Toddler Center

Welcome to our "Small Wonders" program, offered to you and your child by Pinecrest Schools. We are pleased to be chosen as your child's caregiver for these early years.

Before your child "opens the door to wonder" at our facility, allow us to tell you about the characteristics of our toddler center and program.

All young children deserve healthy environments in which they can grow and thrive. Our toddler center:

Is homelike
. . . because young children spend most of their waking hours in them. Like a home, our center is a place where children can:

Relax and be themselves
Feel safe and secure
Be with the same caregivers every day
Work and play using different kinds of furnishings and varied lighting

Is child-sized
. . . because this creates greater opportunities for success. Imagine being in the Land of the Giants, a place where everything is too big, too high, or out of reach. Children need environments that are scaled to their size. Our center has:

Child-sized furniture
Ceilings low enough for proper acoustics
Windows at children's eye level
Doors, sinks, toilets and water fountains that are "child friendly"

Is a palette for children's self-expression
. . . because this promotes pride, accomplishments and recognition. Pleasant and personal surroundings affect perception, creativity and learning. Our center is characterized by:

Neutral tones for backgrounds and ceilings, with pleasing colors for accents
Space for children's art, located at the children's eye level
Space for objects that children bring to share or have special meaning

Has indoor and outdoor spaces for physical activities

. . . because this provides an emotional outlet and promotes self-esteem and good health. Toddlers don't just move to get from place to place - they run, jump, hop, skip, roll and climb. They move for the sheer joy of it, and for the discoveries that movement brings. Our center has places, both indoors and outdoors which allow for:

Running
Climbing
Swinging
Riding
Balancing and bouncing

Is structured yet flexible
. . . because predictability and ownership create a sense of security. Organizing space and time in our center is important, but this order needs to be comprehensible to the children as well as to the adults. Structure is based on program goals, rather than imposed for tidiness. Structure is flexible to allow for exceptions, individuality - and thedelight of surprise. Our program offers different spaces in the center which:

Can be recognized by children - perhaps by different colors or coverings on the floor
Are for quiet and active play
Can be rearranged by children for their own activities

Has a professionally trained and caring staff
. . . because we care about each child entrusted to our center. A caregiver spends a considerable amount of time tending to each toddler's needs. Our staff is:

Trained to provide this care in a loving and caring manner
Instructed to encourage toddlers to feed themselves while directly supervising them
Ready to assist with toilet training, when the child shows signs of readiness

Offers a healthy and appealing menu
. . . because we support a healthy lifestyle. Our center offers:

Breakfast (If arriving between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.)
Morning and afternoon snacks
Hot lunch included as part of the toddler program