We utilize the Creative Curriculum, which has been extensively researched and shown to be effective in helping children grow and learn.  Children learn best through play, so we create fun and engaging activities that help them learn.  Activities will help children’s development in:

Social-Emotional - Children learn about feelings, interacting with others, sharing, and helping others

Physical - Children learn to use their bodies and fine motor skills, using their arms and legs to crawl, walk, lift, and move.

Language - Children learn to talk, express themselves, use an increasing vocabulary, have conversations, and use language to express their needs

Cognitive - This is all about children using their brains and helping them think, solve problems, remember things, learn language, math, and science

Literacy - Children learn about books, storytelling, letters, reading, and writing

Mathematics - Children learn about numbers, counting, comparing, sizes, and measuring

Science and Technology - Children learn about the world and their environment, do science experiments and make predictions (ex., Will this rock float or sink in the bucket of water), explore and investigate inside and outside, and use tools and technology while they are doing all of this

Social Studies - Children learn about people from different places, traditions, and cultures, including an introduction to history and geography

The Arts - Children learn by creating art, drawing, painting, dancing, singing, acting through dramatic play, and other forms of art

Children will have time to choose and play independently, with a friend, or with a group of children. We will go outside, take naps, and eat meals together, and throughout the day, they will continue learning.  

Throughout the year, we will assess how your child is developing, what they can do, and what they will learn.  We will document what they are doing and their work, and assess your child to ensure they are learning and growing.  If your child is having trouble with something, we will create activities to help them.  For example, if they are having trouble holding a pencil, we will have them play with playdough and use their hands to hold and move objects to ensure they have the muscle development to grasp a pencil, and then we will give them lots of chances to use crayons and pencils and celebrate when we see their successes.

All the information we gather about your child is entered into our secure online system, Teaching Strategies Gold.  In that system, we will assess your child’s growth and development so we can plan activities that help them keep learning

We’d like you to be involved.  If you have ideas for classroom activities, especially those that interest your child or reflect your family's culture and traditions, please let us know.  And if you see your child doing something great, have a concern, or would like us to focus on a particular skill at any time during the school year, please let us know.  You are your child’s first and most important teacher, and you will help us ensure that your child is getting the most out of their experience with us.

Infant-Toddler

Clayton Early Childhood Center's infant/toddler classrooms are for children ages six weeks to two years. Teachers use the research-based Creative Curriculum to implement developmentally-appropriate lesson plans, and to document and assess each child's progress. 

With student:teacher ratios that meet or exceed state guidelines, our teachers are able to develop a relationship with each child they serve. Small class sizes offer an intimate, family atmosphere.

In a child’s first year especially, teachers work closely with parents to coordinate care and schedules that maintain consistency between home and school, and to address each child’s unique needs and development. 

At the same time, teachers create regular routines in their classrooms that provide the stability and order children naturally seek, and allow older children to serve as role models, fostering a sense of community even as feeding and nap schedules differ.

As children enter the toddler stage, they begin to participate more fully in planned, daily classroom activities. Teachers encourage structure, but also experimentation and creativity, and continue to monitor and support each child’s unique, individual development.

We offer full-time care for infants and toddlers on a full-day basis. Drop-off and pick-up times are flexible to accommodate the needs of busy families, and parents are encouraged to visit their children during the school day.