Here, you will find our schedule, rules, classroom responsibilities, important how to’s and more!
Our Schedule:
7:30-9:30 drop off and morning invitations
9:30-10:15 Breakfast
10:15-10:30 morning meeting
10:30-11:00 indoor center exploration/ potty time*
11:00-11:40 indoor outdoor transition/ outdoor exploration
11:40-12:40 lunch/lunch to nap transition/potty time*
12:40-2:40 nap (our kiddos sleep best with white noise)
2:40-3:30 wake up/ post nap invitations/ potty time*
3:30-3:45 afternoon regroup/ clean up invitations
3:45-4:15 snack/ center play/ potty time*
4:15-4:30 clean up/ indoor outdoor transition
4:30-5:30 outdoor exploration/pick up
*potty times listed are the mandatory, class-wide potty/diaper times. However, diapering and potty times also happen as needed throughout the day.
Our Rules:
“Slow feet” – Hugo, age 2 years
“No running or jumping so we don’t fall down“- Birdie, age 2
“Be kind – Graham, age 2
“Listening ears”- Josephine, age 2
“No pushing”- Emma, age 2
“No hitting” – Luke, age 2 & Mateo, age 3
“No snatching” – Julian, age 2
“No biting” – Cabot, age 3
“No kicking” – Inigo, age 2
“Calm bodies” – Isa, age 3 & Ramona, age 2
“No touching without asking” – Hendrix, age 3
“Slow hands in sensory” -(teachers)
“Sitting with scissors” -(teachers)
Burrow chant–
“At school we have to LISTEN and follow the RULES so we can be SAFE!!!“
Clean-up:
For clean-up time, we tell the class we will set a timer and have to clean up for, let’s say, breakfast. We tell them how long we will set the timer for, announcing “We are setting a timer for 10 minutes and then we will clean up for breakfast.” When the timer goes off, we ask “What time is it? Cleanup time.” Then, we sing “Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody, Everywhere”. Once we have cleaned up, we tell them to find their chairs. (If we were going outside we say, “Stand on the yellow/blue tape.”)
Manners in the Burrow
Another great thing that we are always working on is using our words (manners) and not playing at mealtimes. In the Burrow, we get ready for meal times by the teacher saying:
Hands in your ____? (children answer) Lap!
Feet on the ____? Floor!
What kind of bodies? Calm bodies
We all take a deep breath…then we remind them to put “Games on pause”
(you might not believe it but these things work!)
Sometimes they really enjoy what they’re eating and start shouting for more. So we remind them to use their calm voice and ask nicely. We even listen to “Please and Thank You” by “Barney” from time to time to help us remember. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that our little friends are only 2 and 3 years old and sometimes they start to play with the forks, spoons, and cups. I ask them “Is it a toy or a tool? What do we use it for?” If it’s the cup they are playing with, we remind them it’s for drinking not playing and so on. If your kiddo likes to play at eating times give these awesome Burrow phrases a try sometime.
Using Your Words
We use our words to get what we want or for a turn with a toy by asking “how many minutes?” It is one of the best tools we have! These kiddos are doing a great job and starting to use this without us having to remind them. Success!! (It’s also ok if they forget from time to time. We are all human. We also like to remind them that they are little kids learning how to be big kids.)
I’m sure many of your children have asked for 2 minutes on the playground at pick up time. It’s a very helpful tool for them to ask for a toy at something else they want. So don’t forget to give it a try to use it at home especially if you are working on something and need a minute.
Abeona House Child Discovery Center 