Curriculum!

In A Kid’s World emphasizes the educational aspect of child care without neglecting the joy that comes along with it. We guide children through a variety of enriching activities and adapt individual programs to your loved one’s age, character, and passions. Our team focuses on developing key social competencies such as conflict resolution, empathy, and patience. We present parents with a portfolio of their child’s development and progress in the following learning domains: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, Fine Arts, and Social/Emotional Development.

Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDS) provide reasonable expectations for children’s growth, development, and learning in the preschool years. When used as part of the curriculum, the IELDS provide guidance to teachers in early childhood programs to create and sustain developmentally appropriate experiences for young children that will strengthen their intellectual dispositions and support their continuing success as learners and students. The age-appropriate benchmarks in the IELDS enable educators to reflect upon and evaluate the experiences they provide for all preschool children.

Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for children birth to age three are designed to provide early childhood professionals a framework for understanding development through information on what children know and should do, and what development looks like in everyday instances. These Guidelines also provide suggestions and ideas on how to create early experiences that benefit all children’s learning and development. The main goal of the Guidelines is to offer early childhood professionals a cohesive analysis of children’s development with common expectations and common language.

Creative Curriculum is a research-based program which emphasizes the “whole child” approach to learning and teaching. Learning is emphasized in the following domains: language and literacy, math and science, social-emotional, physical development and health, and the creative arts. Particular emphasis is given to the development of language and literacy skills to ensure the children enter school ready to succeed.

Project Approach is an in-depth study of a topic of particular interest to the children. Children develop understanding of concepts about themselves, others and the world around them by observing, interacting with people and things, and seeking solutions to problems. The project approach to learning stimulates children’s curiosity, shows the advantages of learning academic skills such as reading, writing and math and helps adults build strong relationships with children as they share the adventure of learning together.

Nature Explore We are in the process of adding materials to our outdoor environment in order to become a certified Nature Explore classroom. The primary goal of the Nature Explore effort is to re-connect children with the natural world by making developmentally appropriate nature education a sustaining and enriching part of the daily lives our children. Please visit the Nature Explore website to learn more.

Second Step is a social skill-building curricula to encourage problem-solving, cooperation, empathy and impulse control. The children are provided with many opportunities to develop and practice social skills and assertiveness.