Services

Our Program
Our main goal at Jackson Heights Early Learning Center is to provide every child with
the opportunity to grow and develop at their own pace. To be able to explore and
develop physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively in the environment that is
provided for them.

We achieve this by using:
- Creative and Hands-on Curriculum
- Start to Introduce the Concept of Routines
- Using Learning Centers
(less structured than our preschool classroom)
- Large Developmentally Appropriate Artwork

Creative and Hands- On Curriculum

Many two-year olds are just starting to put together concepts that they see from
around the world. In this classroom we introduce different concepts that enriches each
child's development. Our theme-based curriculum, which is implemented on a center-wide
basis, provides children with opportunities to learn through art, music, social studies,
science, math, computers, and dramatic play.
We believe in the philosophy of " Whole Child" learning and follow Developmentally
Appropriate Standards aligned by the National Association for the Education of Young
Children ( NAEYC).

We use repetitive themes since our two-year olds learn best through repetition. We
work on independence skills and a vocabulary-rich environment.

Our two-year-old classroom is very colorful and inviting. The children in our classroom
enjoy a small group, as well as, teachers that work on a one-to-one basis with the
children.
Part of our curriculum involves potty training, children that enroll in our program do
not need to be potty trained. Although potty training is a difficult time in the life of
a two-year-old, with help from fellow friends and motivates we work together to get each
child trained.

Our Daily Routine

Two year olds feel safe and comfortable when he or she knows their
environment. When a child learns his routine, his or her daily stay at our
program becomes predictable which helps them learn how to focus more on an
activity, and when the activity is over learn to detach from an activity.

Our Two-Year-Old Schedule:

AM Routine ( 9am - 12 pm)

9:00- 9:30 -       Arrival and freeplay
9:30-10:00-       L earning Areas- Children choose the area they would like to
             play in and learn independently.
10:00- 10:10      Clean-up- Children learn that things have their own spaces
10:10- 10:30      Circle time - We use this time to introduce different
             concepts and themes
10:30- 11:00      Art Time- A time to experiment with sensory skills and learn
                    how to hold a crayon and scissor
11:00- 11:10      Handwashing and Potty Time- Showing children to wash hands
            and hygiene is important at this age.
11:10- 11:25      Snack Time- Healthy snacks are given to all children
11:25- 11:30      Get Ready to go outside or upstairs for Gross Motor Play
11:30- 11:55      Outside or upstairs play
11:55-12:00       Our morning friends leave and we combine with the preschool
                    group- Please see our preschool schedule for more info.

Learning Centers

A great way of learning is through different learning centers. Learning centers
invite children to explore at their own pace and with what they love to do best PLAY!
Although many believe that play doesn't involve learning, we believe that PLAY is all
about learning. This is why children during the day are invited into different learning
centers.

Our Learning Centers Include:

Dramatic Play Center: Two-year-olds love to dress up and hold babies and pretend
how to cook. Don't be surprised if he or she offers you a pancake!

Block Center: Great place to build with plastic and wood blocks, legos. Children learn
to make difference in size and shapes.

Library Center: Not only can a child sit down and read books, but they can hear
stories with tapes. Two-year-olds love to sit down with each other and chat.

Sand and Water Center: See what drowns and what floats. In this center children
use there sensory skills with many different materials.

Art and Manipulative Center: A great place to experiment with colors and make
their own masterpiece. Children in this center use their creativity to create their
own creations as well as, explore with basic manipulatives involving lacing, beading and
sorting.

Developmentally Appropriate Artwork

As children grow one area that is sometimes taken for granted is a child's
creativity. For this reason it is important for us at our center to foster
creativity. Children create artwork in which the process is our focus instead of
the product. When planning our art activity we think about ways that a child
can grow when doing his or her art project.

When we focus on the process children are able to learn that they can express
their own selves and be unique.