The toddler classroom is arranged in such a manner to allow the children to explore everything worth exploring. The toddlers are in small primary groups, with one degreed and credentialed teacher to every six toddlers, with a total group size of 12 children per classroom. Toddlers are given many activities and materials that are open ended, to allow them to explore concepts and relations of materials to one another. This ensures that all routines and transitions are smooth. Routines such as dressing, self-service of meals, napping and toilet training are the focus in this classroom while the children also explore interesting topics.
The toddler is becoming more independent and is learning how to negotiate this in the context of satisfying their personal needs with the other children within the classroom. This becomes a primary task, of how to negotiate materials and space with peers.
The classroom environment is fundamental to contributing to the toddler’s experiences and supports their learning while in the program. We strive to make the classrooms a welcoming place for both the children and family, with “homelike” touches. The rooms and playground allow for the children to freely and safely explore and experience the environment. Age-appropriate materials that are interesting to toddlers are placed at their level, for easy and accessible self-service.
The classroom is divided into strategically located interest areas, so learning experiences do not interfere or interrupt one another. For instance, noisy activities (blocks, dramatic play) are separate from quiet activities (book reading, writing, and art).
Teachers rotate materials often to keep the children interested in all areas, while increasing the level of difficulty in order to challenge them mentally and physically. The toddler classroom is also rich in language. This is when teachers and parents spend much of their time role modeling language for the children, giving them the language for them to be able to communicate their needs better on their own.
Using the Creative Curriculum as our foundation provides a thorough curriculum that supports the children in meeting the Desired Results and the California Infant/Toddler Learning & Development Foundations and Frameworks. The Creative Curriculum also encourages our teachers to individualize and make the learning experiences relevant to the children in the classroom by framing learning in the children’s interests. This learning and development is shown in our Floorbooks, where the teachers and toddlers work together document the experiences, note their thinking, and reflect on the processes while planning future opportunities of exploration.
