L.E.A.P.® Curriculum
for Toddlers
Our approach to early education for Toddlers
(1 to 2 years old)
By this stage, a child’s leg muscles are ready—once they stand up and take those first steps, they’re off and running, eager to explore. Our Toddler education program offers them the opportunity to do so in safety (with our caregivers alert and ready to walk around the room with the children) and also allows them to develop cognitive skills as they build language, graduate to one to two-word sentences, learn to hold a crayon and eat finger foods.
This is also when our Toddlers acquire self-helping skills, such as communicating their needs or picking up after themselves.
What our curriculum for Toddlers includes
Our Toddler curriculum is filled with stimulating, age-appropriate activities and materials that focus on early childhood development through hand-eye coordination, motor development and problem solving.
Toddlers will experience:
- Continuation of sign language with Gibby Gibbon® to further develop communication skills
- Introduction to early literacy skills through our Phonics with Phoebe®
- Introduction to manners and etiquette with Penny Polite®
- Introduction to physical fitness activities with Flexi Flamingo®, including outdoor play to encourage movement and playing with peers
- Circle time to foster social-emotional development
- Teacher-facilitated play in learning areas such as dramatic play, gross motor, math and manipulatives, etc.
Our curriculum program for Toddlers
American Sign Language
Our American Sign Language program teachers Toddlers to sign and communicate in connection with their daily lessons. When learning about travel, for example, parents are always amazed at how their children can sign words like “passport” or “suitcase.”
At the beginning of every month, those signs are printed and sent home with families to extend the lesson in American Sign Language. The parents are also kept abreast of the Sign Language Alphabet as a resource, and can connect pictures to descriptions of the sign language in order to practice communicating with the children.
Manners and Etiquette
From a very early age, Toddlers are learning manners from our Manners & Etiquette coach, Penny Polite. These lessons reinforce the concept of good behavior — including basics like sitting tummy to the table, using napkins to wipe their mouths and using their communication skills in American Sign Language for children or using their words to say “thank you” and “please.” They’re also learning the concept of sharing, taking turns and being kind to their peers, be it in the classroom or on the playground.
Physical Fitness Programs
Starting at the Toddler age, children are learning to move their bodies, as well as keep their bodies and minds healthy by starting to identify healthy choices. TLE® makes physical fitness an important part of early childhood education, and our physical fitness coach, Flexi Flamingo, helps teach our little learners healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
Our programs for Toddlers
6:30-800 Early Arrival Program
8:00-8:30 Greeting the Children/Parent Communication
Free Choice Centers–Art, Sensory, Language, Math, Fine Motor, Computers, Science, Child-Initiated Activities
8:30-8:45 Circle Time
Welcoming Activities, Finger Plays, Songs
8:45-9:00 Snack Time
Nutritious snacks will be served, Manners Matter, Potty Time, Etc.
9:00-9:30 Art and Sensory
Creative activities enhance emotional development; Finger Painting, Pasting, Sand and Water Table, Etc.
9:30-9:45 Physical Fitness with Flexi Flamingo®
Children will engage in physical exercise and routine, and discuss healthy bodies and nutrition
9:45-10:00 Fine Motor Skills
Matching, Classifying, Exposure to Numbers
10:00-10:30 Free Choice Centers
Art, Sensory, Language, Math, Fine Motor, Computers, Science; Child-Initiated Activities
10:30-11:00 Playground Time
Gross Motor Skills, Coordination, Balance, Tossing Balls, Etc.
11:00–11:15 Diapering/Hand Washing
11:15–11:30 Language Skills/Library Storytelling:
Emphasis on Language Development, Puppets, Games, Rhymes, Etc.
11:30–2:30 Lunch/Rest Time/Quiet Activities
2:30–3:00 Waking Up/Diapering
3:00–3:30 Snack Time
Nutritious snack will be served, Manners Matter, Potty Time, Etc.
3:30–4:00 Playground Time
Gross Motor Skills, Coordination, Balance, Tossing Balls, Etc
4:00-4:15 Diapering/Hand Washing
4:15–4:45 Songs Music and Movement
Singing, Dancing
4:45–5:05 Circle Time
Finger Plays, Songs, Goodbye Songs
5:05–5:30 Free Choice Centers/Diaper Changes
Art, Sensory, Math; Child-Initiated Activities
5:30–6:30
Table Toys/Quiet Activities/Greeting Parents
(Diapering is provided and supervised on an as needed basis.)
Our year-end milestones
Every day will be a fun new adventure at TLE® for your little one, and while our lessons and curriculum prepare them to meet important goals, we want to ensure they are developing at the right pace.
A snapshot of several of the many milestones your Toddler should reach this year:
- Follow simple, one-step directions
- Walk independently
- Increase independence with feeding
- Respond to questions asked by teachers and other trusted adults
- Make choices regarding toys and playing with them in a simple way
Enrichment Programs for Toddlers
Our enrichment programs are an extension of the curriculum, providing in-depth, hands-on learning experiences to our little learners enabling them to develop mastery in a fun and engaging manner. At no additional cost, our enrichment curriculum provides a home-to-school connection for all children with specifically chosen kits to take home following each session, allowing the continuation of the child’s passion outside of the classroom.
Little Musicians
Our Little Musicians Enrichment Program provides age-appropriate kits for our little learners to use to explore instruments, beats, and songs. They will use their creative expression, interact with their peers, and ultimately build confidence as they learn emotional regulation and strengthen their cognitive language abilities. Parents will have the opportunity to join in a family showcase at the end of the program to support home learning.
Little Engineers
Our Little Engineers enrichment program provides age-appropriate kits for our little learners to use to participate in problem-solving activities that encourage creativity, perseverance, and real-life application skills. Children will work through challenges and tasks individually, in pairs, or as a team, leading to the strengthening of relationships and social-emotional regulation. Parents will have the opportunity to join in a family showcase at the end of the program to support home learning.
Little Athletes
Our Little Athletes Enrichment Program provides age-appropriate kits for our little learners to use to engage in the foundational concepts of sports. Children will increase their gross and fine motor skills by learning to throw, catch, kick, balance, and much more. Our Little Athletes Enrichment Program for kindergarteners includes learning the fundamentals of basketball and soccer.
Little Athletes
Toddlers kit:
The Toddler enrichment kit is specifically designed to meet age-appropriate developmental milestones, supporting the development of their gross and fine motor skills of each child. This enables children to engage in learning to throw, catch, kick, balance, and much more. All these items go home at the end of the 12-week program continuing their learning!