PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Burlington Academy of Learning’s 2 Year Old Nursery School Program is designed with the older toddler in mind and heart.  Children in this program typically turn 3 years old between January and June of the academic year. 

The Academy’s Program:

• Ÿ Is a bridge from home to school, providing a nurturing, warm, and loving setting for a child’s first experience away from home

• Ÿ Allows young children’s intense curiosity to lead them in make discoveries about their world and learning through play and hands-on involvement

• Ÿ Offers a bathroom with private small toilet. Children do not need to be toilet trained to attend our Nursery School Programs.

• Ÿ A wide variety of stimulating activities help our children learn fundamental concepts, follow direction, make decisions, develop motor and language skills, enhance imagination and creativity, develop social skills, develop self-help skills, and, most importantly, gain self-confidence and build self-esteem

• Ÿ Includes outside playtime to allow our children to release energy and explore their outdoor environment

Our children spend time choosing among Interest Areas such as Music, Art Creations, Science and Investigation, Library, Writing, Dramatic Play, Sensory Play/Touch Table, and Math and Manipulatives, such as games, puzzles, Block Play, and Gross Motor Play.  During this time, our children develop their creativity and socialization skills.  They also learn respect for others, turn taking and cooperation, as well as problem solving skills such as conflict resolution and becoming confident in appropriately defending oneself with words.  Children are taught responsibility through completing and cleaning up after an activity has been completed.

Each day begins with “Circle Time” to help create a classroom community.  We also gather for additional “Circle Time” during the day. Children begin the Morning Circle Time by singing a “Good Morning Song”.  We also talk about themes, perform finger plays, sing songs, play games and introduce the calendar and our weather chart. Other group activities include story time with books, puppets and flannel board. Children are taught Sign Language using the Signing Times Academy program. We also teach Second Step, a program promoting social and emotional development.

Outside playtimes allows our children to develop large motor coordination on age appropriate outdoor equipment.  Outdoor playtime is a part of every morning and afternoon class, including in the winter as long as temperatures are above 20 degrees in the sunshine.

All Nursery School activities are planned to give children a balance of independent time – when a child can have the opportunity for expression of his/her individuality and learn resourcefulness, and group time – when a child can experience greater self-control, a cooperative spirit, a positive sense of belonging, and develop positive feelings about school.