WIGGLES & GIGGLES focuses on four major areas of your child's development:

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• Physical development: Toddlers love to move—climbing, jumping, dancing! Teachers offer your child many ways to be active, both indoors and outdoors. They also provide materials and activities that interest children his age and help improve his hand coordination, like scribbling with crayons and stacking toys.

• Social and emotional development: Teachers model behaviors like sharing and apologizing so toddlers can learn by example. They give your child opportunities to try new social skills and to try doing things for herself. Teachers encourage children and help them express their feelings in positive, healthy ways.

• Thinking (cognitive) skills: Cognitive development is your child's ability to make sense of the world around him. It includes memory, language, thinking, and reasoning. Classrooms are set up so toddlers can learn to how to solve problems by sorting objects, doing puzzles, taking things apart and fitting them back together, and so much more! Teachers offer children a range of activities and experiences that inspire and challenge them, from building on their curiosity (“You've been watching that butterfly a long time. Where do you think it's going, Sebastián?”) to helping them use their imagination (“Oh, no, there's a leak in our boat! How else can we cross the moat?”).

• Language development: Teachers spend a lot of time talking to children so that they learn how words should sound and how conversations go back and forth. They read books with simple stories and use songs, rhymes, and finger plays that have repeating patterns. They also help toddlers by asking questions about the books they read (“Ivy lost her doll. What do you think will happen next?”), expanding on their answers (“You said, ‘Cry.' Do you think Ivy is sad about losing her favorite toy?”), and using new words (“Look how excited Ivy is now that she found her doll!”).

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WIGGLES & GIGGLES practices a “Primary Caregiver” philosophy in our Infant and Toddler rooms.  During this stage of development, children need consistency and adult interaction.  Children develop and learn at a faster rate during this period of development and our goal is to make the most of this developmental time. What children need most during this stage is to feel safe, secure and loved which is achieved by bonding and building quality relationships with caregivers

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In the toddler room, children will begin to experience a more structured routine and curriculum.  Staff will introduce basic centers and themed lesson plans.  Morning meeting will be held where children will start to touch on basic topics such as letters, numbers, shapes and other themes in a play-based manner. Art/sensory and/or cooking activities will be done daily.  The toddler classroom will provide daily educational experiences through free and guided play.

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When Toddlers show signs of readiness, teachers will meet with parents regarding the start of toilet training.  Signs of readiness include, muscle control, communication of the need to use the potty or that they are soiled, and interest in the potty.  Potty training can only be successful when staff and parents are working consistently and collaboratively towards the goal.  Staff will not force a child to toilet train if they are not showing signs of willingness. We do not want toilet training to be a traumatic experience for any child.