Check out some of our photos from activities and lessons that take place.
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/feb2014/process-art-experiences
What children do and learn through process-focused art
Social and emotional
Children relax, focus, feel successful, and can express their feelings
Language and literacy
Children may choose to discuss their art and add print to it (on their own or by dictating to a teacher)
Cognitive
Children compare, predict, plan, and problem solve
Physical
Children use small motor skills to paint, write, glue, use clay, and make collages
TLC Center enjoys learning across all domains, fostering a love for art, dramatic play, music appreciation, and the world around us. Every little moment counts, and every moment is an opportunity to nurture creativity and self-expression.
Our staff form bonds with each child, taking time to offer each child one-on-one quality time. We pride ourselves on knowing each child's developmental level, and preference and becoming accustomed to carefully watching for cues. Children in our program thrive from the continuity of care, with some caregivers who have been long-time employees of TLC Center for a decade or more. Our teaching staff is assigned to specific classrooms to promote consistency in care, as well as support strong emotional bonds with their early educators. Staff undergoes extensive background checks and careful vetting by our administrative team ensuring that the individuals caring for your children are informed, educated, and compassionate educators.
https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/big-body-play
Big body play is the very physical, vigorous, boisterous, and sometimes bone-jarring play style many children love and crave.
Big body play is...
- When a child throws herself onto a sofa.
- When children wrestle.
- When friends jump off climbing equipment.
- When friends chase each other as they laugh, or race to a finish line.
Why is big body play important for children?
Big body play supports children’s physical development but it also supports the development of children’s social awareness, emotional thinking, and language skills. Research shows that big body play comes naturally to children. Children all over the world play this way, and that is why it's so important that adults, both teachers and family members, understand and support it.
How does big body play support children's learning?
There are many ways big body play supports and enhances children’s learning.
Younger children gain a lot of information about their bodies through big body play. For example, when a mother kisses or massages her baby’s body, her baby learns about where his body ends and the space around him begins. He also learns how different types of touch feel and the names for those feelings.
When a toddler jumps into her dad’s lap, or she runs to hug a friend, she learns how to control and regulate her body movements. She also learns that she should adapt the intensity of her movements in relation to another person. For example, she might run to hug her friend with less force than she uses to jump into her dad’s lap.
When children enjoy big body play they can also build both verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Through big body play, they learn to correctly interpret nonverbal gestures, like when my friend puts her hand up it means I should stop but if she smiles it means I can keep going. Children will apply this skill throughout their lives in different social situations.
When children take turns jumping off a tree stump they practice taking turns.
And, because most children enjoy the play so much, they learn how to compromise. They might let other children go first and be strongest so that the play can continue. Children are also calmer for longer periods of time following very rowdy play. Greater learning is likely during these calm, focused periods.
Cooking experiences offer an array of educational investigative opportunities from measuring, counting, and math learning to fine motor use of skills such as scooping, pouring, and scraping. We incorporate cooking experiences into our curriculum often, allowing children to explore with their senses through hands-on learning experiences.
At TLC Center we value the importance of family engagement and participation, hosting fun events throughout the year. Such events include holiday programs, trunk or treat, graduation ceremonies, family dinners, breakfast and snack time events, etc. These events are designed to meet the needs of all families, spanning across a variety of times, days, and availability. Families are always welcome to volunteer their time to help set up, take down, and run events.
The summer is a great time for the children to enjoy the simple things in life. We go on a variety of field trips; mini-golfing, pool, spray park, critter farm, garden/nursery, Giant Springs, Grocery stores, and local eateries, just to name a few. The above photo is of one of the children choosing a cool treat on a hot day from the ice cream truck that comes every other week in the summer.
TLC Center values the magic of childhood, as we enjoy sharing their excitement for holidays. Often decorating, and helping them to make their own gifts for families.
Local field trips are a source of curriculum in early childhood education. Building on education professor Sal Vascellaro’s idea of “venturing out,” educators of young children see field trips as opportunities to gather raw materials for investigations. Children learn through exploration of their own communities in places like a pañería or bakery, shoe and grocery stores, fields and rivers, and more. When teachers and children venture out, they engage in inquiry-based investigations that occur in the community and the classroom.
As children study spaces within their local context, they learn how to ask and answer questions for themselves. They learn about and practice cross-curricular skills and knowledge, such as in listening, reading, writing, and developing new vocabulary, in authentic ways and real-life settings,. They can explore science concepts by observing, hypothesizing, and experimenting and use mathematic skills such as counting, sorting, and measuring. Independence, problem solving, and perseverance are nurtured, and children can practice social skills by negotiating, conversing, and being part of a larger group. These competencies and approaches to learning are the core of early learning curriculum and standards.
Thoughtful planning is essential prior to and throughout venturing out, particularly in its connection to an overarching project. Teachers who want to venture out with children study the topic, talk to their colleagues and community members who have related expertise, collect books and artifacts to share with the children, and prepare necessary materials to further the investigation. Within planned adventures, meaningful and playful learning occur when educators watch and respond to children's cues and give the children agency to help shape investigations and activities.
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2017/emergent-writing
Emergent writing is young children’s first attempts at the writing process. Children as young as 2 years old begin to imitate the act of writing by creating drawings and symbolic markings that represent their thoughts and ideas (Rowe & Neitzel 2010; Dennis & Votteler 2013). This is the beginning of a series of stages that children progress through as they learn to write (see “Stages of Emergent Writing”). Emergent writing skills, such as the development of namewriting proficiency, are important predictors of children’s future reading and writing skills (National Center for Family & Literacy 2008; Puranik & Lonigan 2012).
Teachers play an important role in the development of 3- to 5-year-olds’ emergent writing by encouraging children to communicate their thoughts and record their ideas (Hall et al. 2015). In some early childhood classrooms, however, emergent writing experiences are almost nonexistent. One recent study, which is in accord with earlier research, found that 4- and 5-year-olds (spread across 81 classrooms) averaged just two minutes a day either writing or being taught writing (Pelatti et al. 2014). This article shares a framework for understanding emergent writing and ties the framework to differentiating young children’s emergent writing experiences.
Our early educators enjoy planning and creating fun, exciting lesson plans that focus on teaching children the necessary tools to ensure success in elementary school when they graduate from our program. Activities are planned according to an informed curriculum using observations and assessments within the classroom setting that focus on child interests and developmental needs within the classroom catering to each child individually.
Our program balances learning in both indoor and outdoor settings. Children are encouraged to learn through sensory play and hands-on investigation guided by our incredible teaching staff who ensure safety as the top priority.
