TSC Child Care
Previous Section | Back to Child Care | Next Section
Curriculum
"Our primary concern is that we want our children to be happy, healthy, and safe. When we go down and visit them in the Tot Center, we want to see them smiling, playing, and generally just having a good time. And that is what we see. But of course, we also want them to be learning. So when our son, Camden, was 2 1/2 and recited the ABCs to us, we were very pleasantly surprised-we knew he had learned them at the Tot Center. The interactive play at the Tot Center, combined with lots of reading and learning exercises, provides our children, Camden and Madison, with an enjoyable learning experience. By keeping our children active, happy, and safe, and at the same time providing them with interesting social and intellectual experiences, the Tot Center is more than meeting all of our expectations."
- Kip & Candy Brown, Volpe Center and Contractor Parents
Infants
Although appropriate play materials can support and promote development, interaction with people is of primary importance in the infant world. Adults and other children are very interesting to infants. Playful interaction with adults is especially important. Infants are soothed by the presence of an adult and pay special attention to faces and voices of familiar adults. Infants also enjoy looking at each other. The teachers facilitate development of infants by helping them sit, eat, walk and talk. Activities are planned to help the children safely develop these skills.
Toddler I
Children in the young toddler room are increasingly mobile and interested in practicing their motor skills. Large motor materials (ride-on equipment, push and pull toys, low climbing structures) and those that can be used in combination with large motor activities (balls and large, lightweight blocks) support developing skills and the children love them! At the same time, young toddlers are learning to talk. The teachers are constantly reading and talking to the children, and encouraging them to "use their words."
Toddler II
Older toddlers love active, physical play and have significantly more advanced gross motor skills. Their fine motor skills have also improved, and the children enjoy manipulating and exploring objects. Older toddlers have better developed representational skills. They can use one object to represent another-a block can be a "car" and a stick can be a "broom." At this age, the children exhibit a great deal of curiosity and social interaction. The housekeeping area is a very busy place where they can interact socially and use their imagination. A great deal of tactile exploration occurs in the classroom as well, such as a sand table filled with various textures.
Preschool I and II
A lot of emphasis is placed on social skills in the preschool classroom. The children learn to develop an understanding of what it means to have feelings. Cooperative play, sharing and taking turns are encouraged. Through activities facilitated by the teachers, children are taught pre-reading and pre-writing. Much of this is achieved through books. Reading to children opens a new world to them, and helps them develop an appreciation for books. Use of interactive computer software also enhances learning. Independence is emphasized in the pre-school program. A large playground with a climbing structure for large motor activities helps to complement the children's cognitive development.
