Our Rooms

Nurture & Nature is made up of five special rooms - Infants, Pre-Toddlers, Toddlers, Pre-Schoolers, and Kindergarten. Each week, staff members prepare lesson plans for their rooms that welcome children to explore at their own discretion and speed. Our teachers balance each day with group/individual time, teacher-directed time, and free-play time. Transitions from one room to another are handled with great care because we realize that changes, such as a new teacher or a new room, can be overwhelming to some youngsters.

Infants (ages 6 weeks to 1 year)

Our staff provides the TLC your infant thrives on. Every effort is made to maintain your baby's individual sleeping, eating, diapering, and cuddling schedule. As each basic need is met, staff members are speaking to, touching, and caring for your child in a positive and soothing fashion. Sensory development, eye tracking, and large muscle development are important factors for your infant. Much thought and planning goes into your baby's environment and individual care.

In just a few months after birth, your baby begins to develop pre-language, social, and mobility skills. Some of the daily activity include kicking, grasping objects, sitting up, tummy rolls, and exploring his/her immediate environment both visually and auditory.

Somewhere around the eighth month, your baby becomes more active and mobile. Nurture & Nature provides many developmental toys and activities geared to the individual growth of your child. Your child's world is a learning playground filled with nurturing and growth-oriented activities which are so important to him/her.

As your baby begins the toddler stage of his/her development, small group activities are a focus. Children develop pre-social skills by interacting with their peers. Staff-directed activities enable each child to grow, experience positive expression, and form positive relations. Toddlers begin to learn sharing and responsibility for one's self and surroundings and build positive self-esteem.

Through daily checklists, communication, and cooperative efforts, your baby's care at Nurture & Nature is an extension of your TLC at home.

Pre-Toddler (ages 1 to 2.25 years)

The Pre-Toddler experience is one of great exploration! We work on encouraging your child's hands-on adventures in learning. At Nurture & Nature, this room is filled with sounds of beginning words like "bye-bye", "up", and "down". And when it comes to learning how to walk, many of our little ones find their feet in this room.

Your child's day begins with free play. Then, following a brief circle time, it's on to everything from finger painting to feeding the goldfish. There's always plenty of time for stories as well as an introduction to numbers and colors. When the weather cooperates, we head outdoors for fun in the Pre-Toddlers' private play area stocked with age-appropriate toys and equipment. We encourage all types of independence, such as feeding and attempting to dress oneself. Later in the year, we introduce the "potty".

In the Pre-Toddler room, there is a schedule of activities unlike in the infant room where the babies plan the teacher's day. To help keep you up to date about what your child has been doing, you receive a daily report and a small notebook is left on the top of each child's cubby for notes from the parents to the caregivers. This room is a truly fun experience for all, a time for us to see our babies become little persons.

Parent-to-Parent

"My Katie started at Nurture & Nature in the Pre-Toddler room for two days a week when she was just a little over one year old. My husband and I wanted her to have the opportunity to socialize with other children and discover fun activities away from home. We've been so pleased with all the wonderful stuff she gets to do as well as the staff always being available to answer any questions we may have." --Carole

Toddler (ages 2.25 years to 3.25 years)

As your child enters the twos, you probably have already noticed some dramatic changes. The Toddler room incorporates what your child has learned so far and takes it a step further. Circle times are longer, and children are encouraged to practice their listening skills. Creativity is a focus, and individuality is encouraged. The children are guided to strengthen their fine motor muscles through such activities as painting, gluing, and putting together puzzles. As a result, you'll have plenty of artwork to take home and display proudly on your refrigerator or share with grandparents. Theme weeks such as "Construction" and "Medicine" help children explore their world outside the center.

In the Toddler Room, an "I can do it myself" attitude emerges. The children at this age love to try new self-help skills, and the staff encourages them to do as much as possible on their own. However, we are always available to lend a helping hand when needed. Potty training also comes into the picture during the Toddler stage. Your child's teacher will work with you to carry through on whatever training methods you're practicing at home.

Daily reports about the activities of the day help foster ongoing communication with parents. This dialogue is important for each child's emotional and social well being. We strive to maintain a positive transition from home to the center. We feel that the daily feedback between the parents and the staff is the best way to help each child adjust to all the new and exciting changes.

Pre-School (ages 3.25 years to 5 years)

The threes and beyond are filled with new beginnings. At Nurture & Nature, we know it's a big step for children to enter the Pre-School Room so we make sure that your child is ready emotionally and socially.

Here, a greater emphasis is placed on structured activities. In addition to art, large and small motor skills, and circle time, there is also the science and math center, cognitive developmental toys, plus manipulative and sensory tables. Circle time is longer in this room because children's attention span is wider. Hands-on learning and learning by doing are priorities. This is the time for exploring and forming close relationships with peers.

Daily reports on the white board inform parents about the activities that have taken place in the room in the course of the day. The lines of communication are always open and encouraged between parents and staff members. This communication is vital to the staff helping your child learn and grow in a safe and healthy environment.

Kindergarten (ages 5 to 6 years)

Time for some independence! The children moving up into the kindergarten program need to be ready to face new challenges that will prepare them for grammar school emotionally, socially, and academically.

In this program, the project approach to teaching curriculum is integrated into our daily routines. Although our math, science, reading, language arts, and social studies lessons are planned in advance, the project approach allows children to learn the same concepts in a more meaningful context. The program allows a lot of flexibility so that this approach can be implemented. Pre-planned activities can be "put on the back burner" so that ideas that are created by the children's interests let an educational experience be more fun and meaningful.

The concepts learned in this program are inspired by the New Hampshire guidelines and standards for kindergarten. The social and emotional skills learned during the children's early childhood education here, at Nurture and Nature, are reinforced and continued on in the kindergarten program, along with academic preparation. The children will be enriched and engaged in a healthy, safe, and happy learning environment until they are ready to move on.

A message board informs families of our students about the lessons learned throughout each given day. Families are welcome to come into the room at any time to check out the latest work completed by the children. Spelling words are sent home on a weekly basis, along with homework related to our lessons in language arts, reading, and math. Newsletters and memos are sent home periodically. It is very important that these are carefully looked over by the parents so that they are aware of upcoming events and activities.