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Infant and Toddler

INFANT

Wee Willows and Precious Pine
6 weeks to between 12 and 16 months

From birth, infants have a deep need and remarkable ability to form close bonds with their caretakers. Trusting adults is essential; babies who learn that their needs will be met feel safe enough to explore the world with their senses, and gleefully go about tasting, touching, and shaking everything! Children this age learn through repetition, trial and error. This is also the age when the foundation for language is laid by adults who take the time to talk with and read to babies.

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The Cedarhouse School nurtures your baby’s innate learning ability by providing:

  • Smaller class sizes and lower-than-average teacher/child ratios for greater bonding, ongoing communication, and individual attention; there are 2 classrooms, each with 2 teachers. Our 7 youngest babies share one room, while the oldest 8 share the other. This distinction allows us to meet the different needs of newborns babies and active pre-walkers.
  • Experienced teachers who promptly meet the needs of your child, building that essential foundation of trust and security
  • Safe areas to explore and develop gross motor skills such as crawling and walking
  • Toys and activities that stimulate the senses and promote brain development
  • Peaceful, nursery-like sleeping areas separate from play areas

TODDLER

Sensational Cedars and Marvelous Maples
12 months to between 24 and 26 months

New walkers need both the freedom to roam and the emotional security of a predictable routine. They love to try out their new physical skills – as long as they have a soft place to land. By this age, the foundation for language is set, and the first opportunities for language development begin with constant stimulation and communication.

Yes, they’re still honing their physical skills, and they’re absolutely wild for running and jumping and dancing, but for toddlers, the real fascination is with ideas. More than anything, these little ones want to understand the world around them. They are curious to know what happens when they assert their independence, which they’ll bravely do provided they feel safe. 

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They’re capable not only of understanding stories and conversations, but also of following instructions, learning new concepts, and even identifying colors, numbers, and letters.

The Cedarhouse School gives your toddler room to explore by providing:

  • Plenty of comfort and encouragement with small class sizes (8 in our Cedars room and 10 in our Maples room)
  • A more structured daily routine including stories and lessons, art and music time, and activities to encourage fine motor development
  • Challenging, fun, and safe activities for sensory stimulation and gross motor development, including supervised playtime on soft climbing mats
  • Consistent communication from teachers, with an emphasis on social skills like sharing and impulse control
  • An environment that actively promotes language and reading skills, with formal and informal reading throughout the day and a cozy area for reading books with a teacher or independently
  • An introduction to basic science concepts (such as “ice melts” and “leaves turn different colors”)
  • Opportunity for dramatic play to promote imagination, social skills, and language development
  • Integrated identification of colors, letters, and numbers throughout the day
  • Climbing structures: safe yet challenging, with great features to occupy active little minds and bodies
  • Weekly music and movement classes in our creative movement room.
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