We see the playgroup as an extension of your children's home. Ado Playhouse provides toddlers with the kind of experiences which will help them to attain optimum development not only in their creative expression through play, but in self-control, self-discipline and co-operation with others. At this stage, toddlers are not introduced to formal learning. All learning takes place through play. We provide a widely-based curriculum through which the toddlers have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding, providing progression which develops skills, concepts, positive attitudes and values. The following are the eight areas of learning.

1. Language

Language development is crucial to living and learning and is concerned with more than the growth of vocabulary. Language is used to talk to people, to share and release feelings and to give and obtain information. Language is important in the development of understanding and in the refinement of ideas.

Toddlers' listening and communicative skills are fostered as they talk with adults and as they play with other toddlers. By carefully using chosen comments and open questions, adults can assist toddlers in their thinking and help to build their confidence in the use of language. In the course of their playgroup education, toddlers will become aware of and use other forms of communication, for example, painting, drawing, drama and other forms of non-verbal communication.

Language development occurs when:

• Toddlers have access to a wide variety of play activities and are encouraged to talk about their experiences, ideas, feelings and achievements to one another and to adults during the course of their play.
• Adults are available to listen to and talk with the toddlers in a relaxed atmosphere.
• Toddlers have access to a well-stocked library of story and information books suited to their needs, interests, race and culture and when books are available in various areas of play, for example, at the house corner and interest table.
• Toddlers have opportunities to listen to stories and rhymes told or read to them in one-to-one situations or in small and large groups.
• Toddlers enjoy and share books with each other and engage in role play.
• Toddlers are encouraged to be aware of print in the environment.
• Toddlers have access to a variety of painting and writing materials.

2. Literacy

Toddlers at this age build their literacy awareness through exposure to a wide range of stories, rhymes and other written materials that will support their emergent literacy and encourage print symbols recognition. They learnt that printed language can be used to accomplish many different goals. As toddlers browse in the book corner, look at books in various areas of play and listen to stories read to them, they become aware that the printed word has meaning. They begin to understand that written language conveys messages and may begin to match spoken words with print . They may "read" or attribute meaning to his or her marks but may not be able to "re-read" these marks at a later time.

Pre-writing skills develop as toddlers play and have opportunities to experiment with a variety of media such as pencils, crayons and paint brushes which they use to scribble and to make patterns. At this stage, toddlers should not be introduced to the formal teaching of reading or writing as overstretching will lead to frustration and boredom in later years.

Toddlers' literacy awareness is promoted when they have opportunities to

• BE engaged in listening to predictable books with pictures that clearly relate to and illustrate the story line
• UNDERSTAND concept of prints, learn turning pages from right to left and to read print from left to right. They will know that a book has to be right side up to be able to read the words and to see the pictures.
• UNDERSTAND concept of words that a word has meaning before starting to teach them individual letters names and the sounds they make. The gain experience via sorting of words and pictures to build letter and sound recognition.
• DEVELOP early phonemic awareness by listening to singing, nursery rhymes, or children's poetry.
• LEARN gestures and sign language through finger play using nursery rhymes and songs.
• BE involved in an environment that is supportive of early writing. This includes the availability of resources such as paper, crayons, pens, pencils, and markers as well as opportunities to experiment with scribbling and writing.

3. Early Mathematics

Play is an effective vehicle for fostering mathematical concepts and developing positive attitudes to mathematics. Early mathematical concepts are important for everyday life and develop slowly in the toddlers. Our educators will seek to extend informally the mathematical experiences the toddlers have already had in their home environment. Many important mathematical concepts are inherent in play situations and other activities. These activities include stories, rhymes and daily routines.

Imaginative play such as house corner and hospital play, sand, water, construction and physical play with large equipment are among those areas of play which contribute to toddler's all round development. As they engage in these play activities, toddlers use their own everyday language to talk about mathematical concepts and, with the skilful help of adults, will begin to use mathematical language as they develop an awareness of space, size, order, pattern, number and relationships. For example, as toddlers play they develop an awareness of:

• Space as they build with large blocks on the floor or push a pram through a confined space.
• Size as they dress a variety of dolls and teddy bears.
• Order and pattern as they thread beads of different sizes, shapes and colours.
• Number as they help lay the table in the house corner for dinner.
• Relationships as they pretend to cook and place the correct lids on saucepans.

Rhymes, stories, songs, seasonal events, birthdays, routines, such as tidying away toys and equipment and incidental occurrences in the course of the day also help children to develop mathematical concepts.

4. Early Science and Technology

Toddlers are interested in, curious and enthusiastic about what is happening in the world around them and frequently ask questions. Through their natural curiosity and by providing them with a wide variety of activities and experiences in play, toddlers will begin to develop skills and concepts in science and technology.

Interaction and discussion with adults further develops these skills and concepts and helps to promote the use of the language of science and technology. By questioning, commenting and offering additional material, the adult can extend the toddlers' experiences and their learning.

Toddlers can also learn about themselves, their environment and about how things work from books, pictures, posters and photographs.

Toddlers will have opportunities to:

• Observe and explore, for example, in water play when they explore the properties of water and observe how different objects behave in water.
• Use their senses, for example, in sand play when they feel the texture of dry and damp sand and make comparisons or when they identify sounds such as the telephone ringing, blocks falling and birds singing.
• Explore, for example, in creative/aesthetic play when they work with malleable materials such as dough and clay, becoming aware of how these materials behave when poked, rolled, squashed and pulled.
• Observe and respect living things, handling them with care and sensitivity, for example, be helping to attend to plants and helping to keep the nature/interest table fresh and attractive.
• Make models, for example, in construction play when they assemble, rearrange and build with a variety of sizes and shapes of blocks and other materials, observing that carefully stacked blocks are less likely to fall than those that are stacked haphazardly and that a broad surface of blocks gives a better base for building.
• Put things together in a variety of ways, for example, in creative or constructive play when they make models with materials, both natural and man-made, sticking, cutting, folding and on occasions, taking things apart.
• Learn about themselves by talking with adults and listening to appropriate stories, rhymes and songs.

5. Creative Arts

Creative arts assist emotional development, promote aesthetic awareness and is an avenue for self-expression. Toddlers experience the joy of achievement.

Creative arts gives toddlers experience in working with natural and man-made materials and opportunities to experiment with colours, shapes and textures. Toddlers can make models and should be free to alter them as they wish. They choose what they want to make and are encouraged to use their imagination. Their manipulative skills are developed as they use a variety of materials. They talk about their work and like to see it displayed and valued by other children and adults, including parents.

Music is another means of expression which interests toddlers and gives them endless enjoyment and emotional satisfaction. Toddlers love to sing, dance, take part in role play and make music. They develop quickly a sense of rhythm and delight in it.

Toddlers should be given opportunities to develop their creative skills and aesthetic appreciation through play activities and other experiences. They may include the following:

• Painting and drawing
  In these activities toddlers experience working:
  • At vertical and horizontal levels.
  • With paper of different colours, shapes, textures and sizes.
  • With various media and tools such as paint, crayons, pencils, brushes, fingers, sponges and combs.
    
• Paper, card, wood, fabrics and scrap materials
  • Toddlers will have opportunities to work with materials of different textures which will offer them sensory experiences. They are encouraged to make pictures and models.
    
• Malleable materials
  • Toddlers will be given opportunities to work with large amounts of clay and dough and will be given time to explore their properties and to develop their creative skills.

6. Physical Health & Development

Toddlers enjoy physical play both indoors and outdoors. They revel in freedom of movement and in play that is inventive, adventurous and stimulating. Fine and large motor skills and hand and eye co-ordination are developed, together with self-confidence and self-awareness. At the same time toddlers learn social skills as they co-operate with each other and show consideration for one another. Good physical play can affect other areas of toddlers' learning, for example, if gives toddlers a sense of size and space and develops their self-confidence.

Satisfying physical play takes place when:

• Toddlers have access to:
• Suitable and safe open spaces.
• A wide variety of appropriate small and large equipment which meets with safety regulations and standards. This equipment will provide toddlers with opportunities to extend their skills in, for example, running, hopping, jumping, climbing, balancing, throwing and catching.
• Play is planned carefully so that interest is sustained, challenge is offered and activities are balanced to provide for individual needs and abilities.
• There is sensitive adult participation and constant supervision.
• Equipment is positioned in such a way that space can be used imaginatively.

Other types of play contribute to the development of toddlers' fine and large motor skills. For example, fine motor skills are developed as toddlers :

• Button doll's clothes in house corner play.
• Screw on lids in shop play.
• Pour water into narrow-necked bottles in water play.
• Use scissors to cut various kinds of material in creative/aesthetic play.
• Engage in table top activities, such as jig-saws in construction play.

7. Social and Emotional

Upon entering playgroup education, toddlers bring with them a variety of personal and social skills, values and attitudes. These they have acquired from relationships and experiences within the home and the immediate environment. It is important that these should be recognised and fostered.

Children are individuals in their own right and have their own personalities. They have their own likes and dislikes. Some are timid while others are extrovert. At times some are protective and at other times aggressive, some prefer to lead, some others to follow.

Young children need time for relationships to develop. Being aware that they are valued as individuals enhances children's self-esteem and makes it easier for them to form relationships and develop friendships.

Fostering Social and Emotional Development

Appropriate opportunities will be provided in playgroup education for toddlers to develop personal and social skills, values and attitudes. These will include the following:

• Play activities where children:
• Learn to co-operate, for example, in block play when they build together
• Learn to take turns, for example, when a new pram or tricycle is provided
• Learn to share, for example, in water play where they share containers and other equipment
• Experience the therapeutic value of working with materials, such as clay, dough, paint, sand and water
• Can explore their emotions, for example, in hospital play where they may learn to come to terms with fears.

8. Approaches to learning

Toddlers often ask questions; they are naturally curious about their environment and the people around them. Toddlers like to feel comfortable and at ease wherever they are. They settle in as they begin to establish relationships with adults and other children, and as they become familiar with their environment. As they learn to talk with adults on a one-to-one basis or in group situations, children acquire more knowledge of the world around them and some understanding of it.

While the concept of time is difficult for toddlers to understand, activities such as daily routines, listening to 'once upon a time' stories, talking about various festivals and other special occasions should help them develop an awareness of time.

To help them develop knowledge and understanding of the environment, toddlers should have opportunities, individually or in groups to:

• Experiment with a wide variety of play materials. Through talking with adults and other children, they learn the names of materials and equipment and observe how these behave. They develop an awareness of space as they help to tidy away equipment. They become familiar with some positional and directional words.
• Talk about topics which arise naturally from the toddlers' own experiences, for example, holidays, festive seasons and birthdays.
• Explore items on the nature/interest table, for example, photographs of events which took place during the year, plants at different stages of development and natural materials such as shells.
• Talk about the weather and the seasons at appropriate times during the year.
• Talk about themselves, for example, where they live, the members of their extended family and events in their lives both past and present.
• Listen to stories and rhymes which have some reference to the past.
• Use their senses to explore the immediate inside and outside environment.
• Play with simple floor maps and small vehicles, discussing road safety when appropriate.
• Learn about their playgroup setting, for example, the name of the setting and the people who work in it, the names, function and position of different rooms, and the name of the school.
• Play with materials associated with different places and occupations, such as the seaside, the farm, the fire station and talk about related ideas with adults.
• Talk about the work of some of the people in the local community, for example, the shopkeeper and the dentist.
• Take some responsibility for caring for their own environment, and becoming aware of environmental issues such as litter, road safety and the use of paper and bottle banks.