Kinderworld Early Learning Centre

Creating a curriculum for toddlers in childcare is about fostering their development through a balance of structured activities, exploration, and play. Toddlers learn best in an environment that encourages their curiosity and provides opportunities for them to develop socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively. Here's a simple framework for a toddler childcare curriculum:

• Gross Motor Skills: Encourage running, jumping, climbing, and dancing. Activities like obstacle courses, riding tricycles, and playing catch help strengthen large muscles.
• Fine Motor Skills: Provide activities like stacking blocks, coloring, drawing, and playing with playdough to develop hand-eye coordination.

• Problem-Solving: Offer puzzles, sorting activities (like shape or color sorting), and building blocks to stimulate thinking and reasoning skills.
• Memory Games: Simple memory or matching games (like "What’s Missing?" or memory card games) can enhance memory and concentration.

• Storytime: Reading aloud with picture books helps with vocabulary building. Choose stories with repetitive phrases or rhyming.
• Songs & Rhymes: Songs with motions or hand gestures can boost language and help with memory. Examples include “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”
• Conversation: Encourage toddlers to talk by asking open-ended questions and allowing them to express themselves.

• Sharing and Turn-Taking: Create group activities or games where toddlers can practice sharing and taking turns, such as a group art project or a simple game.
• Feelings & Emotions: Use books or puppet shows to talk about different feelings and how to express them.
• Independence: Let toddlers make simple choices (like picking out their snack or toy) to foster a sense of independence and confidence.

• Art & Craft: Provide materials for finger painting, drawing, and collage-making. Allow toddlers to freely explore and express themselves creatively.
• Music & Movement: Introduce simple instruments (like maracas or tambourines) and encourage toddlers to make music or dance.

• Hands-on Exploration: Set up sensory bins with materials like rice, pasta, or water to let toddlers explore through touch.

• Daily Schedule: Toddlers thrive on routine, so having a consistent daily schedule that includes time for meals, naps, play, and learning activities helps them feel secure.
• Transitions: Prepare toddlers for transitions (e.g., from playtime to mealtime) with simple songs or visual cues.

1. Arrival & Free Play: 
2. Circle Time: 
3. Snack Time: 
4. Learning Activity: (arts, sensory play, puzzles, etc.)
5. Outdoor Play: 
6. Lunch: 
7. Nap/Quiet Time: 
8. Afternoon Play: 30-45 mins of structured or free play
9. Closing Circle: (story, review of the day, or song)

For pre-kindergarten Kinderworld involves structuring activities that focus on the early development of foundational skills in a playful and engaging way. Here's a general outline for our pre-kindy curriculum:

• Focus: Teach children to manage emotions, develop empathy, and interact positively with peers.
  Activities:Role-playing and dramatic play (e.g., playing family, shopping, or doctor’s office)
  Group activities that require turn-taking (e.g., circle time, sharing toys)
  Storytelling with themes of friendship, kindness, and sharing
  

• Focus: Develop early language skills and an understanding of letters, sounds, and storytelling.
  Activities:Storytime (with interactive questions to encourage comprehension)
  Singing songs and rhymes to help with phonemic awareness
  Letter recognition games (e.g., matching letters to objects, alphabet puzzles)
  Encourage drawing and "writing" (scribbling, tracing letters)
  

• Focus: Introduce basic math concepts like shapes, colors, numbers, and patterns.
  Activities:Counting objects (e.g., blocks, toys) and simple number recognition
  Shape sorting and matching games
  Pattern-making with colors and shapes
  Simple puzzles and activities that promote critical thinking (e.g., "What comes next in this sequence?")
  

• Focus: Help children improve both small (fine) and large (gross) motor skills.
  Activities:Fine motor: Drawing, cutting with scissors, threading beads, building with small blocks
  Gross motor: Running, jumping, dancing, playing games like "Simon Says," or participating in obstacle courses
  Outdoor play to explore large movements and balance (e.g., climbing, swinging)
  

• Focus: Encourage self-expression through art, music, and dramatic play.
  Activities:Free art activities like painting, coloring, or crafting with materials like playdough
  Singing and dancing to simple songs
  Dramatic play with costumes and props (e.g., pretending to be animals, superheroes, etc.)
  Exploring musical instruments (shakers, tambourines, drums)
  

• Focus: Introduce children to basic science concepts through exploration and observation.
  Activities:Nature walks to collect leaves, rocks, or flowers and discuss their properties
  Simple experiments (e.g., mixing colors, observing plant growth)
  Sensory play with different materials (sand, water, clay)
  

• Focus: Teach children essential skills for independence.
  Activities:Practice self-care routines (washing hands, dressing, eating independently)
  Cleaning up after activities and toys
  Learning to follow simple instructions and routines (e.g., morning circle, clean-up time)
  

• Morning Circle Time: Welcome song, weather discussion, calendar time, and short group story.
• Activity Stations: Kids can choose different stations (e.g., art, building blocks, books, sensory play).
• Snack Time & Free Play: Provide a healthy snack and time for free exploration.
• Outdoor Play: Engage in physical activity and exploration.
• Lunch & Rest Time: Provide a balanced meal and then some quiet time or nap.

When developing a curriculum for preschool-aged children, it’s important to focus on a well-rounded approach that promotes cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development. Here’s a general framework for a preschooler childcare curriculum:

• Reading aloud: Storytime with interactive, age-appropriate books (e.g., picture books, rhyming books, and simple narratives).
• Phonemic awareness: Introduce letters and sounds through songs, rhymes, and letter recognition activities.
• Vocabulary building: Use daily conversations to introduce new words, and engage in discussions about stories.
• Writing skills: Activities like tracing, drawing, and early writing (e.g., name writing, simple letters).
• Listening skills: Practice following simple directions and engaging in group discussions.
• Counting: Counting objects, steps, or actions, up to 10 or 20.
• Number recognition: Identifying numbers and matching them to quantities.
• Shapes and patterns: Recognizing and naming shapes (circle, square, triangle) and identifying patterns.
• Comparisons: Understanding concepts like more/less, big/small, and tall/short.
• Measurement: Simple activities involving measuring (e.g., pouring, filling, comparing sizes).
• Self-regulation: Activities that promote managing emotions, such as breathing exercises, sharing, and conflict resolution.
• Empathy: Encouraging children to recognize and express emotions and understand others’ feelings.
• Cooperation: Group play, turn-taking, and collaborative projects (like building something together).
• Independence: Encouraging self-help skills, like dressing, cleaning up, and basic decision-making.
• Gross motor skills: Activities like running, jumping, climbing, and dancing to develop coordination and balance.
• Fine motor skills: Tasks like drawing, cutting with scissors, stringing beads, and building with blocks to strengthen hand-eye coordination.
• Health education: Basic lessons on hygiene (washing hands, brushing teeth), healthy eating, and exercise.
• Art: Activities that allow for exploration of colors, textures, and shapes (e.g., finger painting, coloring, playdough).
• Music: Singing songs, playing simple instruments, and learning rhythm through clapping or tapping.
• Drama: Role-playing and pretend play to build creativity and emotional expression.
• Nature exploration: Exploring plants, animals, and seasons through outdoor activities and observation.
• Simple experiments: Activities like mixing colors, watching how water moves, or observing plant growth.
• Sensory play: Activities that engage the senses, such as playing with sand, water, or textured materials.
• Diversity: Introduce children to different cultures, traditions, and family structures through books, songs, and celebrations.
• Celebrations: Learn about holidays and festivals from around the world to foster appreciation for differences.
• Simple puzzles: Activities that promote logical thinking, such as jigsaw puzzles and matching games.
• Cause and effect: Activities like building with blocks or dropping objects to see what happens.
• Storytelling: Encourage children to create their own stories, enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills.
• Morning Circle Time: Discuss the day’s schedule, the weather, and what’s coming up.
• Free play and structured activities: Balance between guided activities and free play to encourage independence and creativity.
• Snack and rest time: Ensuring there’s a balance of nourishment, rest, and time to relax.
• Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Morning circle time (greeting, weather, day of the week)
  Literacy activity (storytime, letter recognition)
  Snack time
  Outdoor play or gross motor activities (running, jumping, climbing)
  Art or sensory play (painting, playdough, water play)
  
• Afternoon (12:00 PM - 3:00 PM):12:00-12:30: Lunch
  Science exploration (nature walk, simple experiments)
  Group activity (games, puzzles, building)
  (child-led activities)