Epping Drive, Canton, MI 48187, USA
Tara's Toddler Time: Where Learning is Fun!
Our preschool program concentrates on the whole child. Through hands-on exploration, meaningful routines, and guided play, children develop the academic, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed.
Our Program
Inspired by the HighScope learning model, each day follows a predictable rhythm that helps children feel secure and confident while providing opportunities to explore, make choices, and develop independence.
Inspired by the HighScope learning model, eac day follows a predictable rhythm that helps children feel secure and confident while giving them opportunities to explore, make choices, and build independence.
• Plan: Children choose what they would like to explore during center time.
• Do: They carry out their plans through hands-on activities and play.
• Review: We come back together to talk about what we created, discovered, and learned.
Building Strong Social and Emotional Skills
Building Strong Social and Emotional Skills
Between the ages of 2½ and 5, children experience tremendous growth in their emotional and social development. Our program places a strong emphasis on helping children learn how to:
• express their feelings
• build friendships
• practice kindness and empathy
• solve problems together
• develop confidence and independence
A Balanced Preschool Day
Building Strong Social and Emotional Skills
A mix of structured learning and play-based exploration.
Circle Time
We gather together for songs, stories, movement, and discussions connected to our weekly theme. A mix of structured learning and play-based exploration.
Thematic Learning Units
Our lessons explore exciting themes such as nature, community helpers, animals, seasons, and our bodies. These units help children connect new ideas to the world around them.
School Readiness Skills
Our dedicated and caring staff are passionate about early childhood education and have the experience and qualifications to provide high-quality care. We maintain low teacher-to-child ratios to ensure individual attention and support.
Children practice skills such as:
• threading and beading
• cutting with scissors
• drawing and tracing
• feeding and self-care skills
• manipulating small objects
• sorting and pattern building
These activities strengthen the muscles and coordination needed for writing, independence, and classroom readiness.
Learning Centers
During center time, children explore different areas of the classroom designed to support early learning skills.
Examples include:
• sensory exploration
• building and engineering
• dramatic play
• art and creativity
• early literacy activities
• math and pattern exploration
Centers allow children to practice independence, creativity, and problem solving.
Parent Learning Library
Understanding Play Schemas in Infants and Toddlers
Young children learn through repeated play patterns called schemas, such as transporting objects, filling and dumping, climbing, or rotating items. These repeated actions help children develop early problem-solving skills, understand how the world works, and create important brain connections through exploration.
Recommended resource:
• Play and Learning in the Early Years – NAEYC
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/summer2022/power-playful-learning
• Schemas: How Infants Learn Through Play – Zero to Three
https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/learning-through-play-birth-to-12-months/
Why Pre-Writing Skills Matter Before Age Four
Before children are developmentally ready to write letters, they must first develop the small muscles in their hands and fingers. Activities like threading beads, using tweezers, pouring, scooping, cutting, and manipulating small objects strengthen the muscles and coordination needed for writing and help children build the fine motor control necessary for future literacy skills.
Recommended resource:
• Motor Development and School Readiness – American Academy of Pediatrics
Ages & Stages Developmental Screening Tool
Source: Brookes Publishing (ASQ)
The Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) is a widely used developmental screening tool that helps families understand typical developmental milestones in communication, motor skills, problem solving, and social development. It allows parents and caregivers to monitor children’s growth and identify areas where additional support may be helpful.
http://www.bestkc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/3-year-ASQ-ENGLISH.pdf
The Research Behind Play-Based Learning
Research consistently shows that play-based learning supports stronger long-term academic results, especially in literacy and problem-solving. Countries like Finland and Norway prioritize play and exploration during early childhood and usually begin formal schooling around age six — yet their students consistently demonstrate high literacy understanding and critical thinking abilities later in school. Play allows children develop language, social skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities that lay the foundation for future academic success.
Recommended resource:
• The Importance of Play in Early Childhood Development – NAEYC