curriculum
As you may have learned through reading our philosophy, Kidsbury Daycare promotes learning through play and acts upon a positive self-concept for everyone involved in our center. Our intent is to help each child develop socially, intellectually, creatively, physically, and emotionally. The center recognizes that each child is unique and has different strengths and abilities. With all of this in mind, we base our daily routines and activities around several key areas in early childhood development as outlined by both our policies and our understandings of years spent working with adolescents.
To learn more about some of the developmental goals, schedules, and policies implemented within our center, please continue reading below.
the daycare’s goal is to help each child develop socially by encouraging:
The child to accept and express personal feelings in appropriate ways.
The child to identify some qualities that contribute to positive relationships.
The child to identify characteristics of a good friend and ways of making and keeping friends.
The child to show respect for others.
The child to express needs to other children and adults in an appropriate manner.
The child to listen to peers and adults.
The child to take turns in activities and discussions.
The child to play cooperatively with a partner or group.
The child to offer and accept help from peers and staff.
The child to try new activities and games.
The child to enjoy being around others, while still being able to keep their own space.
The child to act out roles, such as; mothers, fathers, and doctors, and to use this to express what they learn at home.
the daycare’s goal is to help each child develop intellectually by:
Offering programs that will challenge each child’s intellectual abilities.
Providing an environment that constantly stimulates learning.
Ensuring that this environment changes often in order to offer constant avenues for the children to exercise their cognitive abilities.
the daycare’s goal is to help each child develop creatively by:
Allowing the child to explore self-expression through creative thought, language, art, movement, music, and role-playing.
The child will begin to solve problems and use past experiences to develop new ideas.
The child becomes aware of various cultural groups and celebrations.
Staff set-up a variety of programs to be imaginative and creative.
Variety of ever-changing equipment.
Songs, finger plays, stories, and poems are part of the daily program.
the daycare’s goal is to help each child develop physically by:
Programming daily to help develop gross motor, fine motor, and perceptual motor skills through participation in a variety of activities.
the daycare’s goal is to help each child develop emotionally by:
Assisting the child in developing attitudes and behaviors that promote a healthy lifestyle and wellness.
Staff encouraging children to discuss feelings.
Positive parent/staff communication.
Treating the child with respect.
Positive adult role modeling.
The child is always treated as an individual with special needs and wants.
the daycare’s goal is to provide for the individual need of each child by:
Assessing and observing each child so the program and facility can be adapted and modified to meet the needs of all children, utilizing tools such as the Nipissing Development Screening (which is then shared with the parents.)
the daycare’s goal is to provide a program that:
Is flexible.
Provides a variety of activities.
Allows change in activities as needs arise and new ideas are introduced.
Relishes the process of the play, not the finished product.
Encourages the children to dress/undress by themselves.
Encourages children to toilet themselves, or with help, if necessary.
Encourages children to help out with lunches, opening their containers, pouring their own beverage, and cleaning-up space used.
the daycare’s goal is to offer the elements of encouragement by:
Creating a sense of belonging.
Creating a sense of capability through the development of life skills.
Instilling a sense of social interest.
the daycare’s goal is to enable free choice by providing:
Space designed to meet the child’s needs, security, movement, and interests.
Variety of equipment that is always changing.
Room for expansion of play.
Anticipation for the type of play.
Offer safe guidelines.
Related materials accessible and stored together and clearly marked.
some of the specific areas for development within our center include the:
Art Center
Science Center
Block Center
Construction Center
Quiet Center
Gross Motor Center
Fine Motor Center
Story Corner
Dramatic Play
Housekeeping
Water Play Area
Delving further into the child’s involvement with their own education and pursuits, our team consistently plans activities with input from the children. Children are involved through co-operative and competitive games, special activities, and learning experiences based on the observed interests related to the chosen topics. Staff plan and encourage participation to help build the children’s sense of community within the center. Children are also given opportunities to assist staff with clean-up, snack preparation, and are encouraged to help with sorting and recycling, all to build further independence skills and allow them to experience the results of their decisions being in their own hands when it is safe and reasonable to do so.
our main floor and toddler daily schedule consists of:
6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Children and parents arrive at the center.
The staff greet parents and children and discuss any concerns or changes in the child’s normal routine.
Belongings are put into the child’s locker.
Lunch kits are taken to and stored in the kitchen in either the cupboard or fridge (whichever is indicated by the parent or guardian.)
Children are then encouraged to socialize and play with their friends. If a child is having difficulties separating from their parent, parents are encouraged to stay to give them a few more minutes of parent time. Staff are encouraged to help out by gently taking the child and working with that individual child until they are ready to participate in the morning activities.
Children who need to have breakfast will be fed.
8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Children are with their age groups.
The staff take this time to read to the children, as well as to participate in morning conversation and interactive sharing.
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Children’s hands are washed and snacks are eaten together.
Hands are washed after snack.
Diaper changes and restroom visits are completed (if needed.)
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Morning routines are completed with the children, including outdoor play (weather permitting) and open-ended and child-directed activities, arts and crafts, dancing and singing, water and sand play, play dough, and reading. Children have access to all activities.
11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Children wash hands for lunch.
Children are encouraged to open their own lunches, pour milk, and engage in conversation. All children must remain seated while eating.
12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Children wash their hands and face after lunch, use the toilet, and diapers are changed if needed before preparing for rest.
Quiet activities such as reading in the story corner until nap time.
12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Older children are on their own mats, with their blankets and sheets, and are able to rest, quietly read a book, or play with a toy until kitchen clean-up is finished. Lights are turned off with quiet music or stories being played.
After clean-up, children may resume play.
12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Younger children lay on their own mats, with their own blankets, and staff will assist in falling asleep by rubbing children’s’ backs while quiet music is being played. Lights are turned off and the children rest until they awaken.
Not all children require a nap, therefore, quiet activity such as books, puzzles, and quiet toys are available.
Children are diapered or helped with toileting if needed.
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Older children participate in free play or go outside (weather permitting) until snack time.
12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Children prepare for an afternoon snack by finishing crafts, cleaning up, and washing hands.
Older children are able to lend a hand, putting out cups and napkins with staff.
3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Children eat the afternoon snack.
Circle time with stories and singing.
3:30 p.m.to 6:00 p.m.
Children are allowed free play and outdoor time, weather permitting.
Toileting and diapering is done if needed.
Children’s parents start to arrive for the end of the day pick-up. At this time, the child’s day is discussed with the parent including the child’s mood, behaviors, and any other relevant information.
Any child with medications that are required to go home with the child have them returned to the parent at this time, where they then sign that the medication has been returned.
our infant daily schedule consists of:
6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Infants arrive at the center.
The staff greet parents and infants and discuss any concerns or changes in the child’s normal routine.
Belongings are placed into the child’s locker.
Infants are encouraged to participate in quiet activities.
9:00 a.m. to 9:20 a.m.
Infants are fed snacks, bottles, and breakfast.
9:20 a.m. to 9:40 a.m.
Hands are washed, diapers are changed if needed, and clean-up takes place.
9:40 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Activities such as play dough, water play, pudding play, and painting are encouraged among the children.
11:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Diapers are changed if needed, and hands are washed.
11:15 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.
Infants are prepared to be fed and lunch is served to them.
11:40 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Hands and face are washed, clean-up takes place, and diapers are changed if needed.
Children are prepared for naptime.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Naptime, along with quiet activities for infants who did not rest.
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Diapers are changed if needed, afternoon activities take place, and children go outside to play, weather permitting.
3:00 p.m. to 3:20 p.m.
Afternoon snack is served.
3:20 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Clean-up.
3:30 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.
Diapers are changed if needed.
3:40 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Free play.
5:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Diapers are changed. (if needed)
Infants are prepared for the end of day pick-up.
5:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Infants are permitted to play until parents arrive.
Children are entitled to a safe and nurturing environment with a schedule of routines that best meet the individual needs of each child in care. These routines are created for playing, eating, and sleeping, and are to be changed bi-weekly or by the interest generated from the children. Both flexibility and cooperation are needed to have well-balanced and smooth transitions between activities, and our staff work as a team to keep wait periods and stresses reduced by assisting one another, minding the required ratios. The center will follow the lead of the children in experimenting with the day’s schedule, as no two days are the same.
structured and unstructured play policy
Structured activity is planned and directed, designed for a child's developmental level, and is an organized activity with an instructional purpose. Unstructured activity is self-directed, occurring as children explore their environment, giving opportunity to make up games, rules, and play with others.
While unstructured activity allows time for creativity, self-expression and cooperation, structured activity encourages socialization, development of gross motor skills and object control skills, and improves self-confidence. Our goal is to provide both types of activity each day.
guidelines for structured and unstructured activity
infants (0-1 year)
structured activity
Encourage physical activity from birth and every day after (moving arms, legs, reaching for objects.)
Provide objects, toys, and games that encourage infants to move and do things for themselves.
unstructured activity
Respect natural activity patterns (spontaneous and intermittent.)
Promote gross motor play (head control, sitting, crawling) and fun locomotion activities.
Provide a safe, nurturing and minimally structured play environment, inside and outside.
toddlers (1-3 years)
structured activity
Provide thirty (30) minutes of daily structured physical activity.
Activities should be fun and occur through physical activity, but also as part of games, transportation, and planned activities.
Encourage activities that help children develop competence in movement skills. (such as throwing, catching, or kicking a ball.)
unstructured activity
Provide sixty (60) minutes to several hours of daily unstructured activity, as part of play, games, transportation, and recreation.
Develop outdoor activity and unstructured exploration under adult supervision (free play.)
preschoolers (3-5 years)
structured activity
Provide sixty (60) minutes of daily structured activity.
Encourage activities that help children develop competence in movement skills (such as throwing, catching, or kicking a ball.)
unstructured activity
Provide sixty (60) minutes to several hours of daily unstructured activity, as part of play, games, transportation, and recreation.
Ensure that free play is fun, safe, and allow for experimentation and exploration.
Include a few variables and instruction in unorganized play.
child guidance policy
The prevention of problems is preferable to remedial treatment. The best course of action in terms of child guidance is prevention, and it is the goal of all of our caregivers to actively involve children in solving conflicts and problems. By spending valuable time with the children and having a quality program available, staff members are able to gain a better sense of each child's individual needs. Our primary concern is of course ensuring that the physical and emotional well-being of each child is maintained, and reasonable approaches to discipline for children in a child care center include setting limits that are consistent and fair that will make all children feel secure knowing these disciplinary approaches are in place. The role of the staff is to teach appropriate behavior, not to punish behavior.
Staff shall not intervene in any situation until it is believed that a child has had enough time to work out a solution or resolve a disagreement on his or her own terms, or when repetitive play is not serving its purpose. Staff will encourage the children with positive statements, natural timelines, and boundaries that show alternate methods of joint action and sharing. Staff will watch for situations when the child is working with overly difficult material and be ready to intervene.
Intervention will occur when:
A child has a problem they cannot solve.
When two or more children are disrupting play.
When children are at risk because the equipment is being abused.
When play is interfering with the activities of other children.
When play has reached a stalemate.
In dealing with behavioral problems, staff shall speak in a kind but firm manner, stay calm, and address the child at eye level. At this time, staff will offer an explanation which may reduce the inappropriate behavior from reoccurring. Forms of corporal punishment are not to be used in the center at any time, nor will discipline be associated with food, rest, or toileting. Instead, staff shall use active listening and communication skills to help the child resolve issues and only intervene at necessarily appropriate times. A time-out may also be an effective way to help children calm down when they are unable to reason in order to separate them from others and give them time to regain control of themselves. A time-out is a break, not a punishment, and should not be used as a threat. It should last until the child has calmed down but should never exceed five minutes. Once the child has calmed down it may be appropriate to talk to them about how they need to behave and when the child is ready to return to the group, the first acceptable behavior should quickly be encouraged. Any special or recurring problems regarding a child’s behavior will be discussed at staff meetings so that all staff handle recurring misbehavior fairly and consistently. Staff will set good standards of behavior by modeling considerate and polite habits to everyone involved in the center.
It is the goal of the center to provide an environment that will develop a sense of worth and self-confidence in all children. Positive self-esteem and the ability to problem solve are characteristics that children carry with them into adulthood. Focus shall be on discouraging and then remedying the inappropriate behavior, not on the child who performs it. Staff will verbally acknowledge the child's feelings and follow up with an affirmation.
For any further questions, comments, or concerns about our curriculum, programs, daily schedules, or policies, please call the center during regular operating hours at 403-335-3228 or contact us here.