Learning Years
are
Goals
We follow Alberta’s Early Learning curriculum: Flight. Children’s play is the theme of the Flight curriculum, so we utilize a play-based learning environment and create learning areas to allow children to question, communicate, solve problems, and develop specific and abstract thinking skills.
AREAS
We achieve curriculum goals by offering learning areas to practice mastered skills and support emerging skills. Listening and responding are the tools Educators use to introduce and enhance various learning experiences involving listening, questioning, probing, labelling, rephrasing, and extending children’s vocabulary to maximize learning through exploring and playing in the learning areas.
Some of these centers include:
• Developing safe and healthy habits in young children.
• Nurture positive self-esteem
• Promoting social communication
• Strengthening fine motor and gross motor skills
• Providing opportunities for creative expression
• Facilitating the development of social and problem-solving skills
• Assessing the individual needs of each learner
we meet kids where they are.
Dramatic Play Areas
The Dramatic Play Center provides a safe setting for children to role-play, express feelings, dramatize stories and try out social behaviours observed in adults. Much of what takes place in this center requires children to share play materials and roles—deciding who will play the role of “sick Baby and worried mom” and who will be the “doctor.”
Manipulative & Math Area
The purpose of the Manipulative and Math Center is to provide multiple opportunities for children to count, categorize, sort, explore and group objects. As the children investigate materials and textures, they understand the more abstract concept of numbers, shapes, and relationships.
Block and Loose Parts Area
The Block Center allows children to build imaginative structures using blocks, Lego and miniature real-life objects. In the process, the children role-play and exchange and express ideas with their peers. Building with blocks and Lego also facilitates a wide range of growth in motor skills, plus allows for experimenting with possibilities, balance, recognition of simple numbers, pattern concepts, and classification by shape, size and colour.
Science & Nature Area
The Science and Nature Center provides opportunities for children to experience the world around them. In this area, they discover how things function, perform simple experiments, and enhance their thinking and reasoning skills.
Writing & Art Area
The Writing and Art Center provides opportunities for the children to be creative, develop fine motor skills and build self-confidence. In addition, language development occurs through discussing their experiences, art projects and writing material.
Reading Area
The Reading Center is a mini library with comfortable seating. This center provides children a quiet and cozy setting for exploring the printed word and examining pictures and illustrations. By providing this area, we hope to build enthusiasm for books, develop prediction skills and increase attention spans.