High-quality educational programming for children
18–36 months
Respectful, responsive caregiving and relationships create a strong foundation for play and discovery.
Our inquiry-based, state-approved curriculum, The Investigators Club, builds upon children’s natural curiosity about the world and their place in it. “Purposeful inquiry” awakens the scientist and explorer in every child. Children learn to use their senses, ask questions, and find answers in a supportive, print-rich environment.
Our infant and toddler program, Little InvestiGators™, celebrates the magic of childhood and the joy of teaching during each stage of growth and development from birth to three years old. This program is developmentally appropriate for infants and toddlers and designed to support the delivery of responsive, child-focused, family-centered experiences.
By using investigations rather than themes, active learning takes place over a long period of time, allowing for deeper exploration and understanding of big ideas. Children are engaged in the process of learning and discovery using the same steps as real scientists:
Look and ask.
Observe and look closely; sort and organize materials; ask questions.
Try it and try again.
Predict and hypothesize; experiment, test, and explore to test ideas and predictions.
Think about it.
Record results; communicate findings.
Make meaning.
Apply the information to a larger experience.
WE ALL LOVE A GOOD STORY.
...and that is where this yearlong curriculum begins – with a story. A group of delightful characters, the InvestiGators, have formed a club to solve mysteries, tackle tough problems, and investigate their world.
Story-sharing offers opportunities for children to express their thoughts and feelings about the situation in the story and relate it to their own life situations. When children are involved in the experience and become part of the story, the possibilities are endless. Your child will quickly relate to the important life lessons that the characters explore all year long: Don’t give up, believe in yourself, look out for friends. With all the surprises around the corner and mysteries to solve, it’s good to have the comfort and security of old friends!
Children use all their senses to learn about their world – seeing, touching, smelling, listening, and tasting. Promoting inquiry and discovery allows children to take the lead and use all their special energies for learning. In doing so, children develop a healthy self-esteem and begin to understand all the important contributions they make each day as they learn and grow.
Potty
Training
IDEAL ChildCare (ICC) offers several programs that are tailored for parents/guardians who desire dependable and flexible childcare. One of the keys to ensure the best experience possible for your child in these programs is to ensure a great communication line. At IDEAL ChildCare Center, Directors and teachers communicate with parents in various ways including monthly newsletters, parent information boards, and parent-teacher conferences. In addition, to help build a relationship with your child, our teachers welcome the opportunity to talk with you on a daily basis about school and any exciting or challenging things that might be happening at home. Through our communication lines you will always be a part of your child’s day.
Sample Daily Schedule
Kids this age thrive on routine. This keeps them feeling confident about what to expect for the day and be part of the daily plan. So, while the educational content may look different from day-today, our daily schedule stays the same.
Preschool
Program
Preparing 3–4 year-old children for “big school” through high-quality inquiry-based educational programming
Our preschool curriculum, The InvestiGator Club, is the original investigation-based early childhood curriculum. The comprehensive prekindergarten learning system builds upon children’s natural curiosity about the world and their place in it. “Purposeful Inquiry,” the heart of The InvestiGator Club, awakens the scientist and explorer in every child. Children learn to use their senses, ask questions, and find answers in a supportive, print-rich environment.
The InvestiGator Club offers a variety of options and innovative resources for adaptable, unconventional teaching methods that motivate our educators, students, and even families.
The structure of our curriculum is guided by each classroom’s curriculum needs—play-based, project-oriented, or more structured based on the unique experience, teaching style, and goals of the teacher and students.
Our preschool program provides families with opportunities and multiple strategies to be actively engaged in the ongoing planning, formative assessment, and daily experiences for their child. Extension and enrichment tools included in the curriculum help families bridge the school-to-home gap and reinforce classroom learning.
School Closings
and Delays
Our preschool curriculum, The InvestiGator Club, is the original investigation-based early childhood curriculum. The comprehensive prekindergarten learning system builds upon children’s natural curiosity about the world and their place in it. “Purposeful Inquiry,” the heart of The InvestiGator Club, awakens the scientist and explorer in every child. Children learn to use their senses, ask questions, and find answers in a supportive, print-rich environment.