Typical Day in a Noah’s Ark 2-year-old Classroom

Arrival
Children arrive with a greeting from the teachers and are encouraged to find their own name and place on the attendance board. While waiting for all children to arrive, children choose from limited activities to engage in. Shortly after school begins a bell is run to gather all children to the rainbow for our opening activities.

Rainbow/story time
Children gather for a story time and short large group activities; these include simple weather checks, counting, and recognizing things such as names, numbers, and colors. All concepts are introduced to the children in a fun and friendly way to give children time to become familiar with the concepts without becoming frustrated or concerned about “knowing the answer.” After a theme related story the day’s activities are discussed and children are free to choose their activities.

Free Choice Time
Learning Centers are setup around the classroom where teachers actively engage children in a variety of freely chosen activities. Centers include, but are not limited to: science table, dramatic play, area of a kitchen, dress up, sensory table, construction zone, reading area, writing area, and art area. Centers change as the interest of the children change and topics are worn out.

Clean Up Time
Students and teachers work together to replace toys to rightful places and gather for the next activity.

Snack
The children practice table manners, one to one correspondence, pouring, and language skills during our snack times.

Quiet Book Time
Children gather in the book area to choose from a variety of books to look at and teachers read selections if time is available.

Music and Movement Time
Children and teachers gather in a circle to sing songs, experiment with instruments, and develop coordination, body control, and expression through movement.

Dismissal
Children check their own cubbie/mailbox for important art works and newsletters then sing a song and look for their parent or driver to take them home.