Toddler
Join Us - Social Emotional Learning Parent Education Event
Early Childhood is really where the St. Paul's experience shines. Students in these early years learn routines to promote independence, regulate emotions, foster empathy, and build executive function skills. Come get a glimpse into St. Paul's early childhood AND get some social emotional learning tips and tricks at our upcoming parenting seminar with our toddler, preschool and pre-k faculty. This event is intended for parents of children aged 2-5.
Thursday, April 13, 2023
9 a.m., in-person at the school
9 a.m., in-person at the school
4 p.m., virtual on Microsoft Teams
As we head into summer months, St. Paul's early childhood faculty and staff want to provide some resources to help your child thrive emotionally while away from school. We will cover everything from setting up safe spaces and visual calendars to establishing I Love You rituals. If you're new to St. Paul's, stick around after the event/webinar, and we can tell you more about St. Paul's early childhood programs.
RSVP here for either the in-person or virtual event. If you select the virtual option, we will follow up an email with meeting link info. We hope you can join us!
Program Overview
The St. Paul's Toddler program is designed to help students develop independence and confidence while sparking interest in pre-academic concepts. Teachers foster a warm and welcoming environment that encourages students to explore, investigate, and ask questions. Learn more about the Toddler curriculum, special classes, and a typical daily schedule below.
Tips to Prepare for Toddler Class
- Practical Life Skills: practice sitting in a chair during meals, dressing themselves, caring for personal items, washing hands
- Books to Help with Separation: "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn, "Bye-Bye Time" by Elizabeth Verdick, and "Penguin Misses Mom" by Michael Dahl
- Summer in the City: Sign up for Tiptoe into Toddler summer camp to get ready for the classroom!
Explore What Comes Next
Toddler Learning Highlights
Taking Care of Babies
While bathing their baby dolls, changing their diapers, and swaddling them in soft blankets, students are strengthening several core skills. This unit encourages toddlers to follow multi-step directions, take responsibility, practice fine motor skills, and build their social-emotional learning. Plus, it’s fun to see these toddlers be such big kids in the classroom!
Thanksgiving Foods
Toddlers practice their cooking skills so they can help their families prepare the Thanksgiving feast. First up is conquering mashed potatoes. Toddlers learn sequence, measuring, and cause-and-effect in this activity. The bonus: the gratification and excitement of eating what they've made together!
Toddler Outdoor Play
Toddlers get to enjoy plenty of sunshine during daily outdoor play. This dedicated time outside gives students a chance to exercise and practice their social skills. Whether students are playing in the sandbox, zooming down the slide, or riding trikes, they are encouraged to be curious, get messy, and explore.
Eggs-ploration!
After learning about chicken eggs from some backyard chicken owners, they then get to crack eggs to feel the shell, yolk, and egg white with their hands. Teachers discuss eggshell architecture, and students conduct a physics experiment to see if eggs are stronger when upright in the carton or when lying on their sides. Walking on eggs can be messy, but it sure is fun!
Friendship Soup
Students each bring in a vegetable that starts with the letter of their first name to contribute to their “Friendship Soup.” Crosby brings corn, Naomi brings noodles, Mira brings mushrooms, etc. They all get to smell and taste their soup, and their collaborative cooking introduces some basic math, reading, and time-telling skills.
Worms
After learning about plants and gardening, toddlers explore live worms in their classroom. What do they have to say about worms?
“It feels mushy!”
“He likes to curl inside the dirt!”
“The worm likes crawling on my fingers ... it tickles!”
At St. Paul's, our mission of developing confident learners, ethical leaders, and compassionate, engaged citizens is evident in each classroom, and the work and play that happens here serves each student for much longer than their time at St. Paul's. Mindy Stephenson, St. Paul's Early Childhood Division Head