Toddler World
Philosophy
We carefully consider the toddlers need for firm attachment to reliable and secure educators who act as a springboard for exploration. Young children of this age need to know that their educator is available to Be with them, while giving them wings to explore on their own. Support and understanding of young children’s emotional regulation is essential to supporting children manage the big emotions they feel. To support this relationship children stay with at least one educator that is familiar with them throughout their stay at the service.
Toddlers need to physically explore and investigate the world. They need to test out materials, practice with tools and be exposed to exciting drama, music and language experiences. We believe in supporting children’s play by creating rich learning spaces inside and outside. We believe that interaction with a wide variety of open ended natural and recycled materials create opportunity for enquiry, creativity and learning. We believe in supporting children’s engagement in the visual arts, music and dance through regular opportunities to play with high quality materials each day.


Curriculum
Our curriculum is focused on building both knowledge and processes for learning. We pay particular attention to the following areas when thinking about our younger children’s program.
Embedded Learning
Regular planned times to support connection to the environment and real life opportunities like, gardening, and helping to set up mealtimes. In these times our interactions support many learning concepts including encouraging language, literacy and numeracy development and understandings, social interaction and personal support skills.


Environments
We carefully consider and adapt our environments as we see what children are focussing on and what development we wish to promote. We strongly believe that long exposure to areas and materials give children a sense of security, it is also a way to encourage deep investigation, imagination, creativity, problem solving, social skills, and social skills. Some of our environments that we plan for include:
Some of our environments that we plan for include:
Freeform areas
like sandpits, mud patches, water stations, sensory trays, and light stations play support learning in many areas. Props and loose parts and tools are provided according to the differing focuses of the space. We encourage scientific enquiry, problem solving,role-play, manipulation and creativity.
Creative areas
where children are offered access to many arts mediums and tools. These are offered across the inside and outside environments as well as with small group opportunities in our arts studio. Experiences may include, painting, drawing, clay and collage. Exploration in these spaces support learning fine motor skills, ways to represent their thinking about the world and creativity.
Physical challenges
like riding bikes, climbing and balancing are provided in a many spaces in the environment. These physical challenges are important for developing coordination and fitness but also to promote healthy brain development.