Infant and Toddler Daycare
Infants and Toddlers need a safe and healthy environment but above all they need to feel loved. Starting Points provides a loving, nurturing and stimulating environment that helps infants/toddlers with the important early development of the brain and lays a foundation for intellectual growth, emotional health and a positive self-image. The staff use music, reading and interactive play to help stimulate each child’s natural development. Bright and colorful books, toys and puppets encourage exploration and new challenges. The staff also encourage sign language as a way of communication until verbal communication skills are developed.
Starting Points uses the Tennessee Early Learning Development Standards to prepare engaging lesson plans. These standards form a framework that allows even the youngest child to develop to their fullest potential.
1. Approaches to Learning
Teachers provide hands-on age appropriate activities, toys, and interactions that support each child’s learning style. This not only helps with healthy brain development but also lets children approach learning with anticipation and excitement.
2. Social/Emotional
Teachers provide a safe and secure learning environment in order for the children to feel secure in exploring their environment. Planned activities and interactions help the children begin to develop an idea of who they are and how they fit into their world. They also begin to understand their emotions which lay a foundation for self-regulation.
3. Language and Early Literacy
Teachers expose children to a language rich environment through conversations, books, music, and consistently respond to children’s early attempts at communication (crying, facial expressions, laughing, etc.).
4. Math
Teachers provide everyday hands-on experiences that allow young children to use their senses to classify, categorize, and sort information so that it has meaning to them.
5. Science
Teachers provide many sensory experiences (taste, touch, smell, looking, and listening) to foster children’s natural inclinations to learn about their world.
6. Social Studies
Teachers develop a relationship with the children so the children feel comfortable exploring their environment. Children trust their teacher will keep them safe when experiencing the unfamiliar.
7. Creative Arts
Teachers provide fun activities that allow the children to express their ideas, feeling, and interests through art, music, dance, and dress up/role play (toddlers).
8. Physical Development
Teachers provide a safe and healthy environment in which children can move and explore. They also provide opportunities for practice with manipulating small objects (puzzles, blocks, crayons, etc.).
Primary Communities Served
Ball Camp
Bearden
Beaumont
Cedar Bluff
Concord
Farragut
Fountain City
Hardin Valley
Karns
Knoxville
Lonsdale
North Hills
North Knoxville
Norwood
Powell
Ramsey
Ridge Brook
Ridgedale
Seymour
Solway
South Knoxville
Topside
West Hills
Western Heights