Two-year-old classes (specific areas of study include each color in the rainbow, seasons, holidays, pastel colors, brown, teddy bears, planting, watching caterpillars turn into butterflies, farm animals, and other areas):
- separating from parents; feeling comfortable in a group of peers and teachers
- developing social confidence; moving from parallel to interactive play with classmates; snacking and participating in music together; waiting for a turn; speaking in front of teachers and classmates; awareness of classmates and their needs
- learning and following routines
- experiencing language arts through books, repetitive stories, retelling experiences outside of school
- developing expressive and receptive language with many opportunities to talk informally and in a group setting, listening, following directions, and responding to questions.
- experiencing everyday mathematics by recognizing colors and shapes, sorting classifying items based on attribute, counting items and people throughout the classroom, and playing with various sets of blocks and building materials
- experiencing the arts through creative self-expression using a variety of materials
- experiencing music through songs, instruments, musical games, and fingerplays
- developing fine and gross motor skills through daily use of manipulatives, art tools, climbing, swinging, sliding and learning to pedal tricycles
- developing self-help skills as the year progresses such as helping to put on one’s coat, disposing of snack items; helping to wash the table for snack, putting away toys at clean-up time.
A Typical Two-Year-Old Day
- Arrival and greetings!
- choice of manipulatives and other free-choice activities
- All help clean up and wash table for snack
- First circle, songs, welcoming one another; talking about day’s plans
- Handwashing
- Snack, during which children and teachers enjoy conversation while eating
- Gross motor time (one half hour on the playground; if weather is inclement, one half hour in our large indoor play space)
- Second circle, during which story is read and creative project for the day is introduced
- Creative art or science project
- Second free play period
- All help clean up and gather belongings
- Goodbye song and dismissal
- One day each week, our music teacher instructs the children in songs, musical games, activities, movement, and puppetry for a half hour, so the above schedule is slightly adjusted
- Note that children are taken to the bathroom whenever they need to go and those in diapers are changed when needed.