The foundation for academic learning is rooted in play. We do lots of playing in the Caterpillar class. The activities in the two year old class will support your child's learning using different kinds of materials from nature and the everyday world. The children will be encouraged to use their senses as they work with these materials. There are also many kinds of age-appropriate art projects, puzzles, games, dramatic play, blocks, cars, trucks and trains that encourage working together. All of our activities and material are designed for cognitive and social development. They are presented in playful, fun-filled themes that draw curiosity and support learning.

Circle time is when the children get to practice sitting and listening, both to the teacher and to each other. This is our time to hear a story, watch a puppet show, learn the days of the week, practice counting and play games that teach shapes, colors, letters, numbers, sizes and memory skills. It's also a time to discuss anything exciting that's happening at school, such as a holiday concert, or anything that might be of concern to the children, such as missing a friend who has moved away.

This is the time of the day when the children select what they would like to play with. They have many things to choose from including art, books, puzzles, sensory table, dress-up, housekeeping, blocks and other large manipulatives as well as smaller toys that encourage imaginative play such as cars, dolls and animals. All the toys and activities are age-appropriate and designed to challenge the children without frustrating them. During this time the children get to put into practice everything they are learning about social interactions. It is a child-directed time with the teachers ready to offer help and guidance when needed, as well as a lap to sit on or a story to read.

Outside free play has many of the same elements as our inside play with the addition of bikes, a sandbox, a play house and a climbing structure. The children get the opportunity to be loud and run, climb, and jump as much as they like. This time is also child-directed with the same focus on social interactions. The teachers are available to observe, encourage, comfort, mediate and play.

At our facility your child does not have to be toilet trained to enter the three year old class. The children in our class are at different places in their toilet training and parents and teachers work together as a team to bring about success for each child. The children must be toilet trained in order to enter the four year old class.