Childcare

Tweenies (2 years – 3 years)

Within Tweenies, we encourage children to learn through play and to develop independence at their own pace. We are also able to support the physical development of children by continuing routines started at home such as potty training.

Children will start their day in their respective rooms but do spend time mixing with the children and staff from the other rooms. This ensures that children feel at ease with the whole environment and have the opportunities to meet with their siblings and younger or older friends. This also supports the transition of children into pre-school. Rooms are organised to allow for multi-sensory opportunities and allow children the freedom to explore and express their thoughts and feelings.

We understand that children learn and develop in many different ways, and this is identified through schemas. Schemas are patterns of behaviour that children demonstrate when they are exploring the world and trying to find out how things work.

Here are some of the common patterns of schemas that we have observed;

• Transporting - carrying objects or being carried from one place to another
• Rotation -  turning, twisting or rolling themselves or objects
• Containing - putting themselves or objects or materials into different containers
• Envelopment - covering themselves, objects or a space

A day in the life of our amazing Tweenies

With children’s growing independence and the development of their own unique personality, our focus moves to developing a range of life, social and self-help skills. Activities such as shared meal times, dressing skills and toilet training support this stage.

As confidence grows and children demonstrate skills in building relationships, our activities are adapted to reflect specific and individual needs. Knowledge is enhanced through purposeful play and hands-on experiences to explore a multitude of natural materials.

Tweenies seem to be natural musicians. Banging on pots and pans, singing loudly and stomping on the floor all bring that wonderful sense of  “I did it!”

Picture books are a terrific way to stimulate your toddler’s visual senses. We ensure that there are many opportunities for children to discover and enjoy books. Our cosy areas allow children comfort and relaxation to peacefully read and share their favourite stories with their friends and staff.

We provide a variety of media for the children to discover and experiment with. Providing opportunities for children to model with clay, make and play with dough, pour cornflour and water through their fingers and paint with their fingers and feet, allow them to experience wonderful avenues of discovery.  Also the various textures encourage small motor development and help prepare for early writing.