Chimps Room

2 - 2.5 Years Old

The entire team of the Chimps Room is anxious to start the school year with many exciting activities and events planned for all our incoming little Chimps! Our little jungle is ready and waiting for our new friends to learn and grow as they have fun at MDO each day. We are excited for you to arrive and get to know you! As each of our new little Chimps come through the gate of the Chimps Room they will be greeted by Teacher Erin as they enter the room where they will meet new friends and play with toys, books, and puzzles. Each of your little ones will be welcomed with the loving arms and smiling faces of Moni and Melissa who will help them adjust to becoming a courageous Chimp! Being courageous is the first of many milestones they will pass before the end of the year. Please be courageous and confident that we will love them as you would till you return for them. As we go through each day we will be working on recognizing shapes and colors, reciting the ABCs in song, and counting. During different activities during our day, we will work on matching, memory skills and building our vocabulary. We will work on how to share, follow directions, and take turns in our indoor playground “Tumble Room” the “Big Gym” or the outdoor playground and during Jungle Time in our room. Our goal is to encourage feelings of security in their own independence and accomplishments while having a barrel of fun! We are anxious for each of the children to play in the Chimp Jungle with their new friends! See you soon in the Jungle!

I am looking forward to sharing stories of God’s love for us with your precious little chimps and teaching them about the world He created for all of us. Please contact me if you have any questions and I will respond ASAP. Contact information will be in a handout at Open House.

Following in Christ’s love for the children,

-Miss Mary, Miss Moni, Miss Becca, Miss Kristin & Miss Chrissy

Time Activity
9:00am Arrival & Check-In / Puzzles or Jungle Time (Assisted Free Play at Centers)
9:20am Clean Up
9:30am Circle Time (Bible story, weather, sing, count, special visitors)
9:40am Diaper/Potty Check & Wiggle Time (move to music)
9:45am Ready for Gym /Tumble Room Playground
10:00am Gym Time or Tumble Room Playground (assigned days, please remember socks) We will go outside if the weather is nice.
10:25am Snack Time
10:40am Birthday of the Day, Shapes, Colors
10:45am Craft Time
11:00am Assisted Play in the Jungle or Centers/Diaper-Potty Check (Activities may include sensory, science or health focus)
11:20am Cleanup – Ready for Lunch
11:30am Lunch
12:00pm Finish Diapers & Free play in the Jungle
12:15pm Group Activity: Parachute / Wheels on the Bus / Bubbles
12:30pm Video / Quiet Time / Books / Puzzles / Table Activities
1:00pm Parent Arrival

What do I need to bring to class?

  • Backpack/School Bag
  • Change of clothes (including socks and underwear) in a gallon size Ziploc bag. Please keep this in your child’s backpack at all times.
  • 2 Diapers/Pull-ups (as appropriate for your child).
  • Please wear socks.
  • Lunch box
    Please do not send messy foods that are hard for your child to handle like pudding, Gogurts© or yogurt. They can handle fruit cups better if you have time to drain some of the juice ahead of the time. We want lunch time to be fun and not tearful over spilled yogurt or pudding. (It’s more fun to eat your lunch than it is to wear it!) Thank you!

Important things to remember as you come to MDO each day:

Hand Washing
Before entering the classroom, please wash your child’s hands with soap and running water in the bathroom next to the MDO entrance. When you sign in for the day, check the box next to your child’s name to confirm that your child has washed his or her hands. Hopefully this will become a good habit so our little Chimps stay healthy all year! Your cooperation in helping to prevent the spread of germs is greatly appreciated!

Separation Anxiety
It is very common for children at this age to have separation anxiety, especially during the first few weeks of Mom’s Day Out. We find that the best way to calm a child is for mom or dad to say a quick goodbye and let your child know you will be back after lunch to pick them up. Most children cry as mom or dad is leaving and will quickly calm down after your departure. Please be assured that we will make certain your child is loved and helped through this transition. We will contact you if your child cannot be calmed. If you would like to check back before leaving the building, please ask Patti or someone at the desk to peek in to avoid upsetting your little Chimp again. If you must peek… please be discreet! (We have all been on that side of the counter & know how hard that is but it is harder for your child if you are spotted)

Potty Training
At this age, many children will be potty training at some level. Please keep us informed of your child’s “potty progress” so that we can be consistent with what he or she is doing at home. Our bathroom is well designed for this age and is equipped with special toddler sized potties and a special step stool to encourage the children to “make bubbles” while washing their hands when they are finished. Dress your child in “potty friendly” clothing (“onesies” look nice, but make a trip to the potty a little difficult). Elastic waist pants or shorts are easier for us and for them to work with. Speed is very often a factor in success. Wet/soiled clothing will be returned in the Ziploc bag at the end of the day should an accident occur.

Illness
Please keep your child home if they are sick. It is important to follow MDO guidelines and policies that are posted on the counter. If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, we will call you to pick up your child early. If your child is on antibiotics for a communicable illness, he or she must have been on the medication for at least 24 hours before returning to class. If your child becomes ill during class or is running a fever we will call you. Please be sure the phone number you write on the sign-in sheet is a number where you can be reached.

Discipline
We use a “1…2…3… Timeout” method for discipline.

  1. We will always give the child an opportunity to self-correct.
  2. If a child continues the behavior, a teacher will talk to the child to let them know the behavior is not acceptable and try to distract them from it or offer an alternative.
  3. If after the second warning the behavior continues, the teacher will place the child in a time-out chair for two minutes (1 minute per year of child’s age).

At no time will we yell at, embarrass or spank a child. After time out is finished the teacher will talk about the behavior and always let the child know he or she is loved and what is expected of them. If the behavior is aggressive (biting, hitting, spitting, etc.), the child will be removed from the situation and put in time out immediately using the same procedure.


Academic Goals for the Courageous Chimps:

  1. Listening/Verbal Skills(using words to express needs)
  2. Following Directions
  3. Sharing/Taking Turns (intro to ordinals1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  4. Color Recognition
  5. Shape Recognition
  6. Name Recognition (finding it on the bulletin board, on papers, nametags, auditory recognition and response, etc.)
  7. Counting (to 5 at the beginning of the year,10 by December then work on 20 by end of year) using repetition & counting objects
  8. Matching (shapes, colors, animals, size, etc.)
  9. Tracing Shapes/Lines (beginning stages & learning to hold a crayon comfortably while coloring)
  10. Memory (through songs, poems, grace, clean-up, matching and identifying objects, ABC’S through song repetition & ABC Rug)
  11. Weather (building awareness of the world around us during Circle Time)
  12. Time ( learning a routine, what time we do certain things and when mom returns)
  13. Seasons/Holidays
  14. Safety and Cleanliness (hand washing, fire safety, behavior in gym & play areas)
  15. Having Fun While Learning!

Teachers

Mary Doherty

Mary Doherty

Lead Teacher

Moni Mainguy

Moni Mainguy

Assistant

Becca Knaul

Becca Knaul

Assistant

Chrissy Parrott

Chrissy Parrott

Assistant

Kristin Scholz

Kristin Scholz

Assistant