Your child is in for an enormous amount of fun as they take the next step in their developmental years. Two-year-olds are a busy bunch. They are still highly dependent on their caregivers for most of their needs throughout the day but are beginning to realize they can, and want, to do more on their own. Our two-year-old classrooms focus on social-emotional learning, helping the children learn to identify and appropriately express their feelings, interact with peers and ultimately get ready to move onto the three’s program.

Children transition into the twos around their 2nd birthday and are in the room until they transition to the threes around their 3rd birthday. Our two-year-old rooms are licensed for up to 12 children and have three teachers.

Daily diary charts are completed throughout the day. The top section is information provided by each parent when they drop off their child, including how long your child slept the night before, how much the child has eaten and any other information that is helpful in caring for your child that day. The rest of the chart is information the teachers fill out about your child’s day, such as diaper changes, the amount of food consumed and when, and any extra details like songs that were sung that day.

Children are changed every two hours. However, we are always checking your little one for a bowel movement which requires immediate attention! Parents provide all of the diapering supplies, diapers, wipes, cream, etc., for their child. We will let you know on your child’s chart if you are running low on any supplies.

An exciting occurrence in the twos classrooms is when one of the children shows signs of being ready to use the potty. This interest is approached with love, patience and understanding. When your child reaches this point, we ask that you help the teachers by putting underwear on over your child’s diaper.

We go about potty training in three stages:

• Stage 1: Your child will wear underwear in the morning for a couple of hours and then will be placed in a diaper before lunch time.
• Stage 2: Once your child has mastered the mornings, he or she will move into napping without a diaper.
• Stage 3: In the final stage, your child will be in underwear the whole day. No matter how many accidents your child may have, we still put underwear back on them.

When potty training, we take the children to the potty about every 10 to 15 minutes. Please remember every child is different. While some children get the hang of using the potty right away, others may take a while. We do ask that parents follow the same steps we are taking at school in potty training your little one. Whether you are at home or out running errands, let your child be in underwear. Practice makes perfect!

Every child is assigned a cubby for extra clothes, diaper bags, hats and any other garments your child may need throughout the day. There is a refrigerator in each room for any food brought from home. All food should be labeled with your child’s name, and all bottles and/or sippy cups must have a lid. Breakfast and snack are included in tuition. Our optional school lunch program (catered by Mama Lucia’s Monday-Thursday and Ledo’s pizza on Friday) starts in the toddler room and is $75/month or $5/day. If you do not participate in the school lunch program, you will need to send lunch for your child.

At nap time the twos sleep on cots provided by the school. Parents are responsible for sending in a sheet, blanket or nap roll. Your child’s bedding will be sent home each Friday to be laundered for the following week.

There are three components to your child’s daily program: learning through play, thematic units and a formal curriculum called the Creative Curriculum.

1. Learning Through Play: A huge part of your child’s day will be learning through play, both inside and outside the classroom. At age two, children are beginning to discover that there are peers around them. By preparing the room to be conducive for useful play, children are encouraged to begin interacting with peers and setting the foundation for healthy peer relationships. The concepts of sharing, cooperating with others and imaginative play begin to emerge at this age.

2. Thematic Units: Every morning your child will participate in a teacher-directed circle time where he/she will learn about a particular thematic unit. We also do projects and crafts that directly relate to the information discussed in circle time that morning. Thematic units are chosen based on the season, an upcoming holiday or what the children are showing interest in at any particular time. Examples include the body, transportation, seasons, community helpers, colors, shapes and healthy food. Upcoming thematic units are discussed in each monthly newsletter.

3. The Creative Curriculum: The Creative Curriculum is a comprehensive program designed specifically with these busy children in mind. It focuses on using daily routines to build positive relationships with children, promote trust, nurture their curiosity and guide them as they make increasing sense of the world. These routines include hellos and goodbyes, diapering, toilet training, feeding, dressing and soothing children. In addition, the curriculum supplies carefully designed experiences such as stories, art projects, music, and outdoor play, through which the children can explore and learn while constantly testing out new skills.

• Daily Schedule:
• 7:00-8:00 am: Arrival time and free play
• 8:00-9:00 am: Outdoor play
• 9:00 am: Breakfast
• 9:30-10:00 am: Clean up, brush teeth, diaper changing and circle time
• 10-10:30 am: Story time, creative activities and centers
• 10:30-11:30 am: Outdoor play
• 11:30 am-12 pm: Lunch
• 12:15-12:30 pm: Diaper changing
• 12:30-3:00 pm: Nap time
• 3-3:30 pm: Snack time and diaper changing
• 3:30-4:00 pm: Story, songs, creative activities and centers
• 4-4:30 pm: Free play/outdoor play
• 5:00-6:00 pm: Outdoor play and departure

Each of these classes are offered once a week. Registration forms can be retrieved from the school office.

Soccer: 30-minute classes offered by Total Soccer Development are a great way for the kids to work on coordination and agility while learning basic soccer skills.

Ballet: Classes are offered for twos and up. Sessions are typically 10 weeks and end with a parent observation.

JumpBunch: 30-minute physical movement classes that encourage kids to enjoy physical activity, feel confident about their abilities and develop a love for being active and healthy.

Please write your child’s name on his/her belongings such as bottles (please bring in bottles with caps), food containers (each piece), blankets and shoes. Please provide us with a detailed note of any food allergies that your child has. Always fill out the medication form if your child needs to take medication at school (we are unable to give medication without written permission). If your child is given medicine at home, please warn us about any reaction that may occur. Please check to make sure there are extra clothes in his/her cubby. If you can, let us know if you plan to pick up your child early so we can reschedule his/her day accordingly.

1. Diapers
2. Diaper cream
3. Baby wipes
4. Blanket or sheet
5. Extra clothes
6. Sunscreen
7. Milk cup/water cup/sippy cup
8. In summer: Water shoes or sandals, swimming diapers, bathing suit and towel

At this level, in addition to learning through play and the engaging seasonal themes we discuss in class, structured learning becomes an important part of your child’s experience. Our days are filled with fun and exciting activities that we are sure your children will share with you at the end of each day.

Children transition into the threes around their 3rd birthday and are in the room until they transition to the fours around their 4th birthday. Our three-year-old rooms are licensed for up to 20 children with three teachers.

Each classroom has a clipboard with the class roster. When you drop your child off each morning and pick him/her up each afternoon/evening, you will need to write the time and initial the form.

Every child is assigned a cubby for extra clothes, diaper bags, hats and any other garments your child may need throughout the day. There is a refrigerator in each room for any food brought from home. All food should be labeled with your child’s name, and all bottles and/or sippy cups must have a lid. Breakfast and snack are included in tuition. Our optional school lunch program (catered by Mama Lucia’s Monday-Thursday and Ledo’s pizza on Friday) starts in the toddler room and is $75/month or $5/day. If you do not participate in the school lunch program, you will need to send lunch for your child.

At nap time the threes sleep on cots provided by the school. Parents are responsible for sending in a sheet, blanket or nap roll. Your child’s bedding will be sent home each Friday to be laundered for the following week.

Three-year-olds are just discovering their independence but still rely on adults for help with many basic needs. Therefore, the physical and psychological development of these children is considered throughout the learning environment and across the curriculum. We provide many opportunities for them to develop their motor skills, self-confidence, and positive feelings towards learning. We accomplish this by blending three different curricular components: a formal curriculum called the Creative Curriculum, thematic units/studies and learning through play. The children are also involved in educational field trips and school assemblies, and spend a lot of time playing and discovering the outdoors.

1. Thematic Units/Studies: While these themes are often dictated by the seasons or an approaching holiday, the interests of the children also considered. Themes are discussed during circle time in the morning, and projects are done throughout the day to reinforce the chosen topic. Sample themes include holidays, multicultural events, current events, body awareness and seasons. Stories read to the children, cooking projects and materials throughout the classroom reflect the theme being discussed, and themes are incorporated into all curricular areas of the classroom.

2. Learning Through Play: While structured learning is important at this age, learning through play is also an important component of their day. When interacting with peers, a child is encouraged to make decisions, use their imagination and develop conflict resolution skills. Time spent playing with manipulative, such as Legos and Play-Doh, is not only fun but also strengthens important muscles for fine and gross motor skills. Most importantly, we want your child to love coming to school. With a delicate balance of structured learning and useful play, your child will be ready for the next academic phase of their life while having developed a love for the learning environment.

3. The Creative Curriculum: One of only six curriculum systems recommended by the Maryland State Department of Education, the Creative Curriculum is a comprehensive program designed with the whole child in mind. Its founders, former early childhood teachers and teacher educators, combine the work of early childhood theorists along with the most current research in the field to create a system to help children learn and flourish in the areas of social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language development. The Creative Curriculum also emphasizes the importance of positive interactions between children and adults, having a quality environment that supports the goal of learning, and strong teacher-family relationships.

• Daily Schedule:
• 7:00-8:00 am: Arrival
• 8:00-9:00 am: Outside play
• 9:00-9:15 am: Job chart and hand wash
• 9:15-9:45 am: Breakfast
• 9:45-10:00 am: Morning circle with story time and songs
• 10:00-10:45 am: Centers, crafts, Creative Curriculum activities and projects
• 10:45-11:00 am: Bathroom and clean-up
• 11:00-11:50 am: Outside play
• 11:50 am-12:00 pm: Wash hands
• 12:00-12:40 pm: Lunch
• 12:40-1:00 pm: Bathroom and story time
• 1:00-3:00 pm: Nap time
• 3:00-3:30 pm: Wash hands and snack
• 3:30-4:00 pm: Centers, Creative Curriculum projects and activities
• 4:00-4:15 pm: Clean-up
• 4:15-5:40 pm: Outside Play
• 5:40-6:00 pm: Reading, puzzles and departure

Each of these classes are offered once a week. Registration forms can be retrieved from the school office.

Soccer: 30-minute classes offered by Total Soccer Development are a great way for the kids to work on coordination and agility while learning basic soccer skills.

Ballet: Classes are offered for twos and up. Sessions are typically 10 weeks and end with a parent observation.

JumpBunch: 30-minute physical movement classes that encourage kids to enjoy physical activity, feel confident about their abilities and develop a love for being active and healthy.

Please write your child’s name on his/her belongings such as food containers (each piece), blankets and shoes. Please provide us with a detailed note of any food allergies that your child has. Always fill out the medication form if your child needs to take medication at school (we are unable to give medication without written permission). If your child is given medicine at home, please warn us about any reaction that may occur. Please check to make sure there are extra clothes in his/her cubby. If you can, let us know if you plan to pick up your child early so we can reschedule his/her day accordingly.

1. Diapers, diaper cream and wipes (if necessary)
2. Blanket or sheet
3. Extra clothes
4. Sunscreen
5. Water cup/thermos for the playground
6. In summer: Water shoes or sandals, swimming diapers, bathing suit and towel