each child has an Individual Child Profile which consists of anecdotal notes, observations, and work samplings. Report cards are completed for each child twice yearly. The teachers use the information collected in the Child Profile to individualize instruction so that the growth of each child is maximized.