Curriculum
Annie’s Children’s Center is dedicated to providing quality academic experiences for Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers while helping children develop valuable social and life skills. Our childcare philosophy is one in which classrooms are seen as communities. Each child is seen as an individual whose strengths contribute to the classroom culture. Working together, children and adults create an atmosphere that supports learning while also encouraging meaningful relationships. At Annie’s, we believe an educational and nurturing environment contributes to each child’s growth and development.
Our teachers use “The Creative Curriculum Educational Approach” for a child directed, child initiated & teacher supported learning environment. The fundamental premise of this curriculum is that children are active learners, who learn best from pursuing their own interests while being active. Also, you will find the weekly lesson plans and classroom news shared on our app we use with detailed information to keep you up to date with your child’s curriculum.
The Classroom Environment is a key part of our Curriculum. Each classroom is set up with furniture that is size appropriate for the room and the particular group of children, from infants through our school age area. You will find age/development-specific classrooms that provide the safe and developmentally appropriate learning environment for your growing child throughout the day.
Outdoor Play
Time outdoors is essential for gross motor development and allows opportunities for dramatic play, exercise and experiment with natural materials. Fresh air is also important for the health of children. We believe (within reason) that there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing! With 4 outdoor play areas there is always room for fun.
Sensory
We provide many fun and messy activities that children may not get to experience otherwise. Play is a child’s work, and sometimes we all get a bit messy while working at Annie’s! Your child’s teachers will provide them with safe, developmentally appropriate mediums and materials to explore, manipulate and create with. Sensory play is a process and often there is no product to show, but the excitement they will share of their days, and sometimes messes you see brought home, will help you see your child’s experiences.
Dramatic Play
Early on, children discover the joy of dress-up and make-believe through everyday items and dramatic play materials. A child learns and/or is given the opportunity to play out familiar experiences throughout the day. Through dramatic play children are able to explore and develop muscular coordination as well as new language as they participate in creative and dramatic play experiences with others in their classroom or on their playground. During the day, children play independently or with others, while learning to self-regulate, cooperate, express themselves and make memories. What may sound like idle chatter could actually be children revealing thoughts and attitudes through interactions and conversations with others.