Ducks
Ages: 1-1.5 years
Ratio: 5 children to 1 teacher
Capacity when Full: 8 children
Tuition: $1,547 per month*
*Lowers to $1,467 once entire class is 1 year old and walking.
About the Classroom:
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The Ducks room is a loud and silly space. Children get a wide berth to explore and learn at their own pace. We feature open-ended toys and loose parts which require the student to determine the purpose and intent of their activity. There are rocking toys for the Ducks to practice balance and plenty of blocks and stacking toys. The reading area in the Ducks room has many board books for children to flip through on their own, or carry to a teacher to have a story read to them.
Duck students sleep in cribs until they are able to walk proficiently, then they move to cots. Each child has their own cubby where we store extra clothing and weather gear, bedding for their nap cribs/cots, and anything extra they might bring to school each day. There is a changing table for diaper changes and access to a toilet for older Ducks who show awareness of their need to go and want to practice toilet use at BDLC.
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"I value each child as an important, unique individual with their own thoughts, feelings, intents and purposes"
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The Duck teachers often offer activities for the Ducks to explore their creativity. Painting doesn't just happen on paper in the Ducks room. It is not uncommon to find the Ducks painting on paper that's taped to a tree, on their arms and legs, or with paper taped to the underside of the table. It's also common to hear music coming from the Ducks room and to see a dance party inside. Out on the playground the Ducks love to wave to busses that pass by and spy squirrels in the trees. The children chase each other around and have spontaneous games of peek-a-boo as they grow in their friendships.
A Duck's Day:
Drop-off and Free play
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The duck teachers use free play time to invite the children to explore the room and engage in the activity that interests them.
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Breakfast
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We take a break from playing to eat breakfast at the table together, then change diapers and back to free play!
Indoor/Outdoor Play
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When the weather permits we will spend the late morning outside. The Ducks playground is spacious, has mature trees, a sandbox, and loads of nature to explore.
Lunch
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Ducks practice eating lunch together at a table in the classroom or on picnic table on the playground.
Nap Time
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To get ready for nap time we put on clean diapers or use the toilet and begin to read stories. The children help put out cots, and settle into their cribs and cots for a nap, typically around 12:30 - 2:00pm.
Nap Wakeup/Snack
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When the children wake up from nap we have another round of diapering/toileting turns then eat a snack.
Pickup
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We usually end our day with a second invitation to explore inside the room or outside. Ducks like to wave "Bye-bye" to their friends throughout pickup.
Duck Skills:
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Practice with both fine and gross motor skills
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Social and Emotional Development
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Math and Science by engaging with the natural world
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Literacy through stories, music, and song
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Practice using utensils
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Using careful observation to provide support when a student demonstrates readiness for acquiring or developing a particular skill
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Sign language and vocabulary expansion
