Discoverers (Toddlers/Tweenies)

Wonder and awe – two things that as adults we have probably long forgotten about – but not so for children. Children are experts at enjoying and appreciating the world around them and they do this with excitement, fun and enthusiasm.

Luckily for us at Great Expectations, we follow the children’s lead on their pathways of discovery which means we have the honour of sharing in these special moments. It also means that we get to learn about children’s unique fascinations and we use them to support their learning.

Our wonderful Toddler unit has been created for children aged 18 to 30 months, to spark curiosity and inspire exploration with lots of natural resources and access to a safe outdoor play area. The unit also has toilet and sleep facilities to ensure that children are comfortable and well rested during their busy day.

“Being two is not easy. At times you feel big and strong. You declare your independence in all kinds of ways; you want to be respected and given space. Other times you feel small and vulnerable; the world looms large and scary. You want to be held and hugged and treated like the baby you used to be”. A quote from Community Playthings

This quote illustrates why our staff work so hard to build close and trusting relationships with the children they care for. Creating a beautiful environment for children is only the first step. Helping them get the most out of it takes a lot of skill and an acknowledgement that sometimes this means that children will explore their space freely and other times they will do it from your knee!

The Toddler room – The three Prime areas of learning for toddlers as outlined in the EYFS are Communication and Language development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Physical Development, they are all met in a cross curricular way. We also provide activities in support of the four specific areas of learning; Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.

Toddlers, like babies, learn from the people around them and how they are attended to, the environment that they are in and the opportunities it provides. At Great Expectations, the key worker continues to be a crucial part of each child’s learning environment. By providing a warm, loving relationship they are a secure base from which the child explores with confidence. They continue to ensure that they gather information from you on your child’s needs, likes and dislikes, developmental stage and interests. We make sure that there is regular dialogue about each child’s changing needs between the key worker and the family. As well as daily feedback on our E-Portfolio Baby’s Days, we provide termly review meetings with your key worker and invite you to contribute to your child’s developmental record at least twice each term.