A Time of Tremendous Growth and Development
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Once your child enters toddlerhood, she has improved her motor ability and coordination. Language and communication skills are emerging that allow her to exercise independence and autonomy. At Little Leprechaun, we recognize the need for toddlers to explore and test their new-found freedom- within supportive limits. By having their attempts at independence valued and supported, young children begin to develop a sense of themselves as autonomous beings who have the ability to fulfill their own desires and goals.This feeling of autonomy lays the foundation |
for the emergence of initiative and purpose that follows.Social interactions, developing a positive self-image, anguage and communication, and exploration and problem solving are the concentrations in both of our toddler programs. A variety of toys are provided, from cause/effect (pop-up boxes), to closed-ended (stacking rings), to imaginative (doll houses) which aid the toddler's desire for self-exploration and discovery. At times appropriate for each child, potty learning is introduced, encouraged and rewarded.
Young children often want to accomplish tasks in their environment that they don't quite have the ability to carry out. Little Leprechaun teachers understand the importance of supporting children in their efforts to carry out goals and intentions and they provide "just enough" support for the child to accomplish her goal. Our teachers also understand the importance of allowing the child to act independently when able; they know just when to remove this support. Teachers are watching for the opportunity to move children from acting with support to independent behavior. This approach is known as the Scaffolding of Experiences* and is based on the theories of Russian developmental psychologist Lev Vygotsky.
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toddlers 18-24 months of age For this age group, we plan short group activities throughout the day to share your toddler's joy in uncovering the mechanics of everyday life. We provide a variety of experiences that allow your child to begin to construct ideas. As with the infant program, we create an environment that fosters healthy psychosocial growth, which is the development of a positive self image and rewarding social relationships.We continue Sign
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Language instruction to encourage vocabulary growth and to give your child the ability to make requests and express wants and needs. At this age we begin to build portfolios for each child that will grow as the children explore new abilities.
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