INFANTS

The first year of life is an exciting time for parents and is one of the most exhilarating experiences you will ever have. Every child and every family is unique. Baby’s first year will bring challenges as well as great joy. We would like to invite you to visit our Infant Care and to see how we can help you raise a happy and healthy baby.

Infant room provides a warm, safe, and nurturing environment for babies starting at eight weeks old. Our teachers are aware of each child’s individual needs and therefore follow a flexible schedule that caters to each child. The teachers work closely with parents to determine child’s specific needs and adjust accordingly.

Babies feel safe to explore their surroundings. We routinely use baby sign language during the day, along with multiple developmental activities. Written reports are prepared for parents, with all relevant information about their child’s day.

TODDLER

Toddlers learn through sensory experiences that enhance their cognitive, language, social and motor skills. Teachers plan lessons and respond to naturally occurring events over the course of a day. In each of our two Toddler classrooms, the daily curriculum offers opportunities to explore the environment according to their growing abilities, interests, and developmental needs. Our teachers approach each toddler as an individual with specific "wants and needs".

The learning areas are focused on dramatic play, creative arts, language and sensory exploration. The day’s schedule, while flexible, will include free choice activities, a short group gathering (for our older Toddler group), outdoor play, art activities, and story time. Weekly music and creative movement classes, enhance our daily opportunities to develop motor skills. Our teachers will work with your child from mastering his/her first steps in Young Toddler to becoming a running, jumping, climbing socially active preschooler.

PRESCHOOL

Our Preschool I and Preschool II classrooms promote individuality, self-direction and self-esteem while allowing children to learn about being members of a group. Preschool teachers expand children's curiosity, enthusiasm, creativity, and abilities as children learn about the world around them. Each classroom consists of well-planned learning centers. Teachers plan a thematic curriculum that is based on children’s interests and provides hands-on activities both in and out of the classroom. Curriculum is inclusive of all appropriate developmental domains and aligned with Massachusetts Guidelines for Preschool Learning Experiences. Field trips are planned to support the curriculum and parents are welcomed to attend. Circle time expands from singing songs and sharing books to include discussing ideas, feelings, and experiences. In the preschool classrooms, children begin to develop friendships and make choices about the activities that interest them. The preschool daily schedule provides opportunities for free choice activities, outdoor play, neighborhood walks, gross motor activities, story and fantasy time. Our preschool classrooms participate in weekly music, creative movement, and martial arts classes.

Pre-Kindergarten

The Pre-K room at Happy Child is a fun, exciting place to learn, experiment, and become kindergarten ready!

The Pre-K teachers strive to provide hands-on, developmentally appropriate experiences that appeal to varied interests and learning styles. The daily schedule offers the chance for small and large group activities that expose children to a multitude of concepts and themes. These same ideas are then extended into independent and small group play opportunities. While in Pre-K, children continue to develop social and self-help skills as well as pre-academic concepts such as the early stages of numeric awareness and literacy.

Each of the Pre-K learning centers is designed to encourage children to play in small groups with diverse materials for building, experimenting, and exploring. Children use their own ideas during play while observing and reflecting on the ideas of others. Children are encouraged to make decisions about their classroom environment. Creative expression is celebrated through art, movement, and language. We highlight individuals as members of a classroom "team" learning and solving problems collaboratively.

Everyday in Pre-K is a celebration of individuality, respect, exploration, laughter, teamwork, learning and FUN!