A Day in the Life of a Strelitz Toddler
While our infants enjoy more personalized and individual routines, our toddlers’ days are balanced between active and quiet activities. We slowly introduce them to more routines as they grow even more independent. A toddler’s day is kept busy with a combination of the following experiences:
- 8:00 – 8:45 Full Care and Early drop-off
- 8:45 – 9:00 General Student Arrival
- Circle time
- Outside play (large motor activity in the preschool gymnasium in inclement weather)
- Art
- Snack – Cereal, fruit, vegetables, grains.
- Exploratory Play / Center time
- 12 pm Lunch
- 12:30 pm – Dismissal or Transition to Extended Day
Circle time – Early Language development thrives on repetition. Our morning welcome routines include songs, calendar, weather discussion, and story time. The teachers try to incorporate stories that relate to the weekly theme, however often the children will request other books which the teachers gladly read to them as well. Length of circle time develops with the students’ attention spans.
Exploratory Play / Center time – Since children learn through play and open-ended activities where they have the chance to explore the world around them, ask questions, and see how things work we encourage self-directed and teacher-guided play in the toddler rooms to help develop age-appropriate behaviors and language development. Student choice activities include open-ended materials that develop problem-solving and readiness skills, as well as promote collaboration, e.g., Magna-tiles, blocks, play dough, puzzles, and dramatic play areas (kitchen, baby dolls, and cars).
Our teachers approach art time using Process art. Process art is all about the experience the children have while they are creating, not about what the final product will look like. Process art allows children to be themselves, make their own decisions, and just create whatever they feel like creating!
Outside Play – Being outdoors is the best place for young children to practice and master emerging physical skills, such as running, leaping, and jumping. It is also the most appropriate area for the practice of ball-handling skills, like throwing, catching, and striking. In addition, other manipulative skills like pushing a swing, pulling a wagon, and lifting and carrying movable objects are best mastered outside
Full Care Program 3:30-6:00 – This is our after-care program for our toddlers. The afternoon includes a snack, motor activities, art projects, free play, music, and story time. On days that the preschool is closed but the Full care program is open, we provide care.
Extended Day Schedule
12:30-1:00 – Diapers
1:00 – 3:00 – Nap
3:00 – 3:30 – Snack and Play
3:30 – Dismissal
