Play is the work of children. At Bouncing Bubbles Child Care, we utilize Creative Curriculum, which is an evidence-based curriculum centered around play. Children learn through exploring, experimenting, discovering and experiencing. Providers encourage growth and development through celebrating successes and allowing challenges to create teachable moments that guide learning.
Free play provides an opportunity for children to direct their own learning in a developmentally appropriate way. Providers supervise and help children, but the play is directed by the child. Materials and equipment are developmentally appropriate, accessible and reflect all children’s interests, skills, abilities and represent the children, youth and families serviced.
Planned activities are grounded in Developmentally Appropriate Practice and both the Infant & Toddler and Preschool Maine Early Learning and Development Standards are used as resources in planning curriculum. Activities are usually structured to introduce a new concept or reinforce those already learned by the children. Activities include
- Stories which provide time for reading-readiness skills of listening, retelling and moral reasoning
- Exercise to strengthen overall health and muscles
- Music with instruments and singing to develop both vocabulary and listening skills
- Art activities to build on a child’s imagination
- Science experiments that allow children to explore and discover the world around them and how they fit in it
Objectives for development and learning include social-emotional, physical, language and cognitive, with content learning in literacy, mathematics, science and technology, social studies and the arts. One of the many benefits of a family childcare is the dynamics of a mixed-age group. Children from 6 weeks old through school-age share the same space and many of the same materials and activities, which are tailored to meet the ability, learning style and needs of each child as determined by observations and assessments. Daily routines are used to create safety in a schedule that contains both active and quiet elements.
Healthy relationships within our child care family are also important aspects of the curriculum that guide social development. Children learn acceptance of others, regardless of age or ability. Children are encouraged to feel and name emotions and, if appropriate, choose ways to work through them. Cooperation and compromise are skills that are reinforced through regular interactions.
Families are asked to communicate and share goals with childcare regularly. We are a team and welcome families to participate in their child’s experience at Bouncing Bubbles in any way they can.