Early Learning Center (ELC)

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Category: Classes

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Pass It On Early Learning Center Program (ages 8 – 36 months)

Infants and toddlers at Pass It On Early Learning Center thrive under gentle, loving, attentive, and emotionally responsive care and our teachers are trained to meet the emotional and developmental needs of our youngest children. Infant and toddler care is completely individualized.

The Early Learning Center teachers understand that some of the most important learning takes place during the first two years of a child's life. Consistent, sensitive, and responsive care helps establish a good self concept and a solid base for exploration and learning. Our care is focused on each child's sense of security, safety, and comfort. Teachers talk to children about their surroundings, their activities and the care that they are receiving. Expressions of affection are frequent. Verbal, fine motor, large motor, and social skills are learned in an atmosphere filled with love and respect.

Teacher and Family Communication

Our teachers work closely with the parents to understand family preferences for their child’s care and incorporate key home routines into our program, ensuring optimal consistency between the home and school environment. We work closely with parents to communicate daily events and changes in the child's schedule, health, development, and mood. Teachers communicate with parents in person daily, and provide daily Stork Report cards for parents’ review. Teachers also communicate via text and picture messages throughout the week, keeping parents fully informed about their child's days. Through these communications, teachers and parents form a close partnership to effectively individualize their child’s care. Working at a ratio of one teacher to four, in a family environment of up to twelve toddlers, our children and teachers establish loving, supportive, and responsive relationships, ensuring optimal intellectual, social, and physical development as our toddlers pursue their quest for independence.

One of our primary areas of focus is encouraging our children to become independent, interdependent, self-confident, social little people through gently guided and heavily praised pro-social interactions with peers, adults, and their environments. We believe that positive, responsive and respectful relationships are key to achieving important toddler developmental milestones. Teachers in this program allow the children to try new things for themselves, only stepping in to help as the need arises. Independence is encouraged in daily living tasks by giving children the time and space to learn how to use the toilet, put on their own shoes, and feed themselves. Affection, respect, and sensitivity are important as well as responsiveness to each individual personality and temperament. The resulting sense of competence, independence, and control helps to solidify and strengthen the positive self esteem so essential to all learning.

We know toddlers need choices for play that are interesting and challenging. The curriculum at the Early Learning Center includes circle times for stories, singing, and discussion. Weekly lesson plans are posted on our website prior to the beginning of each month.

The children are provided pre-math and pre-literacy activities as well as lots of role-playing opportunities where imaginations run wild. They have time for free play so they can construct their own activities either as independent activities or with friends. Teachers help the children to communicate their needs and desires, and assist the children as they negotiate sharing and playing together.

Infant and Toddler Environment

The toddler environment at the Early Learning Center provides opportunities for safe, stimulating exploration where children can choose between many interesting activities that keep them busy and happy throughout the day. Developmentally appropriate toys are rotated to provide a variety and continuing challenges, and books, crafts and musical outlets abound. Furniture for the children is designed for their comfort, and safety. Infants use booster seats equipped with safety belts for eating and art activities, while toddlers have chairs that are the right size for their torsos and legs. Infants and toddlers have appropriate opportunities to climb and jump indoors and outdoors on structures designed specifically for young children. The children are taken outside to play on a daily basis, and often go on walk-abouts, exploring our neighborhood surroundings. Both the outside and indoor environments provide comfortable and safe settings in which children can spend productive, enjoyable days with their friends and teachers.

Resting and Quiet Time

Quiet time is from approximately 1pm – 3pm daily and consistently. We realize that rest is extremely important for little bodies, and we strive to make the napping experience as natural as possible. With this in mind, please try to schedule appointments and pick-up times to take place before or after rest time.

All children will be required to bring resting materials regardless of whether or not they choose to sleep. All children under 2 years of age must use a pack-n-play for sleeping purposes. *At the discretion of the parents and the director, children under 2 years may graduate from the pack-n-play and will be encouraged to use a top and bottom cover (2 blankets) or a sleeping bag, and a small pillow or head rest. Stuffed animals, special blankets, or small sleeping objects brought from home are viewed as resting materials, and are made available to children during quiet time, or resting periods. All resting materials are to go home for laundering weekly.

All children are encouraged to rest quietly, or may choose to engage in a quiet activity, if parents permit a choice be given. Napping children will be offered a quiet sleeping space in a dimmed, ventilated and monitored area, while active children quietly explore books in their resting areas of choice, or participate in color, number, and letter activities (ABC, 123’s). Children may also enjoy park outings, arts/crafts, and indoor or outdoor play time.

Diapers and Toilet Training

Families of any child who is not yet toilet trained must supply a changing pad, diapers, wipes, and any other needed diapering accessories in a labeled bag to be stored with the program. Reusable grocery bags are durable and work very well as diaper bags. Diapering supplies will not be provided. Parents will be notified in advance of any need to replenish diapering supplies.

The Pass It On Early Learning Center is dedicated to supporting children and families in the often challenging, and always rewarding task of Toilet Training. We really enjoy this task!! Children that are being exposed to a bathroom routine, are primarily self-dressing, responding to internal cues, and/or staying dry predominately throughout the day, to include rest time, may be ready for a consistent toilet training routine. Please inform us of when you feel this transition is nearing. Open communication and consistent use of toilet training techniques between childcare providers and parents is very important in turning your little person into a diaper-free super hero!

Children may choose not to wear a diaper to school once they have become successfully toilet trained in their home environment. A child will be considered toilet trained when they have completely transitioned from needing any day time diapers, including nap-time (not night time), and can consistently and successfully use the toilet with minimal misses (2 or fewer) over a 4 week period of time.

All Learning Center toilet training will encourage socially acceptable use of the toilet, requiring hand washing afterward. It is not acceptable for a toilet training/ed child to choose to urinate outdoors while in program attendance, or on program property.

During the toilet training process, please dress your child in clothing that will support your child in making this a successful and exciting transition.