Toddler – Ages 2 – 3 Years
Learning Environment
The Bilby Room provides our toddlers with a welcoming, inspiring environment and the opportunity to explore and influence their own experiences and learning. We have 4 educators in our toddlers’ room each day, ready to support the inquisitive minds of our 20 toddlers as they start to explore the world of play, music, books, interaction, art and self.
At Echidna, our Toddler program provides a secure, stimulating, and developmentally appropriate setting where educators prioritise the individual needs of toddlers, nurturing their development across multiple domains including language, social-emotional, cognitive, and motor skills. We recognise this stage as one of rapid growth and exploration as toddlers transition from infancy to early childhood, requiring strong support from our highly skilled educators.
Through building trusting and high-quality relationships with each child, we, as educators, cultivate positive attitudes towards learning and empower young ones to become capable and self-assured learners equipped with lifelong skills for success.
In our Toddler environment, there is emphasis on child-led learning that grants toddlers the freedom to pursue their interests while promoting healthy routines and providing ample time for rest and rejuvenation.
Learning Opportunities
In the Bilby room, the various learning opportunities presented to the children involve both indoors and outdoor play providing the children with rich learning opportunities shaped by their individual interests. Our Toddlers have a mix of quiet, peaceful and active environments to engage in all manner of opportunities.
Our qualified educators provide the Bilby children with many learning opportunities to promote the following learning dispositions;
- Active Exploration: Toddlers are naturally curious and eager to explore their environment. We will provide children with a variety of hands-on opportunities and materials that encourage exploration and discovery. Offer sensory experiences such as sand and water play, messy art activities, and outdoor exploration to engage their senses and promote fine and gross motor skills development.
- Curiosity and Imagination: Toddlers’ imagination and creativity is fostered by offering open-ended materials and opportunities for imaginative play. We will offer dress-up clothes, props for role-playing, and pretend play scenarios that allow children to express themselves and engage in make-believe adventures. Storytelling, singing, and dancing is encouraged to stimulate creativity and language development.
- Relationship Building: Educators nurture strong relationships between toddlers and themselves to promote a sense of security and belonging. Educators encourage cooperative play and social interactions by providing opportunities for group opportunities and games. We will support positive peer interactions and teach conflict resolution skills to help toddlers navigate social situations effectively.
- Resilience and Perseverance: We will offer challenges and opportunities for skill-building to promote resilience and perseverance in toddlers. Puzzles, building blocks, and other manipulative toys will be provided to encourage problem-solving and persistence. We will celebrate children’s efforts and provide encouragement to help them build confidence and self-esteem.
- Communication and Language Development: Educators will create language-rich environments that support toddlers’ language and communication skills. We will engage in meaningful conversations, ask open-ended questions, and provide opportunities for toddlers to express themselves through words, gestures, and art. Toddlers read books together, sing songs, and play language games to expand their vocabulary and foster early literacy skills.
By embedding the EYLF and dispositions for learning, educators can create a nurturing and stimulating space where toddlers thrive and develop foundational skills for lifelong learning.
What To Bring Each Day
- A broad brimmed hat for outside play.
- Changes of clothes in case we get messy or have water play.
- Water bottle.
- A single fitted sheet for sleep time.
We will provide
- Nappies and wipes
- Sudocream
- Onsite kitchen and chef
- Nutritious Meals prepared daily
- Sunscreen
