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Infant-Toddler Program

Nestled cozily in their very own building, sixteen active infants and toddlers benefit from individual attention and playgroup interaction. Two groups of eight children are given the undivided attention of their own staff of four or five teachers. Our teachers dispense love and education as they change diapers, give hugs, sing songs, serve meals, and play games on schedules which vary with individual needs. A sense of family permeates the classroom where pictures of family members decorate the walls and older siblings stop their outside play to give a kiss or a drawing to a younger brother or sister. Mom and Dad share in their child's activities through daily written reports and personal conferrals with teachers.

Nursery School Program

Our nursery school program fosters and improves the skills necessary to prepare children to enter formal kindergarten when they are age-appropriate, but it is certainly not limited to this purpose. Cradles to Crayons Child Center's philosophy lies in immediately responding to each child's burgeoning inquiry into their world. The curriculum programs, developed by our own State of Connecticut certified teachers, revolve around thematic units which not only meet the general developmental abilities and interests of an age group but are also ready to answer the particular needs of any individual child. Flexible unit planning extends into areas that are not normally covered in more rigid nursery school programs.


After-Kindergarten Program

Arrival of kindergarten students who attend area schools occurs each morning between 11:45 and 12:30. These children are transported either by school bus from Calvin Leete School in Cradles to Crayons Child Center's vehicles, or in their parents' cars. Many of the after-kindergarten students are children who were part of our nursery-school program but some are students new to Cradles to Crayons Child Center. Our after-kindergarten program offers all of them an unstructured afternoon in a comfortable environment with the companionship of other kindergarten and prekindergarten children. It is the perfect choice for children making the transition from home/nursery-school to the more formal school setting. At Cradles to Crayons Child Center, these older children can still opt for a nap, be pampered, and enjoy the company of their peers. Flexible structuring is available as in our other programs with the only requirement being that of a minimum two-hour attendance. Lunchtime begins at 12: 15 and follows our regular policy.

Curriculum 

The classroom schedule at Cradles to Crayons Child Center is organized around weekly themes which help children make connections in their daily activities. If the theme for the week is apples, then all activities will have an apple focus, including art, music, dramatic play, meals, and, most importantly, book reading. Many themes explicitly guide the children in exploring the life cycles of different plant and animal species and help to link these observations to broad biological concepts. Often the weekly themes are enhanced by field trips to sites where animals or plants can be observed first hand.

The daily preschool schedule includes a circle time activity. Phonemic awareness is more likely to develop in children who have varied language experiences including word play activities such as rhyming, finger plays and singing activities. In addition to developing phonemic awareness, many songs and finger plays also help teach fundamental mathematical skills such as counting, addition, and subtraction. Other circle time activities might include calendar time, demonstration of new materials, telling of stories, and large circle games.

To encourage print awareness our children are encouraged to "write" and draw pictures to represent a thought. There are always crayons, paint, markers, and paper available for a child to write or draw on his/her own. A teacher will always be available to write the words to correspond with a drawing for a child who wants his/her work labeled. As children begin to learn letter/sound relationships, they are encouraged to write letters of the alphabet and short words to describe a picture. 

In many classes, activity centers include dramatic play activities that have adequate props and scripts.

Every day there is a story time. This is one of the most important components in our literacy-rich environment. Books are read and reread, and discussions about books are engaging ones with opportunities for all students to participate. At times, the stories may be acted out by the students. The stories always relate to the theme of the week.

Snack time and lunchtime are more than just a times to eat. The children sit at tables during these times and are encouraged to converse with their peers. A teacher sits nearby and may interject some conversation starters, or some etiquette and hygiene information as the children eat their meal.

Outside play is an integral component of our curriculum. While playing in the playground many children have the opportunity to improve physical skills that help with their physical growth and coordination. The playground is also a wonderful environment for children to improve other skills in language arts, mathematics, and social skills.

 Free-play time is an essential part of our schedule at Cradles to Crayons Child Center. Children are natural talkers and problem solvers. During free play time they will nurture these skills which aid in socialization while they participate in activities that they find enjoyable. For example, while playing with blocks, they are learning about balance and shapes. While engrossed in a puzzle, they are learning to solve problems and concentrate. While talking with other children in a child-to-child conversation, they are improving their communication skills.

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