Classrooms

Infant program – 6 weeks to 12 months

Skunks

While in Blessed Beginnings care your infant will receive individual attention, affection, love and respect, so that they develop a sense of positive self-concepts and feelings of self-worth. Our infant caregivers not only address your child’s routine needs of being fed, changed, and kept clean and safe, but they also ensure that your child is talked to, held and loved. The educational program for the infants consists of toys and books to look at and listen to, floor play, finger play and constant supervision in developing their own independent actions. Teachers are expected to plan for daily experiences in: language/literacy development, cognitive development, social and emotional development, self-help skills, physical development, math, sensory & science, art, and finger-plays & songs. At Blessed Beginnings, the day revolves around each child’s individual needs and the daily schedule is only a guide. Teacher to child ratio 1:4 

Young toddler program(s) – 13-24 months Older toddler program – 25-36 months

Chipmunks, Owls, Cubs

Blessed Beginnings believes in encouraging toddler’s interests and praising their efforts, while providing a safe, nurturing environment where they can feel secure and loved. Young toddlers are full of interest and curiosity with the world around them. Our staff help focus their energy on learning activities that help them to get along with peers, and develop independence, a sense of self-worth and self- esteem. Their teachers make efforts to teach simple one and two step directions. Self help is encouraged at this age; we do this by teaching them to wash their own hands, clean up after themselves, use utensils and work on potty training. Educational lesson plans are created to stimulate your child’s development in these areas: Language/Literacy Cognitive Social Emotional/Self Help Physical (both fine motor and gross motor) Their learning environment includes space for imitation and pretend play, books, sensory, art and playing with toys. When children are in learning areas they are engaged with other peers forming friendships and expressing their creativity. Although the toddler programs have schedules they adhere to, a majority of your child’s day is spent socializing through play with other children. Some play is structured by the teacher and some is free for their choosing. Each group has a large group time where they sit in an area together and complete calendar, weather, reading and singing activities. Teacher to child ratio 13-24m 1:5. Teacher to child ratio 25-36m 1:6.

Preschool programs – 37 months - Kindergarten

Beavers,Weasels and Pre-K counts programs

The main goal of Blessed Beginnings Preschool programs is to prepare your child for Kindergarten. Our teachers use the Creative Curriculum as the foundation for their educational planning. The Creative Curriculum provides a solid foundation to learn the letters and sounds, mathematics, physical experiences and social emotion development. The curriculum is geared for a range of learning abilities and provides teachers with many activities to encourage learners at their own pace. Your child will participate daily in: Morning routine – calendar time, finger-plays and songs Large Group activities Small group activities – encourages more one on one time Story time Learning areas – also referred to as centers The preschool learning environment consists of space for art, blocks, computer, discovery, dramatic play, library and toys and games. When children are in learning areas, they are engaged socially with their peers and provide valuable insight to teachers. Teacher to child ratio 1:10

Curriculum

Blessed Beginnings utilizes the curriculum based in Brightwheel called Experience Learning. The Experience Learning Curriculum is a developmentally appropriate support for active learning and promoting children’s progress in all developmental areas and adjusts the lessons to meet the needs of each child’s educational growth as well as captivate their interest. Experience Learning offers a crosswalk linking the PA Early Learning Standards to their curriculum that our staff use in extending the planning of their lessons. The curriculum’s themes are based on subjects that highly interest children and include a variety of learning interests. All children will be introduced to the letters, and colors, as well as a character trait each week. Toddlers will be introduced also to a number and yoga poses as well as have weekly topics. Preschool children not only get their letters, shapes, numbers and colors but have weekly topics that introduce word families, sight words and patterning.  The children will experience: circle time - center time can consist of but is not limited to: art blocks manipulatives reading small group and large group activities  - fine-motor skills  - indoor/outdoor free play on a daily basis.  - Tablets are sometimes incorporated into the learning centers ages 3 and up.  - Preschool children are given the experience of religion daily in their curriculum through the AWANA programs curriculums based on different age abilities and understanding. Upon enrollment you are asked to check that your child may participate in a Bible Story.  Experience Learning focuses on building responsive care through nurturing teacher-child relationships while incorporating objectives that enable teachers to focus on what matters most for young children. It also provides opportunities for teachers to individualize instruction based on each child’s specific learning needs.