Santa Cruz Toddler Care Center Daycare

Caregiving is the main curriculum at the Toddler Care Center. Consisting of diapering, dressing, napping and eating, daily caregiving routines are seen as important learning opportunities for focused one-to-one interactions with children. We encourage children to be active participants rather than passive objects during caregiving activities, and engage their full involvement, cooperation and participation. For example, the diaper change is considered a prime quality time. Children are encouraged to help; they lift their legs, help pull up their pants, etc. Our toddler-oriented environment was designed to reflect our philosophy. Our large, well-equipped facility is physically safe, cognitively challenging and emotionally nurturing. There are few structured activities; most of the activity is based on the child's freedom to choose what to do and when to do it, whether to play with blocks or bikes, in the sandbox or on the deck, etc. Whie children are engaged in independent exploration, they experience basic trust to be initiators, problem solvers, explorers and learners.