"Children must master the language of things before they master the language of words."  Friedrich Froebel, Pedagogics of the Kindergarten, 1895

The natural world is the infant's and young child's first curriculum, and it can only be learned by direct interaction with things. There is no way a young child can learn the difference between sweet and sour, rough and smooth, hot and cold without tasting, touching, or feeling something. Learning about the world of things, and their various properties, is a time-consuming and intense process that cannot be hurried. There is a growing call for early-childhood educators to engage in the forced academic training of young children. Concerns over our educational system, fueled by our students' poor performance in international comparisons of achievement, have re-invigorated the call for early academic instruction as a remedy for inadequate teaching later on. All too many daycare providers are under pressure to teach children numbers and letters.  Standardized tests are administered as early as kindergarten. In some kindergartens, children are even given homework in addition to work sheets they must fill out during class time.

In a developmentally appropriate classroom, children are busy taking care of plants and animals, experimenting with sand and water, drawing and painting, listening to songs and stories, and engaging in dramatic play. It is hard to believe that these young children learn more from work sheets than they do from engaging in these age-appropriate activities.

David Elkind, Ph.D. is a Professor in Child Development at Tufts University. He is the author of The Hurried Child: Growing Up Too Fast Too Soon (3rd edition), Reinventing Childhood: Raising and Educating Children in a Changing World, All Grown Up and No Place to Go:

Here at Cradle to Crayons Childcare the toddlers and preschoolers focus on the same theme, monthly. The learning experiences are geared to age level.  All children learn at their own rate of speed.  The children are also introduced to:  sign language, Spanish,  beginning math & reading readiness.

How a child learns is as important as what a child learns!  Preschool children in highly academic "drill and kill" programs are found to be more physically aggressive.

CIRCLE TIME

During this period, which shouldn't last more than 20 minutes, children learn what it means to be part of a classroom community and develop the skills to participate effectively in a group. Children are greeted and we talk about the plans for the day.  The children are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas.  Circle time activities might include:  story-telling with the flannel board, music, movement, finger-plays, dramatic play and attention span games.

"Itty Bitty Bookworm Curriculum" is the approved curriculum program here at Cradle to Crayons Childcare. 

The Itty-Bitty Bookworm is a literature-based preschool curriculum on CD that does all the planning for you, so you can focus on what’s important ~ your children. It offers a curriculum for 18-36 month olds, called the Bailey Curriculum, and the Bo curriculum for 3-5 year olds. Both curricula are specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of in-home preschools, family child-care centers, child development centers and home-schooling families.