Toddler
12 to 24 months
“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”
Proverbs 22:6
Early learning experiences can influence a child’s success in school and later life. At Horizons Unlimited Christian Academy, our toddler curriculum is designed meet the developmental needs of children in the areas of independence, order, language expansion, refinement of movement, socialization, and toilet learning. These developmental needs are met with the ultimate goal of assisting the child to become more and more independent. Here's a glimpse of what our toddler curriculum includes:
Physical Development
We provide plenty of opportunities for toddlers to develop their gross and fine motor skills through outdoor play, indoor movement activities, and creative expression through art and sensory play. Children move about freely, making contact with those around them and supporting the budding desire for socialization. Our classrooms are clean and reflect a home environment.
Social and Emotional Development
Toddlers have a great need for order and routine. Their sense of order is encouraged through predictable surroundings. Only by experiencing external order are they fully able to develop their inner order. Order in the classroom is fostered through a daily sequence in specific lessons and routines (meals, group time, etc.), and predictable placement of lessons on the shelves. This encourages trust in the environment and in themselves. Experiencing this trust increases their self-esteem and confidence while also building positive relationships with caregivers and peers. This is essential for toddlers' social and emotional development. Our caregivers provide a warm and loving environment where toddlers feel safe and secure.
Language Development
Language development is critical for toddlers' overall development. Our caregivers engage toddlers in conversations, read stories to them, and encourage them to express themselves through music and movement. Language Development happens constantly in the toddler classroom. Children are given the names of everything in the classroom as well as the names of feelings and appropriate ways to express them other than physically. Toddlers are encouraged to talk about everything. Most children leaving the toddler classroom have an extensive vocabulary and are well on their way to speaking complete coherent sentences.
Did you know that toddlers have the ability to understand and use language even before they can speak in full sentences?
Research shows that toddlers can understand and comprehend words and phrases as early as 6 months of age, and can even start using some basic words and gestures by their first birthday. This early language development is crucial for their cognitive, social, and emotional development and lays the foundation for their future language skills.
