Infant Early Childhood Development Program (Birth -18 months)
Ages & Ratios
Under the Child Care Early Years Act, every licensed age program must ensure that children are placed in groups according to their age categories without exceeding the maximum number of children permitted.
- Engaging environment for children ages birth to 18 months.
- Our staff are Trusted Partners in providing high quality care.
- Our infant programs have a capacity of 10 children & ratios in our Infant rooms are 3 staff to 10 children
- All infant programs are staffed with 1 or more Qualified Staff set out in the Child Care Early Years Act
Infant Mealtime Milestones
Our focus is to teach children the needed skills to develop positive attitudes about healthy foods and positive mealtime experiences.
Uses a pincer grasp to pick up table foods. (8-11 Months)
Infants will first use their whole hand to pick up foods and then, within this time frame, they will begin to use their index finger and thumb to pick up individual pieces of food more efficiently.
Eating common food (9-12 months)
Your Infant can start being introduced to common foods around 9 months but 12 months is quite common. We invite our families to let us know when your infant is transitioning to solid foods and which particular foods are being introduced to your child so that we can start to mimic the same process at the centre. At this time, your child can be introduced to blended and soft foods and explore different textures and tastes.
Feeding self with a spoon (12-18 months)
Getting food in an infant’s mouth successfully develops hand eye co-ordination. You may like to give your baby a spoon so that they can try themselves, but to expect real progress from 12 to 18 months.
Moving from highchair to booster chair (15-18 months)
An infant has developed their gross motor skills sufficiently to be able to climb confidently on and off a chair – and stay on it! The teachers in the classroom will transition infants into a child sized chair and table for meal times.
For the Infant Program, parents provide formula and/or jar/baby food as needed for their child. Once your child is on solid foods the centre will provide a full menu with adaptations to meet the feeding needs of your infant.
Educational Curriculum
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through child and staff initiated learning experiences. Regular observations of your child’s development and a complete portfolio of their “work” supports our efforts to get to know your child’s development and plan for their individual needs and interests in their Curriculum. Education Curriculum is planned to stimulate each child through a variety of developmentally appropriate activities. Click here to learn more about our Education Curriculum & Infant Goals
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through the development of Individual Program Plans (IPP’s)
Individual Infant Program Plans (IPP’s) are completed by the program staff for each child to support in meeting their developmental milestones. IPP’s are developed after assessing their current skills using Nipissing Developmental screens as per the recommended schedule.
Infant Nipissing Recommended Schedule:
- 1-2 months
- 4 months
- 6 months
- 9 months
- 12 months
- 15 months
- 18 months
Nipissing screening tools are also often completed by family physicians and/or parents in conjunction with the program staff to identify learning goals for your child in our program.
Infant Milestones
The infant stage is an exciting one as infants are consistently reaching new milestones through their everyday life experiences. We endeavor to enhance those milestones through our education curriculum focusing on but not limited to:
- Focusing their vision, reach out and explore and learn about their surroundings.
- Language development through sounds, listening and learning the names of the people around them, etc.
- Developing a sense of self by being comforted by a familiar person
- Expressing self by crying, babbling and gesturing
- Increasing motor skills by reaching and holding items using both hands, learning to sit, and taking their first steps
Outdoor Play Experiences
Active physical play learning experiences promote large muscle development, coordination skills, and support positive behaviours. Learning experiences are offered to encourage large muscle movement such as holding their head up, sitting, crawling and eventually walking. Play experiences for infants can include an obstacle course, pulling wagons, bowling, crawling through tunnels, rolling balls, pushing or pulling carts.
Rest Routine
- An infant’s first 6 months is crucial for developing good sleeping skills as it is in these early months that an infant’s sleep patterns mature most quickly.
- Our Educators provide supervision while infants sleep in a separate sleep room equipped with designated individual cribs and bedding identified by child’s name.
- Parents will be consulted respecting their child’s sleeping arrangements at the time of enrolment and an Infant Sleeping Plan will be completed. This is a time for parents to identify if there are any special patterns needed for a comfortable rest period. For example, if a child falls asleep on their back, likes to be rocked to sleep, or child wants their back rubbed etc. This is also to discuss the centre requirements for infant sleep best practices as recommended by Toronto Public Health
- Sleeptime is offered to meet the individual needs of the infant. In collaboration with each family, an individual schedule is developed that is respectful and reflective of your child’s needs and family requests
- Crib sheets are provided by the centre; however, we encourage each child to bring in their own blanket from home to connect the sleep time experience to home
- All crib mattresses are disinfected weekly
- Crib sheets are laundered weekly
- Soft music and dimmed lights are used in order to facilitate a calm and secure environment
Diapering
Diapering is a very important routine in the infant program and is very much an essential part of your child’s experience while in care with us. In order to ensure that all health and safety regulations are maintained, our infant program follows all Toronto Public Health diapering and hygiene practices.
Diapering routines are implemented as learning opportunities to promote self help skills & language development.
Parents are required to provide the centre with enough diapers and wipes to properly care for their child’s needs each day.
Daily Infant Communication
An Infant daily communication chart is the exchange of your child’s information that builds ongoing rapport between your family and the Educators in the classroom.
Daily Information Chart includes the following information:
- all food consumed,
- time and duration of sleep,
- interactions and experiences your infant was engaged in, and
- time/type of diaper changes (wet/soiled)
Telephones are equipped in the infant classroom to invite parents to check in with the Educators to see how your infant’s day is going.
Goals
- Attempt to run or run with stiff posture
- Pull a toy behind them while walking
- Throw a ball underhand while sitting
- Squat to pick something up from ground
- Marching in place
Toddler Early Childhood Development Program (18 - 30 months)
Ages & Ratios
Under the Child Care Early Years Act, every licensed age program must ensure that children are placed in groups according to their age categories without exceeding the maximum number of children permitted.
- Engaging environment for children ages 18 months- 30 months.
- Our staff are Trusted Partners in providing high quality care.
- Our Toddler programs have a capacity of 10 or 15 children
- Ratios in the Toddler program are 1 staff to 5 children
- All toddler programs are staffed with 1 or more Qualified Staff set out in the Child Care Early Years Act
Toddle Mealtime Milestones
Feeding themselves with a fork and spoon
- This requires co-ordination in both hands, which is likely to occur from 18 to 24 months.
- A child being able to feed himself is an important aspect to his personal and social development & a sense of independence.
- When your child starts to feed himself, they are tapping into their fine motor skills.
Milestone: Using an open cup
- Introducing an open cup so they can begin to understand that they need to control the liquid inside.
- Smaller cups are used in order for the toddlers to accommodate their smaller hands, making grasping a more achievable goal.
- In order to avoid spills & increase confidence, we start with small amounts of milk/water in the cup at a time.
Milestone: Socialization
- Toddler children are seated in small groups in order to foster socialization.
Educational Curriculum
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through child and staff initiated learning experiences. Regular observations of your child’s development and a complete portfolio of their “work” supports our efforts to get to know your child’s development and plan for their individual needs and interests in their Curriculum. Education Curriculum is planned to stimulate each child through a variety of developmentally appropriate activities. Click here to learn more about our Education Curriculum & Toddler Goals.
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through the development of Individual Program Plans (IPP’s).
Individual Infant Program Plans (IPP’s) are completed by the program staff for each child to support in meeting their developmental milestones. IPP’s are developed after assessing their current skills using Nipissing Developmental screens as per the recommended schedule.
Toddler Nipissing Recommended Schedule:
- 18 months
- 24 months (2 years)
- 30 months (2 ½ years)
Nipissing screening tools are also often completed by family physicians and/or parents in conjunction with the program staff to identify learning goals for your child in our program.
Toddler Milestones
Toddlers are naturally very curious as they moving around more and aware of themselves and their surroundings. A toddler’s desire to explore more is increasing which essentially is the stepping stone to independence. We endeavor to enhance those milestones through our education curriculum focusing on but not limited to:
- Recognizing themselves in pictures or a mirror
- Imitate/copy the actions of others
- Recognize the names of familiar people, objects
- Form simple phrases and sentences
- Sort objects by colour and shapes
- Follow simple directions and instructions
- Begin expressing emotions
Outdoor Play Experiences
Active physical play learning experiences promote large muscle development, coordination skills, and support positive behaviours. Your child’s Education team will purposefully design the outdoor play space to further support the developmental stages of the children in their care as well as incorporate the unique qualities of playing outdoors.
Outdoor play spaces provide contact with living things like plants and animals, and environmental conditions that change with the seasons. These opportunities facilitate not only physical and cognitive development, but also encourages imaginative play which is a fundamental stage in the toddler development.
Outdoor play routines also included opportunities for children’s’ gross motor play, free play, and spontaneous exploration.
Toddler Rest Period
- Toddlers are encouraged to rest for a minimum of one-hour daily
- Cots and sheets are provided by the centre; however, we encourage each child to bring in their own blanket from home to connect the sleep time experience to home
- Sheets are laundered weekly or sooner if the need arises
- All cots are disinfected weekly
- Soft music and dimmed lights are used in order to facilitate a calm and secure environment
Diapering & Toilet Training
Diapering is a very important routine in the toddler program and is very much an essential part of your child’s experience while in care with us. In order to ensure that all health and safety regulations are maintained, our infant program follows all Toronto Public Health diapering and hygiene practices.
Diapering routines are implemented as learning opportunities to promote self help skills & language development.
Parents are required to provide the centre with enough diapers and wipes to properly care for their child’s needs each day.
Toilet Training
- Children learn and develop at their own pace. This is also true for toilet training. Toilet training should begin based on the child's developmental readiness rather than on the child's age.
- Starting toilet training before the child is developmentally ready can create stress and anxiety for the child which will essentially delay the process.
- Once a child shows signs of readiness, it is important for parents and our child care Educators to work together in partnership in developing your child’s toilet training strategy
- Each child’s toilet training strategy will be unique to his/her needs as we take into consideration each family's cultural values and each child’s physical needs & abilities.
- All toilet training experiences are viewed as opportunities to both promote self-help
- We encourage you to connect with your child’s Education Team if you feel your child is ready to begin the toilet training process or if you would like further information. We are here to work collaboratively with you in helping your child succeed.
Daily Toddler Communication
A toddler daily communication chart is the exchange of your child’s information that builds ongoing rapport between your family and the Educators in the classroom.
Daily Information Chart includes the following information:
- all food consumed,
- time and duration of sleep,
- interactions and experiences your infant was engaged in, and
- time/type of diaper changes (wet/soiled)
Telephones are equipped in the toddler classroom to invite parents to check in with the Educators to see how your child’s day is going.
Goals
- Jump with feet together, clearing the floor,
- Jump down and forwards
- Kick a ball forward
- Start to run
- Throw a ball overhand
- Using foot to floor ride on toys, they begin to master basic steering, gain balance and develop their motor skills
Preschool Early Childhood Development Program (2 ½ - 4 years)
Ages & Ratios
Under the Child Care Early Years Act, every licensed age program must ensure that children are placed in groups according to their age categories without exceeding the maximum number of children permitted.
- Engaging environment for children ages 2 ½ - 4 years old.
- Our staff are Trusted Partners in providing high quality care.
- Our Preschool programs typically have a capacity of 16 - 24 children.
- Ratios in the Preschool program are 1 staff to 8 children
- All preschool programs are staffed with 1 or more Qualified Staff set out in the Child Care Early Years Act
Preschool Mealtime Objectives
Self-Serve through Independence
- As preschool children’s eye hand coordination becomes more sophisticated, they will be encouraged to help themselves to snacks and drinks from shared bowls and jugs in the middle of the table.
- Preschool children are seated in small groups in order to foster socialization.
- Mealtimes are used to extend learning opportunities and to further extend language.
- Children are included in the mealtime routine (set up and clean up).
Educational Curriculum
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through child and staff initiated learning experiences. Regular observations of your child’s development and a complete portfolio of their “work” supports our efforts to get to know your child’s development and plan for their individual needs and interests in their Curriculum. Education Curriculum is planned to stimulate each child through a variety of developmentally appropriate activities. Click here to learn more about our Education Curriculum & Preschool Goals.
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through the development of Individual Program Plans (IPP’s).
Individual Program Plans (IPP’s) are completed by the program staff for each child to support in meeting their developmental milestones. IPP’s are developed after assessing their current skills using Nipissing Developmental screens as per the recommended schedule.
Preschool Nipissing Recommended Schedule:
- 30 months (2 ½ years)
- 48 months (3 years)
Nipissing screening tools are also often completed by family physicians and/or parents in conjunction with the program staff to identify learning goals for your child in our program.
Preschool Milestones
As preschool children grow into early childhood, their world will begin to open up. They naturally develop more self-awareness and begin to concentrate on others outside of the family unit. We endeavor to enhance those milestones through our education curriculum focusing on but not limited to:
- Increased independence, creativity and self-regulation
- Increased exploration about the things around them
- Ability to dress and undress with little to no assistance
- Engage in cooperative play with other children
- Recall part of a story
- Sing songs and speak in complete sentences
- Skillfully able to answer simple questions easily and logically
- Capable in using safety scissors
Outdoor Play Experiences
Active physical play learning experiences promote large muscle development, coordination skills, and support positive behaviours. Your child’s Education team will purposefully design the outdoor play space to further support the developmental stages of the children in their care as well as incorporate the unique qualities of playing outdoors.
Outdoor play spaces provide contact with living things like plants and animals, and environmental conditions that change with the seasons. These opportunities facilitate not only physical and cognitive development, but also encourages imaginative play which is a fundamental stage in your child’s development.
Outdoor play routines also included opportunities for children’s’ gross motor play, free play, and spontaneous exploration.
Preschool Rest Period
- Preschool children are encouraged to rest for a minimum of one-hour daily
- Cots and sheets are provided by the centre; however, we encourage each child to bring in their own blanket from home to connect the sleep time experience to home
- Sheets are laundered weekly or sooner if the need arises
- All cots are disinfected weekly
- Soft music and dimmed lights are used in order to facilitate a calm and secure environment
Toileting & Hygiene Practices
In order to ensure that all health and safety regulations are maintained, our Preschool program follows all Toronto Public Health diapering, toileting and hygiene practices. Educators encourage children to maintain healthy hygiene habits by reinforcing proper hand hygiene procedures. All areas of the program space, materials, play equipment and furnishings are in good working order, safe and hygienically maintained for everyone. Educators are able to provide resources to families to promote safe environments and healthy lifestyles.
Seeing as children learn and develop at their own pace. This is also true for toilet training. Toilet training should begin based on the child's developmental readiness rather than on the child's age. If your child has not yet mastered toileting training, our education team will support your child through this development.
Parents are required to provide the centre with enough diapers and wipes to properly care for their child’s needs each day.
Toilet Training
- Children learn and develop at their own pace. This is also true for toilet training. Toilet training should begin based on the child's developmental readiness rather than on the child's age.
- Starting toilet training before the child is developmentally ready can create stress and anxiety for the child which will essentially delay the process.
- Once a child shows signs of readiness, it is important for parents and our child care Educators to work together in partnership in developing your child’s toilet training strategy
- Each child’s toilet training strategy will be unique to his/her needs as we take into consideration each family's cultural values and each child’s physical needs & abilities.
- All toilet training experiences are viewed as opportunities to both promote self-help
- We encourage you to connect with your child’s Education Team if you feel your child is ready to begin the toilet training process or if you would like further information. We are here to work collaboratively with you in helping your child succeed.
Goals
- Stand on one foot for more than 9 seconds
- Balance on one foot for 5 – 10 seconds
- Begin to ride a tricycle successfully
- Hop on her preferred foot
- Walk forward and backwards easily
- Successfully navigate through an obstacle course
Kindergarten Early Childhood Development Program (4-5 year olds)
Ages & Ratios
Under the Child Care Early Years Act, every licensed age program must ensure that children are placed in groups according to their age categories without exceeding the maximum number of children permitted.
- Engaging environment for children ages 4-5 years.
- Our staff are Trusted Partners in providing high quality care.
- Our Kindergarten classrooms typically have a capacity of 20 children or 24 children. In some cases, ratios are 1 staff to 10 children or 1 staff to 8 children depending on the classroom capacity at the centre.
- All Kindergarten programs are staffed with 1 or more Qualified Staff set out in the Child Care Early Years Act
Kindergarten Mealtime Objectives
Our focus is to teach children the needed skills to develop positive attitudes about healthy foods and positive mealtime experiences. Kindergarten aged children are active and growing so they need calories from healthy foods. Mealtimes are an opportunity for extending social interactions with their peers and/or Educators to engage in meaningful conversations to extend their learning.
Fostering Independence around Meal Choices
Educators encourage children to have a healthy respect for food and eating by facilitating discussions about food choices, and health and wellness.
Self Help Skills
Educators facilitate opportunities as children self-serve their meals and snacks as it allows each child to choose what and how much to eat, which in turns provides an opportunity to discuss healthy eating strategies.
Educational Curriculum
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through child and staff initiated learning experiences. Regular observations of your child’s development and a complete portfolio of their “work” supports our efforts to get to know your child’s development and plan for their individual needs and interests in their Curriculum. Education Curriculum is planned to stimulate each child through a variety of developmentally appropriate activities. Click here to learn more about our Education Curriculum & Kindergarten Goals.
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through the development of Individual Program Plans (IPP’s).
Individual Program Plans (IPP’s) are completed by the program staff for each child to support in meeting their developmental milestones. IPP’s are developed after assessing their current skills using Nipissing Developmental screens as per the recommended schedule.
Kindergarten Nipissing Recommended Schedule:
- 56 months (4 years)
- 60 months (5 years)
Nipissing screening tools are also often completed by family physicians and/or parents in conjunction with the program staff to identify learning goals for your child in our program.
Kindergarten Milestones
The Kindergarten stage is an exciting one as this is when the child starts school for the very first time. In this age offering, we teach the children the basic fundamentals that they will learn in school, such as personal and social development, language, math, science and technology, health and physical activity as well as the arts.
We endeavor to enhance those milestones through our education curriculum focusing on but not limited to:
- Speak clearly using more complex sentences
- Count ten or more objects
- Correctly name at least four colors and three shapes
- Recognize some letters and possibly write his or her name
- Better understand the concept of time and the order of daily activities
- Shares and understands the basic concepts of turn taking in games and co-operative play
- Enjoys playing with other children and being included in games
- Becoming more independent
Outdoor Play Experiences
Active physical play learning experiences promote large muscle development, coordination skills, and support positive behaviours. Learning experiences are offered to encourage large muscle development, co-ordination skills and self-confidence. Play experiences for the Kindergarten group can include an obstacle course, throwing and/or running games, bowling, team games.
Rest Routine
On professional activity days (PA Days), Kindergarten children are invited to enjoy a full day of programming at the centre during the centres regular operating hours. Children aged 44 months and older are given the choice of resting on a cot or participating in quiet activities during a rest period when the children are attending for a full day.
Toileting & Hygiene Practices
In order to ensure that all health and safety regulations are maintained, our Kindergarten program follows all Toronto Public Health toileting and hygiene practices. Educators encourage children to maintain healthy hygiene habits by reinforcing proper hand hygiene procedures. All areas of the program space, materials, play equipment and furnishings are in good working order, safe and hygienically maintained for everyone. Educators are able to provide resources to families to promote safe environments and healthy lifestyles.
School Escort
At Centres for Early Learning we provide a walk escort for children to and from the local schools in the centre’s direct catchment area. We also coordinate and support children that bussed to out of area schools. To find out what schools our centre locations provide a school escort to, Contact Us.
Goals
- Walk backwards
- Learn to skip using alternating feet
- Rides tricycle or wheeled toy with speed and skill
- Catches ball from 3 feet away
- Jumps over low objects
School Age Early Childhood Development Program (6 -12 years)
Ages & Ratios
Under the Child Care Early Years Act, every licensed age program must ensure that children are placed in groups according to their age categories without exceeding the maximum number of children permitted.
- Engaging environment for children ages 6-12 years
- Our staff are Trusted Partners in providing high quality care.
- Our School Age programs have a capacity of 30 children & ratios in our School Age rooms are 1 staff to 15 children
- All School Age programs are staffed with 1 or more Qualified Staff set out in the Child Care Early Years Act
School Age Mealtime Objectives
Our focus is to teach children the needed skills to develop positive attitudes about healthy foods and positive mealtime experiences. School Age children are active and growing so they need calories from healthy foods. Mealtimes are an opportunity for extending social interactions with their peers and/or educators to engage in meaningful conversations to extend their learning.
Fostering Independence around Meal Choices
Educators encourage children to have a healthy respect for food and eating by facilitating discussions about food choices, and health and wellness.
Self Help Skills
Educators facilitate opportunities as children self-serve their meals and snacks as it allows each child to choose what and how much to eat, which in turns provides an opportunity to discuss healthy eating strategies.
Educational Curriculum
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through child and staff initiated learning experiences. Regular observations of your child’s development and a complete portfolio of their “work” supports our efforts to get to know your child’s development and plan for their individual needs and interests in their Curriculum. Education Curriculum is planned to stimulate each child through a variety of developmentally appropriate activities. Click here to learn more about our Education Curriculum & School Age Goals.
Our Education Curriculum is designed to meet the individual developmental needs of each child, including social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and self-concept within a safe and nurturing environment through the development of Individual Program Plans (IPP’s).
Individual Program Plans (IPP’s) are completed by the program staff for each child to support in meeting their developmental milestones. IPP’s are developed after assessing their current skills using Nipissing Developmental screens as per the recommended schedule.
School Age Nipissing Recommended Schedule:
- 6 years
Nipissing screening tools are also often completed by family physicians and/or parents in conjunction with the program staff to identify learning goals for your child in our program.
School Age Milestones
The School Age stage is an exciting one as your child is reaching a variety of new milestones through their everyday life experiences. Children are involved in the Education Curriculum planning once they reach the School Age program, including developing activities focusing on personal and social development, language, math, science and technology, health and physical activity, as well as the arts.
We endeavor to enhance those milestones through our education curriculum focusing on but not limited to:
- Speak in simple but complete sentences with five to seven words
- Follow a series of three commands in a row
- Start to see that some words have more than one meaning. This would help to understand jokes and start verbally expressing a sense of humor
- Start to show fast growth in mental ability
- Begin to read books that are developmentally appropriate
- Understand the concept of numbers
- Know day from night and left from right
- Be able to tell time
Outdoor Play Experiences
Active physical play learning experiences promote large muscle development, coordination skills, and support positive behaviours. Learning experiences are offered to encourage large muscle development, co-ordination skills and self-confidence. Play experiences for the School Age group can include an obstacle course, throwing and/or running games, bowling, team games.
School Escort
At Centres for Early Learning we provide a walk escort for children to and from the local schools in the centre’s direct catchment area. We also coordinate and support children that bussed to out of area schools. To find out what schools our centre locations provide a school escort to, Contact Us.
Goals
- Running smoothly with arms opposing legs
- Kicking a ball with reasonable accuracy
- Riding a bike without training wheels
- Jumping over an object and landing with both feet together
- Balance on alternate feet eyes open or closed
- Begin to learn sports using good physical control