The Creative Curriculum
The Creative Curriculum
What is the Creative Curriculum?
It is an approach to teaching young children by being creative, using spontaneity, and the ability to see and use everyday opportunities to help children solve problems,explore new materials, and find answers to questions.
The Creative Curriculum focuses on interest areas.These interest areas, or "learning centers" are designed to support children's development.
The learning centers include:
Blocks Center
Dramatic Play Center
Manipulative's Center
Creativity Center
Sensory Table Center
Library Center
Music and Movement Center
Science Center
Outdoor Center
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These are a few of the activities that the children enjoy each day. Each activity builds on developmental skills that are learned during "functional play". Functional play is typical of children from six months to six years of age. In functional play, children explore and examine the functions and properties of objects and materials in their environment. They examine how things feel, taste, smell, and sound, and what they do. When children are encouraged to explore and discover, their curiosity is heightened and they are motivated to learn more.
We have created an environment to help promote functional play. Our classrooms are carefully designed with children in mind. The environment is interesting and challenging, filled with materials and objects that attract children and inspire their explorations.
Learning centers are areas within a classroom with a collection of activities and materials. These materials are related by subject, purpose, or projected skills. These activities and materials are used independently by the children, or with teacher direction, to reinforce and/or enrich one or more skills or concepts. Learning centers are an excellent way to individualize the curriculum to meet the varying needs of young children.
The Importance of Learning Centers:
* To encourage discovery and exploration: children learn by doing.
* To provide multiple techniques and methods to meet different learning styles.
* To allow for teaching in small groups or one-on-one.
* To provide positive reinforcement.
* To develop a sense of responsibility in the children.
* To structure children´s interaction: they are encouraged to verbalize and develop social relationships, including sharing.
* To allow children to make decisions: the children choose an activity that meets their personal needs and goals.
Click on these helpful links below for more information on how our curriculum works!
How children develop
Learning through Play...A child's Job
Click on the teaching strategies picture below to learn more about the Creative Curriculum!
