INFANT AND TODDLER PROGRAMME
We create our infant and toddler programme around the children’s own individual routines, needs and current learning interests. So whenever they need a meal, or a bottle, or a sleep, we will judge by the child’s rhythms and provide them with what they need.
We have two spacious rooms which we can separate or join together, and plenty of space for children to practice using their muscles – from learning to roll to learning to walk and run.
We do not push children into the next stage of their development. Instead, give them time opportunities to practice building their muscles, and gain an understanding of how their body and balance works for themselves, while being with them to encourage, support, and celebrate their achievements.
The environment set-up is changed regularly as teachers notice the children’s changing interests, and provide them with objects to explore,
Every child has their own space in which to sleep. When they are smaller, they will have a cot, which has secure pull down sides. As they grow, they will be introduced to a stretcher. We cater for the child’s individual sleep patterns and usual routines. We also take into account whether a child is particularly tired one day.
We provide opportunities every day for the children to explore outside. And allow children time and space to grow and learn on their own, as well being with them when they need.
“Infants and toddlers are very well nurtured and cared for in a settled homelike environment. A strong emphasis on consistent staffing ensures that infants establish warm relationships with their teachers, who maintain a personalized approach to respecting children’s individual rhythms and routines….infants and toddlers have many opportunities for exploration in both indoor and outdoor areas.” Education Review Office 2016.
TWO AND THREE YEAR OLD PROGRAMME
As children grow in confidence and ability, and turn two years old they transition downstairs to the ‘Over Two’ area. Our aim has always been to create a welcoming, nurturing, and home like environment.
We know as educators that an overly cluttered and brightly commercialized environment can be over stimulating for a child's brain development hence why we have a centre with warm colored walls, organised and neatly displayed areas and simple yet effective displays throughout each different part of the environment.
This environment is designed to stimulate our children's senses and nurture their curiosity with plenty of room for interactions with other children and the use of play equipment. We believe it is essential that our children have an environment which is rich in natural challenge that provides them with the opportunity to develop and refine their physical capabilities.
The area is divided into rooms that flow from one to the next, this encourages our children to make purposeful choices about where they want to be within the environment.
Natural wind chimes hang from trees and mosaic cultural designs can be found amongst the concrete areas.
Each room also comes with its own set of challenges, places and features to sit in, areas to provide for both privacy and views and natural ‘equipment’ such as shells, drift-wood and stones encouraging children to set the stage for their own play.
The Over twos area comes with its own gardens, worm farm and composting area with a strong focus on nature and sustainability.
Children actively participate in growing vegetables, recycling and compost making and there we also have our guinea pig which encourages and helps with fostering a sense of care and responsibility for living things.
There are rocks to turn, insects to find, huts to build and trees providing opportunities for creative problem solving and the development of a sense of wonder about the natural world. It is a rich learning environment with a hidden curriculum that speaks to children in a special way inviting learning about the natural environment through exploration, discovery and the power of their own imaginations.
“Indoor and outdoor environments are attractively resourced to support children’s learning through a range of play activities, investigations and physical challenges. Teachers continue to develop the environment using natural materials and gardens that reflect environmental sustainability and bicultural influences. Literacy, mathematical concepts, science, music, construction and creative expression are integrated into children’s play.” Education Review Office 2015.
Children have a “rolling morning tea” (9am-9:45am) and “rolling afternoon tea” (2pm-2:45pm) where between these times children have the opportunity to eat when they are ready to. Often children come to the Treehouse soon after breakfast, and are not ready to eat.
The child’s decision to eat or not eat is respected (and monitored with the parents if this happens regularly), allowing the child opportunity to take responsibility for their own eating habits. Lunch time is a meal that is eaten together as a group.
After eating, those children who sleep and rest do so, and the older children go outside for extended activities. If a child needs to sleep that does not usually, we will cater for these individual needs.
FOUR YEAR OLD PROGRAMME
We often get asked how we support children in getting ready for primary school. How do we teach them their ‘ABC’s and 123’s?’ and there is the occasional question thrown our way in regards to whether we run a ‘four year old or school prep’ programme. The response that we have to these queries is often met with surprise and astonishment. As a team at Treehouse we are very clear about how we view ‘school readiness’ and how this is implemented into our programme and the environment.
This view is underpinned by a number of aspects which include building on children’s social competencies, developing independence, and developing good attitudes towards risk taking and learning.
Why is developing social competencies important for getting ready for school?
Developing positive social competencies supports children in working well with others, it helps with self-regulation and communicating feelings. All these skills are welcomed warmly when children enter their new entrant classroom.
Play is something that we celebrate and don’t take for granted as we know that children use play to explore many different concepts, life skills and learning areas. It is disappointing when we hear comments about how children are ‘just playing’ so we will defend play and its greatness by explaining the importance of it, how this supports learning and preparation for school.
Play involves working together, concentrating and following through with tasks, being creative, exploring language and self-expression, building on confidence, developing gross and fine motor skills to name just a few things.
One of the biggest and most frustrating comments that we hear every so often is, ‘Now my child is heading off to school to do real learning!’ At Treehouse we have children who are living and breathing meaningful learning every day and we are proud to be providing them with these opportunities.
This is the time when children are developing lifelong learning skills, attitudes and ways of being that will support them for many years to come.
We take our jobs of fostering this very seriously, we are professionals who care deeply about what we do and in no way want to stifle our children’s desire to learn about and question their world. Yes we want our children to know how to write their names, recognise colours, shapes and how to count to ten. However more importantly we want them to feel empowered and valued and we whole heartedly try our hardest to accomplish this.
“The child-led programme encourages children to develop a love of learning within a positive social environment. Teachers place high value on children’s knowledge and heritages. The centre manager and teacher continually review practices and the programme in the light of current research and best early childhood education practice.” Education Review Office 2015.