Curriculum Information
Research Based Curriculum
Carousel of Learning, Early Learning Center & Child Care offers a formal, state approved, research-based curriculum along with an emergent curriculum approach. What makes our program unique, is our understanding that young children learn best when they are deeply engaged, curious, and connected to what they are learning. Scroll down for an overview of the curriculum offered for each age group.
Our teachers pay close attention to each child’s development, interests, questions, and discoveries and use that understanding to create meaningful, hands-on learning experiences. The result is a curriculum that supports important early learning skills while still allowing children the freedom to explore, wonder, create, and play.
Infant Curriculum
Our Infant Curriculum Supports Relationship Based Play & Discovery!
Our formal, state-approved Infant Curriculum is tailored to young infants, older infants, and young toddlers. It is aligned with the NJ Birth to Three, Early Learning Standards: Social-Emotional; Language Development and Communication; Cognitive; Physical Motor Development; and Approaches to Learning are addressed.
Shared experiences nurture warm and caring emotional connections with the child that build trust and security. Play opportunities are offered that invite children to engage, explore, and discover their environment through planned activities and everyday routines. Our skilled caregivers are trained to recognize infant cues and respond to each child's individual needs, interests, and readiness to engage.
Infant Classroom teachers and staff also know that
daily care routines offer one-on-one opportunities to interact and build relationships with every child. Reflections and learning observations about each child's unique development are regularly shared with families through learning observations, pictures, and videos posted on the app, as well as informal conversations, and scheduled conferences.
Toddler Curriculum
Our formal, state approved Toddler Curriculum incorporates intentional learning activities into daily routines. It is also aligned with the NJ Birth to Three, Early Learning Standards: Social-Emotional; Language Development and Communication; Cognitive; Physical Motor Development; and Approaches to Learning are addressed. The unique needs, interests, and abilities of all children are met.
The curriculum nurtures the needs of young toddlers and twos. Everyday moments present opportunities to build upon their natural curiosity. Meaningful interactions are created that help young children learn to regulate their own emotions and behaviors, participate in a group, develop relationships with people in their lives, and have confidence in their own learning.
We also offer a supplemental social-emotional learning curriculum, that helps Toddlers strengthen their self-regulation skills and foster meaningful relationships. Teachers and caregivers can provide children with the opportunity to develop secure attachments through developmentally appropriate resources that allow them to gain confidence as learners.
Teachers also pay close attention to the ways toddlers explore, repeat, investigate, and make sense of their world. These observations help us offer meaningful experiences that support each child's natural curiosity and development.
Junior Preschool, Preschool, & Pre-K Curriculum
Our formal state-approved Preschool/Pre-K curriculum, is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features exploration and discovery as a way of learning. It is aligned with the NJ Preschool Teaching & Learning Standards. Through studies which are hands-on, developmentally appropriate, and tied to quality literature, teachers build children's confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills, which promote positive outcomes.
Project-based learning experiences often grow from the interests, questions, and discoveries of the children. Inspired by elements of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, our teachers act as guides—encouraging children to investigate ideas, solve problems, collaborate, create, and think more deeply.
This child-centered approach is thoughtfully balanced with experiences that support social-emotional development and important early learning skills in literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and the arts.
Content Areas covered include:
Language & Literacy Development: vocabulary and oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, letter recognition, print concepts, reading/literature, comprehension, speaking and listening
Writing: letter formation and emergent writing for real purposes
Mathematics: number concepts, shapes and geometry, patterns and sorting; measurement, logic/problem solving, data collection, organization, and representation
Science: scientific reasoning and experiments, physical science, life science, and earth and the environment
Social Studies: families and communities, geography, citizenship, people and how they live, history/past events
The Arts: music, dance and movement, drama, and the visual arts
Social & Emotional Development: self-concept, self-direction, and social relationships
Physical Development: gross motor, fine motor, health and safety
Interest Areas:
Our classroom environments offer a rich variety of interest areas where children can explore, experiment, create, collaborate, and learn: Literacy & Library; Blocks & Structures; Science/Discovery; Dramatic Play; Toys & Games; Math Manipulatives; Loose Parts; Light & Shadow; Music & Movement; Art; Cooking Experiences
Connect with us now with any questions you may have about the Carousel of Learning team!
