Programs
Fun & Creativity
All center programs are available from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Options available are Full time, Monday through Friday, or Part time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday and Thursday. Drop-in schedules are also available (1-2 days per week). Availability is dependent on each classroom. Call us to learn more about each of our centers classrooms.
Art
Painting, pasting, and lots of imagination are just the beginning of the fun that comes with arts and crafts. For toddlers, colorful items, particularly those that sparkle or shine, are mesmerizing. This is part of why arts and crafts are so appealing to these very young children. What's more, having the opportunity to make their own creations as they immerse themselves in tactile substances such as finger paints, glitter and clay is an integral part of skills development for children at this age. These projects provide them a sense of fun and mastery at the same time.
Music
As part of our holistic approach to childcare, we at EBDLC encourage toddler and child creativity. Music, art and storytelling go a long way towards instilling a love for creating and learning. Self-expression is an important aspect of child development, and having an artistic outlet — or multiple outlets — promotes self-confidence, regardless of skill level.
Although raw talent isn't necessarily the point here, encouraging kids to excel at something they're good at can help them hone their skills. There's no better time than during early childhood to start developing a skill, especially given the amount of energy the typical toddler is blessed with. Discovering innate talents or just an affinity for a certain activity can also help children develop the ability to focus.
Movement
A baby will develop fine motor skills naturally by exploring their world, but parents and caretakers can help encourage early development by providing children with toys and household items that are safe and engaging. Many babies are able to practice mastering fine motor skills by reaching for toys and grasping objects. Toys that have a surface that is easy to grip and handles that allow a baby to pick up the item are ideal for this age group.
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Babies are eventually able to try passing objects back and forth between each hand. Stacking is a natural progression for children who are developing their fine motor skills, and learning how to grip and grasp objects requires a child to improve coordination in order to achieve their goal.
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Children who are able to begin eating solid foods often develop hand-eye coordination by gripping small foods between their fingers and bringing these foods to their mouth. Practicing fine motor skills can be as simple as working on eating finger foods in a highchair. Older babies and toddlers can develop these skills by working on art projects. Learning how to color on a piece of paper with a crayon or marker is a big milestone, and children are eventually able to understand how to stay within the lines when a coloring book is given to them.
Language
Reading and writing are skills that many parents and guardians believe are intended for schoolers, but children can begin to learn about the alphabet and start to read and write from a much younger age. Reading in daycare is one way that children can begin to hone the skills that they will need for school.
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Reading skills begin to appear when a child begins to recognize all of the letters of the alphabet. Children who know the sounds that go with each letter will begin to understand that these sounds can be combined to form some of the words that they already know. Caretakers can teach children to sound out each letter in small words to help children with beginning to read.
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The next step after reading a word is writing it. Writing in childcare is another opportunity that children have to develop their skills before attending school. Hand-eye coordination and the ability to replicate letters by tracing each letter are skills that children must develop in order to be able to write entire words. Children are eventually able to leave the dotted lines behind in order to write letters and words on their own.
Mathematics
Counting is a skill that children start to learn in preschool, but early familiarity with numbers can be fostered when caretakers make a point to review numbers and counting skills with children. Math logic is a topic that can be introduced when a child becomes a toddler. The first step is to teach a child to associate the written number with its name.
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Parents and guardians can help children understand the significance of numbers by counting throughout the day. This can start as early as 12 months, and children may be able to pick up on counting when caretakers count items like the buttons on an outfit or the crackers in a morning snack. Children are often able to imitate the process of counting by the age of two, but most children cannot understand why they are reciting these numbers until they are three to four years of age.
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Preschoolers begin to learn about the significance of adding and taking away items from a group in order to change the total number of items. This is the age range in which a child is able to begin understanding the meaning of counting in order.