ENTRY LEVEL - BABIES & TODDLERS

The entry level area is for our younger children. Toy shelves separate the play area from the front door to create a safe-entry space where children cannot go out the door unnoticed. This upper area has two large front windows that extend nearly to the floor so even our youngest children can see out. We built a protective frame of Plexiglas in front of the lower half of the window for safety. There is a six foot table for eating and activities that folds into a cabinet against the wall when not in use. This opens up more space for play. The diapering area is centrally located but completely inaccessible to the children unless accompanied by an adult. There is a book case which holds at least a dozen books at a time. The front covers of the books are displayed to make the books more inviting to the children and the books are rotated regularly. All books are easy for the children to reach on their own. Large building blocks are available at all times and toys on the shelves are rotated to stimulate interest.

We also have a small refrigerator in this area for keeping snacks or baby formula fresh. Mounted on the wall we have a monitor for occasional viewing of a video. Except for special occasions such as holidays, videos are usually educational or present a moral concept. NO television is watched at any time. Our videos include: Sesame Street, Dragon Tales, Signing Time, We Sign, Mommy Teach Me Spanish, Barney, Winnie the Pooh, Baby Mozart, Baby Van Gogh, Baby Doolittle, The Letter Factory series, and others.

In one corner of the entry level area we have the "Special Area". This area was created as a safe space for young babies so they could crawl, sit, or practice walking and not be knocked over by older toddlers. This area is completely padded with foam cushions on the floor and walls and padding on the edges of the toy shelf. Though right in the central play area, it is separated by a low, plastic baby fence. There is plenty of room for an adult to join the baby in this area and still be right next to the older toddlers. When we do not have babies we are caring for, the toy shelves in the Special Area are filled with age-appropriate, quiet toys for toddlers. This area then becomes a place where one toddler at a time can go and be by themselves to play. This area is very popular and children of all ages ask to go into the Special Area when it is not being used as an area for babies. We often have several children waiting who want to go in next.