Join our Toddler program in our School in Gaithersburg, Maryland every morning, or for three days per week if you choose. After a morning of fun and educational activities, your child can come home for lunch and a welcome nap or drop them off on your way to work and pick them up at the end of your day. Either way, your child will enjoy a day filled with experiences that meet their individual developmental needs.
Children usually join the Toddler class when they are between 15 and 18 months old. When a child is nearing 3 years of age and is fully toilet trained, we watch for signs of readiness to move them up to the Primary class.
Toddlers are busy all day, exploring the various areas of the classroom. This is a wonderful advantage over what you can provide in your home, with many more choices, and opportunities to learn to share space with other Toddlers. Our teachers are specially trained to teach social skills like taking turns, saying “please” and “thank you”, putting things away, and taking care of the materials.
Practical Life
A variety of washing and water pouring choices. Dressing frames help them learn to dress and undress themselves practicing buttons, buckles, zippers, velcro, and snaps.
Language
Toddlers’ vocabulary explodes between 18 months and 3 years. We begin to help them recognize beginning sounds and rhymes, skills that will help them to read later. We also expose them to different objects such as animal figures so they can learn their names. We also provide a library that children can use at any time to sit and look at books.
Math
This is an age where the concept of counting begins. We practice counting, and expose them to numbers to build their early math skills.
Sensorial
Our sensorial activities introduce shapes and colors, as well as sounds, textures, sizes and temperatures, to stimulate their senses and label their experiences. These materials also introduce the concept of sorting, for example from small to large, or by color or shape. Children learn to pay attention to what their senses are telling them, and to use that information to create a sense of order in their world.
It may sound like work, and we use the term “work” to refer to their activities, but the children really enjoy their time. Because our program is child led, your child will build a strong sense of confidence and independence. Children are happy to arrive, once they move past the separation process, and often walk away from parents to greet their fellow students when they come in the door.
Outside play and other large motor activities are important for Toddlers who are developing their balance, and awareness and control of their bodies. They learn to walk, run, and march, jump on two feet and on one, raise their arms over their heads and touch their toes.
Whether your child attends only for the morning, or for the whole day, they will have a wonderful experience with loving teachers. Come see for yourself.
We invite you to come to visit the school at one of our Open House events or contact us online today!