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Toddler Program
 Ages: 1 to 2 1/2
The child is working to create him or herself, but he/she still needs help. He/she wants to learn and grow to the limit of his/her abilities. One of the ways he/she does this is to imitate those around him/her.
To help him/her we carefully prepare the physical and social environment, for this is the way cultures, moral beliefs, and the rest of human personality is passed on. We have "practical life" activities for the toddler. Allowing children to participate in the life he sees going on around him/her is an act of great respect for and confidence in the child. The child feels important and realizes that he/she is important to those around him/her. He/she is needed. "Practical life" activities are divided into three groups:
care of the person such as dressing or buttoning;
care of the environment like putting things back or opening doors;
grace and courtesy as moving gracefully and saying "please" and "thank you". |
 As the child explores the environment he/she becomes aware of and is interested in the variety of colors and shapes. At this time we offer him/her very simple puzzles with knobs or with interesting grips. We also offer our "sensorial apparatus" at this age, especially the cylinder blocks, a set of four naturally finished rectangular blocks of wood, into which have been cut 10 cylindrical holes. Each hole is filled with a matching cylindrical inset fitted with a knob. Each set of cylinders is constructed to vary in a regular sequence by either diameter, depth or both. The child removes the cylinders and then finds the hole into which it fits. If he/she makes a mistake, he/she can normally see it for himself/herself because all ten cylinders will not fit correctly. The child quickly begins to challenge himself/herself by attempting to "see" which hole is likely to fit the cylinder in his/her hands rather than trying to fit each into one hole after the other. |
 The use of knobbed puzzles and other toys with a special grip will prepare the child for writing and other fine muscle activities, while it satisfies his/her need to think and solve problems. It is specifically the use of the thumb and index finger that has made it possible to execute the extremely refined movements that have produced the whole of human cultures from architecture to writing, from music to painting and all the technology that enriches our lives.
We recognize the importance of the child's work and we protect it from interruption. We also observe the amazing powers of concentration that exist in the youngest of children.
A child who loves himself/herself and feels safe in the world, has experienced the joy of making a contribution to his/her group, who has fallen in love with work, learning and loving is fully prepared for life. |
Toddler