Our day includes...

Arrival and Saying Goodbye

Separating from a loved one can be hard, no matter how old you are. Together, we will help your child through it. 

Nourishment

Children are fed according to their individual needs, eventually moving towards group mealtimes. Families send food and milk each day. As children grow, we will begin to explore growing and making food together. 

Rest 

We will work with your child's needs for rest based on their age and schedule. Children who no longer nap are provided with a space to recharge and quiet, calming activities.

Self Care and Hygiene

Cleaning and clothing our bodies is not something we rush through to get to the "real" work or play. It is the real work! I work with children from a young age to participate in their self-care routines. 

Toileting and Diapering

I will work with your family's approach, whether you use disposable diapers, cloth diapers, elimination communication, or a combination thereof. We will work together during toilet learning / toilet training as well.

Learning About Self and Others

We are learning about what we like, how we feel in different situations, what we are capable of and what we struggle with. We are learning how to live with others: how to give and receive, how to work together, how to disagree, and how to set and respect boundaries. We are building trusting relationships with self and others.

Meaningful Work

We learn from washing, sweeping, raking, shoveling, weeding, planting, digging, pruning, hauling, measuring, mixing, gathering, building, and much more. Any authentic work is engaging for children. 

Play

We make space for active play, sensory play, and imaginative play. We will play outside in all seasons and types of weather.

Walks

We will walk around the neighborhood and to nearby woods and parks.

Stories and Songs

We enjoy stories in many forms. With infants, we read books and sing songs together. With toddlers, we offer a brief circle time, including stories, finger plays, songs, dance, and movement. As children grow, circle time also becomes a time to discuss topics of interest, make a plan for the day, or share stories from home.

Emergent Curriculum

I will offer a variety of age-appropriate materials. Based on the children's interests and needs, I will adjust the offerings over time to let them develop and explore further. Rather than a predetermined curriculum, we aim to provide a stimulating environment and a responsive teacher. I find that children will learn about colors, numbers, shapes, properties of matter, cause and effect, language, stories, literacy, time, patterns, problem-solving, and much, much, more, simply while following their natural curiosity, engaging in play, and shadowing the adults around them.

Schedule of the Day

The daily schedule is adjusted according to the composition of the group and will change as their needs change. 

Here are some examples of daily rhythms I have used:

• A younger infant’s day:

  • Arrival, Play, Diapering, Nap, Feeding, Outdoor Play, Diapering, Nap, Feeding, Indoor Play, Departure

• A three year old’s day:

  • Arrival, Play, Snack, Toileting, Outdoor Play, Lunch, Toileting, Nap, Indoor Play, Departure

• A five year old’s day:

  • Arrival, Play / Activities, Songs/Stories, Snack, Toileting, Outdoor Play, Lunch, Toileting, Nap / Quiet Time, Indoor Play / Activities, Snack, Departure