Senior Toddler Room (2yrs to 3 yrs)

3 staff to 10 children

The Senior Toddler room has children ages 2.5 – 3.5 and accommodates a maximum of 10 children with three Educators. They provide plenty of opportunities for children to develop self-help skills and begin to make choices within their daily play. We encourage dramatic, sensory, cognitive, construction and active play, as well as literacy; many experiences cross several of these areas of play.

Educators and children work together to create an awareness of peers and build friendships. Children are encouraged to follow values of care, honesty and respect and to be active role models in creating a safe, fun room to explore and enjoy.

Learning and Skills Development

Programming is based on the National Early Years Learning Framework, child and parent initiated play are incorporated with an element of structured play. Educators plan experiences that will nurture children’s interests, while also developing their skills. Conversations are a key element in discovering what the children are interested in and inquisitive about.

Learning and development are documented using several tools, most notably an individual portfolio for each child. Educators collect artwork, document conversations between children and take photos of them at play, which is then evaluated and a goal set for each child. Families are welcome to borrow the portfolios over the weekend and make entries about something special or exciting they have done at home in their “Chat Books”. The portfolio gives parents insight into their child‘s learning and development at the centre.

Self-help skills are further developed, and children begin to take responsibility for pouring their own drinks at meal times and throughout the day from their water station, along with serving their own meals. Children also begin to identify their own names from various objects around the room such as cups, beds, birthdays and on their hand towels.

The Senior Toddler room Educators value diversity and individuality, and aim to help all families feel accepted and valued. They set out to create an environment in which all children have an equal right to participate in all aspects of the program, so that they may develop to their true potential.