Toddler, 18 to 36 months.
What the Toddler years look like at our school in Kingston.
The Toddler room
In the Toddler room, everything is sized for a child who is still learning to move and choose. Low shelves hold a few things at a time. A small pitcher, a sponge, a cloth. Toddlers carry, pour, wipe, and put away. The work of the room is real work, and they do it themselves.
A toddler builds focus by repeating. They return to the same puzzle, the same song, the same hand-washing steps, until the motion belongs to them. Teachers watch and wait rather than interrupt. Language grows through naming, conversation, and books read close and slowly.
By the time a toddler is ready for the Primary room, they have practice choosing, finishing, and doing things without help. Independence comes first. It is the ground everything else stands on. Families can ask the school about the day's rhythm and how children settle in.
What to expect
New Session Slotted for Toddler “Learning Together”
The Monday Learning Together class filled, and a waiting list followed. A Wednesday morning session has been added, beginning July 29th. Learning Together is for children 12 months through age 3, with a parent or caregiver beside them. Space is limited, so families who want a place can ask about it.
What this looks like in practice
A morning in a toddler room moves in a slow rhythm. Children arrive, hang up a bag, and go straight to the shelves. They pour water, stack blocks, press dough, and carry a book to a cushion. Snack comes when a child is hungry. A teacher sits at the table and talks with them. Then outside time, then lunch, then a rest on a cot.
The practical work of these years is independence, and it shows up at home. A child who practiced pouring at school wants to pour the milk. One who wiped a table reaches for the cloth after dinner. One who put on shoes at school tries the boots by the door. Small tasks, repeated, become habits a parent can lean on.