Junior Program

This program is offered to toddlers who will be 18 months old at time of enrollment, and is run twice a week on (both) Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:30am to 11:30am and/or Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30 pm. The enrollment in this program is limited to 15 children. The teacher to student ratio is 1 to 5.

Daily Schedule (subject to change)

• • Outdoor Play
  • Small group Learning Circle: weather, calendar, felts, etc.
  • Snack
  • Indoor Free Play
  • Large Group Storytime

Creative Activities

These are media that permit rich sensory experiences for the children and an opportunity for real exploration.  These materials call on the children to use their imaginations to draw pictures about the things that are important or appealing to them. There are also many opportunities to create real or pretend situations.

Table Top Toys

They encourage a feeling of accomplishment. They increase the child’s experience with color, shape, weight and size. They also offer the satisfaction of taking apart and putting together, which improves eye/hand and small muscle co-ordination and problem solving.

Tree House/Listening Centre

This area will be closed off to the very young group as a safety precaution but may be opened in the second half of the Junior program. The listening center set up in the tree house will occasionally be incorporated into the program.

Housekeeping Centre

This centre is set up to look as much like a child-sized home as possible. There needs to be enough detail to be realistic, but careful selection is necessary so that an excess of materials and utensils will not stifle the child’s imagination. They also learn to socialize, share and cooperate through role-playing. This area encourages the young child to imitate and experiment with various roles, thus developing language skills, as well as large and small muscle development.

Outdoor Play

Play on the climbing frames and ladders teach children large muscle co-ordination. All of our outdoor play is useful in teaching children to co-operate, play together and to help. The children all help to put the equipment away and to set things up. In this way, they not only get exercise, but also experience a feeling of responsibility. The children learn to take turns, share, and communicate through play.

Cognitive

At the nursery school, children learn about themselves, their strengths, and their limits. A degree of independence is fostered, and enough freedom is allowed that the children are able to express themselves in a way best suited to each. There are times to be messy, to relax, to cook, paint, build, read, sing, talk, complete a puzzle or do a craft. The doing is the important part, not the end result.

Social

A safe, stimulating environment will encourage your child’s natural love of learning. We provide support in learning to communicate and problem-solve with other children and adults in a respectful manner.  Children learn to self-regulate in terms of sharing, interacting with others, and managing emotions.  They also learn about nutrition from enjoying food with others, and therefore develop interests in these areas.

Emotional

Children learn to cope more effectively with their own feelings – to relax or control their emotions – knowing that an understanding adult will help when needed. They also realize that being in a group of children their own age, others will share their fears, curiosities and pleasures. They learn to trust and confide in adults other than their own parent/guardians. They observe the interdependence of people and experience the need for co-operation.