We are proud to offer The Creative Curriculum as our curricula throughout the learning center. This comprehensive, research based curriculum provides for rigorous exploration and discovery, sets a firm foundation for academic and social emotional growth, and is recognized by highly regarded early childhood leaders such as the Illinois State Board of Education, Parents As Teachers, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
All teaching staff are provided annual training on the proper use and implementation of The Creative Curriculum For Infants, Toddlers & Twos or The Creative Curriculum for Preschool. Teaching Strategies Gold is our child assessment tool, along with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), which provides an online platform to document each child’s progress as they reach benchmarks and developmental milestones.
Infants
(6 weeks – 14 months)
This is not babysitting. Your infant will be immersed in a language rich environment where they will cuddle with a caregiver, explore using their 5 senses, manipulate their environment through hands-on explorations, coo as a book is being read aloud, kick their legs to rhythmic music, or take a nap in an individually assigned crib.
In this classroom, your child will:
- Be cared for in a safe and loving environment
- Manipulate toys to develop focus, hand-eye coordination, and experience joy
- Develop language use through books, songs, and speech
- Learn based on a comprehensive, research-based curriculum
- Be provided appropriate activities to peak curiosity and stimulate brain growth and development
Toddlers
(15 months – 2 years)
High energy and curiosity are evident in the toddler classrooms. Our toddler classrooms serve as transitional classrooms where children begin eating at group tables, napping on cots, and are given more opportunities for creative exploration and development of social emotional skills. Children explore and manipulate their environment through purposeful play.
In this classroom, your child will:
- Explore in a safe, loving learning environment
- Manipulate toys to develop recognition of colors, letters, and numbers
- Further language development through books, songs, and storytelling
- Learn based on a comprehensive, research-based curriculum
- Be provided appropriate activities to peak curiosity and stimulate brain growth and development
Two Year Olds
(2 years – 3 years)
Curiosity, emerging independence, and toilet learning are trademarks in our 2 year-old classrooms, which serve as a segue to our preschool classrooms. Children become immersed in a greater number of planned and independent activities in the classroom interest centers.
- Imitating & Pretending
- Playing with Toys
- Enjoying Stories
- Dabbling in Art
- Tasting Food
- Exploring Sand/Water
- Fun with Music & Movement
- Outdoor Explorations
These activities help enhance and stimulate brain development, foster independent thinking, and encourage your child to work well with others.
In this classroom, your child will:
- Explore in a safe, structured learning environment, still allowing for ample free exploration
- Manipulate toys and learning materials to build upon skills such as colors, letters, and numbers
- Further language development through books, songs, and storytelling
- Learn based on a comprehensive, research-based curriculum
- Be provided appropriate activities to peak curiosity and stimulate brain growth and development
Preschool
(3 years – 6 years)
Growing independence, and a sense of self and of community begin to emerge in the preschool years. Our preschool classrooms offer a wide variety of program choices and services to meet the unique needs of our children and families. Creative Curriculum for Preschool is the curriculum used to guide learning that is based on the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards. The curriculum is delivered in spacious classrooms that are divided into 11 interest areas, which stimulate brain development and challenge children at their individual developmental levels:
- Block Play
- Art
- Dramatic Play
- Library
- Toys and Games
- Cooking
- Music and Movement
- Sand and Water
- Discovery
- Computers
- Outdoors
In this classroom, your child will:
- Learn in a safe, challenging environment with a balance of planned activities and free exploration
- Manipulate learning materials to build skills and reach benchmarks that lay the foundation for Kindergarten success
- Learn based on a comprehensive, research-based curriculum
- Be provided lesson plans that peak curiosity and enhance Kindergarten readiness skills
Our private preschool classrooms are hosted in a 3-4 year-old classroom (2 years prior to entering Kindergarten) and a Junior Kindergarten classroom (children age-eligible for Kindergarten the following academic year). Both of our private preschool classrooms offer high-quality curriculum and child assessment to ensure teaching is tailored to your child’s individual needs. Parent teacher conferences are provided twice annually to ensure parents and teachers are working together for your child’s school success.
We are a proud partner with the Illinois State Board of Education’s Preschool For All Children 3-5 Year Initiative. The Preschool For All grant award established formal collaboration between ISBE and Early Explorations in 2001. Through this collaboration, we are able to offer a half-day, Pre-K program to 20 qualifying children, where a certified teacher and paraprofessional lead the learning process. Children participate in the DIAL 4 screening to qualify for this no cost, half day program. Wrap-around child care services are available on-site, as well, for a fee.
