At The Learning Nest Academy, every hour is an intentional opportunity for growth, connection, and discovery. We don’t just care for children; we nurture independent thinkers, compassionate friends, and confident learners. While our routines are designed for consistency, the activities within them are always tailored to meet the unique emotional, physical, and developmental needs of each age group.
Here is a look at a typical day through the eyes of an infant, toddler, and preschooler at TLN.
Infant Program: Discovery, and Nurturing Care (0 – 18 Months)
For our littlest learners, the day is anchored by personalized routines, rich sensory input, and secure attachment. Every diaper change, feeding, and cuddle is a meaningful interaction where learning and bonding take center stage.
Morning Focus: Security and Sensory Exploration
| Time | Activity | Developmental Benefit |
| Arrival & Snuggles | Warm greetings, quiet stories, and morning snuggles. | Builds secure attachment and trust. |
| Breakfast Offering | Infants explore food textures and practice self-feeding. | Focuses on independence and motor skills (grasping, pincer grasp). |
| Outdoor Exploration | Time in the natural environment, cruising along our mud kitchen, or feeling the texture of sand and grass. | Supports gross motor development (cruising, standing) and tactile sensory learning. |
Midday Focus: Cause & Effect and Cognitive Connections
Infants learn best through their senses and by understanding how their actions create reactions.
- Hands-On Learning: Activities focus on cause and effect relationships. Infants might knock over building blocks, shake bottles to listen to their sounds, or push cars and balls down ramps. Teachers create intentional opportunities for this type of play, using materials that respond to touch or sound, helping infants understand predictability and control.
- Indoor Curriculum: Exploring our sensory table filled with soapy bubbles and animals that need a bath, exploring the colourful tube tunnels to push balls through, and building a tower of mirror blocks to also catch glimpses of their smiles.
- Gathering Time: We create an inviting space where educators sing and use classroom materials to connect with our infants, establishing relationships while also engaging in group songs and stories. This lays the groundwork for receptive language.
Core Philosophy: Our infant program is highly individualized. We work with families to ensure feeding and napping times reflect each child’s specific rhythms while weaving in plenty of learning opportunities in between.
Toddler Program: Exploration, Creation, and Independence (18 – 30 Months)
Toddler days are filled with meaningful moments that reflect their need for movement, choice, and hands-on learning. We meet toddlers where they are emotionally, physically, and developmentally while gently guiding them toward their next big leap.
Cornerstone Routines: Independence & Language
- Family-Style Meals: Mealtimes are the foundation of our day, building self-help skills and confidence. Toddlers are encouraged to pour their own water, serve themselves with small spoons, and practice routines. This setting is calm, respectful, and offers rich opportunities for language development and connection.
- Sensory Exploration: We provide endless opportunities for sensory exploration, whether it’s scooping pasta, painting with sponges, or splashing colourful water. These tactile moments help toddlers make sense of the world around them.
Learning Through Movement and Purpose
- Fine Motor Development: Our classroom is full of materials that support fine motor development, including puzzles, tweezers, nesting cups, and stacking toys. Inspired by Montessori principles, we offer real, child-sized tools that allow toddlers to engage with purpose and care, building strength, focus, and coordination.
- Creative Expression: From finger painting to music and movement, toddlers use their bodies, voices, and imaginations to express their ideas and feelings, nurturing self-confidence and experimentation.
- Big Movement: Toddlers need to climb, jump, push, and run. Whether dancing indoors, building obstacle courses, or heading outside, gross motor play supports healthy bodies and confident learners. Our naturalized environment allows toddlers to dig in the dirt, splash in puddles, and collect leaves, providing the perfect setting for open-ended exploration.
Preschool Program: Foundation for Kindergarten (30 Months – 5 Years)
Each day in our Preschool room is a journey of learning, discovery, and meaningful connection, thoughtfully prepared to spark curiosity and instil a love for learning.
Morning Focus: Social and Cognitive Skills
- Arrival & Intentional Environment: Preschoolers are greeted by warm educators and a thoughtfully prepared environment that sparks curiosity and supports their growing independence.
- Family-Style Mealtime: This highlight of our day offers more than nourishment; it fosters independence and language development. Children serve themselves, share conversations, and help clean up, learning to take turns, use descriptive language, and develop confidence as they scoop and pour.
Curriculum Highlights: Emotional, Social, and Literacy Readiness
- Social-Emotional Learning: This is woven into everything we do using the Second Step curriculum. Through stories, role-playing, and guided discussions, children learn to recognize and express their emotions, develop empathy, and practice problem-solving skills in a safe, supportive environment.
- The Virtues Program: This plays a key role in creating a positive classroom community. We celebrate qualities like kindness, patience, and cooperation, helping children see the good in themselves and others and contribute to a caring, respectful community.
- Language and Early Literacy: Reading and writing readiness come to life through our fun and interactive program that introduces letter sounds through songs, stories, and movement, keeping the joy of discovery at the heart of learning.
Afternoon Focus: Physical Development and Connection
- Outdoor Play: This is a vital part of our preschool day. Our naturalized playground offers countless opportunities for exploration and growth. Climbing, digging, balancing, and building in nature not only support physical development but also encourage creativity, collaboration, and sensory learning.
- Blended Structure: Our educators blend structure with flexibility, providing consistent routines that offer security while allowing space for choice and individuality, ensuring each child’s needs, interests, and rhythms are honored.
At The Learning Nest, through intentional teaching, nurturing relationships, and a rich learning environment, we’re helping children build the skills, confidence, and love of learning that will carry them forward-ready for school, and ready for life.
