The 2 toddler rooms accommodate 24 children each. The adult-child ratio is 1:5. When children reach 3 years the ratio is 1:8. Our aim is to support the children to grow from a dependent toddler into independent 3-year-old.
In toddlers, we help children become keen movers and enthusiastic communicators who are able to make their own decisions. Throughout the day, the children have plenty of opportunities to play alongside others where adults sensitively model and encourage collaborative play promoting turn-taking and sharing. The areas provide children with access to bathrooms which allow them to explore potty training readiness and enable them to gain independence in self-care.
The ‘free flow’ allows children to access a variety of activities across different areas extending to the outdoor balcony and a garden where children can develop a fascination with nature. Furthermore, practitioners emphasize the development in Literacy, Maths, and Arts where children can explore practical mathematical problems, and express their creativity through mark-making, music, dancing, singing and building repertoire of favourite songs and stories. As children at this age begin to express themselves also through pretend play, we provide resources and spaces that allow them to imitate events from their own family life, so developing their self-identity.
These rooms generally accommodate children who are aged between 18 months to 3 years, although they may transition to one of our preschool rooms slightly earlier.
A ‘free flow’ environment will be maintained where children will be given the opportunity to move around the room, exploring and discovering, utilising a wide and varied range of equipment. Practitioners will plan activities ensuring all stages of development are catered for and met. Children will work closely with their key person, spending time during morning and afternoon sessions, in small group time.
There is a wet/messy area, for sand, water, clay/dough, paint/art and craft activities, where children can develop imaginary/creative skills. Children can develop and extend their imagination through play opportunities in the role play area, exploring the world and discovering how other people feel.
A construction area offers opportunities where they can develop gross and fine motor skills, along with discovering simple scientific and mathematical concepts. There is a book area where language/listening skills are developed through storytelling, a mark making area where children will be encouraged to find the appropriate materials to start and develop hand to eye co-ordination developing, early writing skills, whilst fine motor control is developed in cutting and gluing activities. Children also have the opportunity to access the balcony as and when they wish.