Focus on development
Walk, talk and think
In the first four years of their lives children will take three fundamental steps in their development: they start walking, speaking and (consciously) thinking. All three are skills needed in order to become an autonomously functioning human being. In a healthy environment these steps will more or less be taken naturally. At Noach we ensure that every individual child can do so with enthusiasm and in complete harmony with his character and natural born talents.
Basically this means that the first year walking will be the main focus. In the second year, once the child can walk and explore the world one step at the time, they will start verbally identifying all they encounter: speech. Around their third birthday most children refer to themselves as ‘I” and have a vocabulary large enough to express how they feel about certain things! Their way of playing changes. It is becoming more organised and more and more often thinking creatively and fantasy are being used.
The Groups
We are like one big family here at Noach. All the caretakers/teachers know all the children and visa versa. All the children play together outside twice a day and all gather in the morning when the weekly story is being told in the main hall: the cosy heart of all group spaces. However, all the children still have their own teachers.
At Noach it is all about the individual development of each child. Therefor we have chosen not to work with either vertical or horizontal groups, but with ‘developing groups’. Herein it is not age that dictates placement, but in which developmental phase a child is.
The groups here at Noach all correspond with one of those three important developmental stages:
- The Baby House - learning how to walk
The Baby House contains two groups, the Bijtjes and the Hommeltjes. Here the babies are wrapped in a blanket of gentle care. There is attention for a healthy physical development, subtle communication and a bit of play in a light, happy atmosphere. Children will stay here until they can stand alone and take their first steps (from 12 to 20 months). → read more
- The Toddler Groups - go talk
In this developmental stage the children of the Duifjes, the Vlindertjes and Roodborstjes are starting to speak and their social and emotional center is developing . The toddler groups are highly dynamic in character. We believe healthy exercise is the key word here, especially playing outside, running, exploring and exercising on the (walking) bike. Exercise is not merely healthy, it also promotes learning and understanding language. When children start to associate themselves with ‘I’ they begin to interpret things. Their gameplay begins to change, which means that they now have a plan and that plan is make visible in their playing (eg. mother and father's game). It means that they are ready for the next phase. For most children this is around their third birthday. → read more
- The Big Toddlers – development of thinking
When toddlers enter the Kevertjes group it mainly resolves around creative game. All he sees an hears reoccurs in the mimicking game. The rooms are decorated and organised to stimulate and challenge them to play these games and to start consciously thinking. Crafts, singing, finger games and listening to stories becomes more and more important. Outside the toddlers can work on their balancing on little trikes and other fun toys. This group also prepares the children for elementary school. → read more
The development of children should occur gradually and organically. When the child is ready we believe that the transfer of the child to another development group should be done harmoniously and in quiet consolation with the parent.