Academics
Toddler Program
Toddler Program Hours:
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
7:30 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.
During this first school experience, we emphasize routine, care of self, care of environment and care of each other. Through grace and courtesy lessons, each child is taught how to approach each other with kindness and respect. We create activities that assist them in developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination skills, prediction, observation, classification, exploration, reflection, nutrition, social behavior, free thinking, sharing, imagination, creativity, risk taking, self-esteem, a love of the great outdoors.
We believe in following the child and allowing the child to grow towards independence and learning. Areas of the classroom include practical life, language, math, sensorial, manipulatives as well as gross motor skills and creative lessons.
The social and emotional experience of the toddler is also significant. They are encouraged to use their words with lessons on grace and courtesy. Lessons incorporating kind words, manners, sharing and expressing their emotions are prompted everyday. The age difference among fellow classmates allows them to use their imagination, creativity, and help one another for various tasks.
Schedule At a Glance
- 8:45-9:00 Arrival/Greeting
- 9:00-10:30 Montessori Work Time**, Snack Time
- 10:30-11:00 Outdoor Time
- 11:00-11:15 Circle Time
- 11:15-11:30 Transition for lunch (wash hands, bathroom, diapering)
- 11:30-12:00 Lunch Time
- 12:00-12:30 Outdoor Time
- 12:30-2:30 Naptime
- 2:45-3:00 Dismissal
- 3:00-5:45 Extended Day
**Specialists in outdoor education, music as well as Spanish are incorporated into the school day.
Why Toddler Program?
We love our 2-year-olds at Brooksfield. They’re some of the most creative, adventurous and curious people in the world. This age is critical to a toddler’s development as she learns to navigate life. During this time, toddlers learn to differentiate between what’s right and wrong and how to discover new things and explore the big world around them. If you want to help your children in this journey, consider scheduling a tour.
Understanding the Importance of a Toddler Program
Toddler care is a very important part of a child’s life. A lot of places treat their toddler program as purely utilitarian: Children are there to be watched and cared for while the parents are at work. However, by applying Montessori education principles, the toddler program at Brooksfield moves far beyond simply being a place to leave your kids while you earn your paycheck.
At Brooksfield, our toddlers practice socialization skills. Socializing in a peer learning environment gives toddlers a first impression for what it means to interact with others their own age. Toddlers in a Montessori environment will experience parallel play, where they will play beside each other. This eventually turns into associative play, in which the toddlers will actually play together and with each other.
At this stage, your child begins to learn how to engage with other children, through engaging and interactive collaborations that teach them how to play and learn together. By learning to play together, your toddler and their friends learn to explore the world around them together in a social environment. It prepares them for the next steps of Montessori education.
How Toddler Child Care Can Foster Learning
Beginning to understand how to play with other children isn’t the only skill your toddler learns while in our toddler program. This is also the beginning of their long educational journey. By attending our program, your child will be presented with new situations in which they are able to use their imagination and creativity. We encourage this by giving toddlers the space to play as they want within a set of activities that encourage developing cognitive skills, such as motor skills, spatial awareness and problem solving.
The Montessori Method encourages tactile, kinesthetic learning that works excellently for toddlers at this crucial point in their lives. Patience is required. Some toddlers absorb certain concepts more easily than others. That’s why you need a staff that will work with your toddler, helping to provide them with individual support if needed.
At the same time, the emphasis should always be on the toddler being able to discover and learn new information on their own. Especially as toddlers grow into preschool children, they will be more independent in learning new concepts. Brooksfield toddlers get to build these new skills and slowly be able to comprehend them in their own, personal way.
No two people learn exactly the same way, which is true both for adults and toddlers. As they’re exposed to new information, a toddler will begin to make these crucial connections and form memories in their own way. Montessori instructors pay careful attention to a toddler’s progress to see how he’s developing and what learning style he prefers.
Getting Your Child On The Right Path
A love of learning begins at a very young age and by putting your toddler in Brooksfield School, you will help foster that love. It’s a safe environment that promotes interaction, creativity, learning, and imagination will provide immense benefits for your little one. Getting your toddler familiar with social interactions will allow them to not only learn how to play with others, but how to build relationships with their peers. You also set them up on the right path for a transition into our preschool and beyond.
Thanks to an education that isn’t simply situated within your own four walls, your child will learn more organically. Even young toddlers will be able to discover new concepts and information on their own, which will make what they learn even more meaningful. Toddler care is more than just a place to leave your toddler while you go to work. It’s a nurturing environment that will help your toddler learn and grow. To learn more about how we can help your child, please schedule a tour.
