Curriculum Descriptions, Winter/Spring 2010

Village:

Cock-a-doodle Moo! (first half of term)– newborn to 18 months, with adult

Hop on the hayride—it’s time to head for the farm! In this class, you will sing songs about the farm, including “Old MacDonald,” “Hayride,” and “Clever Cows.” You’ll engage in rituals and playful activities with your baby, including infant massage, lap bounces, exercise, and quiet time.

Home Materials: A picture board book with charming farm animals and the sounds they make—Cock-a-doodle-Moo, a CD of the songs heard in class, a Sunshine Jingle instrument for music-making at home, and a set of Art Banners for the nursery wall.

Dewdrops (second half of term) -- newborn to 18 months, with adult

 DewDrops -- Stop and smell the roses—and lily of the valley, and tulips, and pansies. In this class, parents and babies will play and move together to songs about flowers, such as “Jasmine Flower,” “How Does Your Garden Grow?,” and “White Coral Bells.” You’ll also hear traditional Irish music, dance a jig and move to the “Irish Trot.”

Home Materials: CD of beautifully arranged songs from class, a board book of colorful flowers—DewDrops, a set of Art Banners for the nursery wall, and a Flower Bells instrument for music-making at home.

Our Time:

Away We Go —1.5 to 3 years, with adult

 Away We Go! -- Hop on the train, get in the car, board the plane, and Away We Go! This class focuses on transportation, a favorite topic for toddlers who are on the go, go, go! Sing and play along with favorite songs, such as “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad” and “Wheels on the Bus”. Explore fast and slow, smooth and bumpy, and high and low. Read stories about ways to get around. Shiny Dinah tells the story of a train, and Giddy-Up! has a horse, speedboat, racecar, and more to help you get where you want to go.

Home Materials: Double CD featuring songs from class; two interactive story books—Shiny Dinah and Giddy-Up! to develop early literacy skills; Home Activity Book, and two harmonicas designed for toddlers.

Imagine That:

Toys I Make, Trips I Take — 3 to 4 years, adult joins final 15 minutes of class

Toys I Make, Trips I Take-- Think of it like taking a course inside a child’s imagination. We’ll use the theme of a toy shop to make our pretend-creations, using rhythm and songs with every imaginary saw, hammer, and nail. The result is building the preschooler’s sense of a sequence of events, which is good for storytelling, as well as making his ideas a reality.

Home Materials: Two books—If I Had a Big Blue Boat and Tippity Tippity Too, Toys I Make, Trips I Take Play Set, Two Home CDs, Family Activity Book, and a drum.

Family Time:

Here, There, and Everywhere -- multiple sibling families, ages newborn to 6 years

Here, There and Everywhere—the five sub-themes center around different family outings:  a visit with a friend, an outing at the park, a trip to the city, an afternoon at the aquarium, and a day on the farm.  Move like animals with this unit’s story Flip-Flap, Sugar Snap!  And follow a girl’s adventure as she loses her jambourine during the day’s outings and then finds it in the story Jingle-Jangle Jambourine.  

Home Materials: Two Books—Flip-Flap, Sugar Snap! and Jingle-Jangle Jambourine, Two Home CDs, Family Guide, board game, Waggs the dog hand puppet and finger puppet, and two jambourine instruments.