Child Care

CHILD CARE SERVICES

Teacher reading to students - academy program in Amrion, IA

We understand that when searching for a child care center, you're looking for a center that utilizes effective teaching methods for your child. With our teachers leading by example we help your little one learn on their own. We help them improve their social skills along with their education to help better prepare your child to enter into their academic career.

Our Child Care program is offered for children 6 weeks to 5 years old. If you would like to sign your child up for this program, please visit any of our locations.

Curriculum

We will introduce your child to themes and projects that enhance intellectual, social, physical, and emotional development. Each child will experience the current theme or project using a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate. Teachers will facilitate hands-on learning experiences with a variety of engaging educational activities. In addition to our regular curriculum, we will celebrate all the regular holidays as well as your child’s birthday. All lesson plans can be found posted on the parent board outside the classroom, as well as in their daily reports from Tadpoles.

You will find a well-rounded variety of activities where your child can learn their alphabet, recognize colors and shapes, count, learn sequencing and sorting patterns, practice writing their names and small words. They will develop language skills and learn to socialize with their peers in group situations.

Children will develop their fine motor skills through creative age appropriate explorative play mediums such as: Play-Dough, sand and water tables, and various construction blocks. Their gross motor skills will be developed through exercising, obstacle courses, dancing and playing games such as follow the leader. They will learn to express themselves with music, finger plays, dance and dramatic display. HIH has two distinct outdoor play areas: an infant/toddler playground and preschool playground. Our two separate playgrounds offer age appropriate, safe play with specialized play times for each classroom.

Infants

Hand In Hand will care for infants from 6 weeks to 12-15 months of age in our infant room. This classroom will maintain a 4 to 1 child to teacher ratio. Our Infant Room is designed to provide your child with a safe, loving and stimulating environment. In our infant classrooms, we provide a creative and stimulating program which encourages visual, language, gross motor and small motor experiences to enhance learning through their own natural curiosity Infants will develop their large and small motor skills through a variety of age appropriate activities. In our infant room, we will begin to use basic sign language. You will see a new sign being introduced each week on the parent board leading into the infant room.

Children eat, sleep, and play according to his or her own schedule. Every infant is an individual with unique abilities, desires and emotions. Our program is designed to meet the individual needs of each child and to provide them with educational experiences. We will closely follow your infant profile sheet, respecting your parenting style, so that you have the comfort of knowing that your baby’s care is consistent and carried out as you instructed to the best of our ability in a group setting. Upon arrival, your child must be removed from their car seat. State regulations do not allow infants that are unable to turn over on their own, to sleep on their bellies. In addition, blankets and/or toys of any kind are also against regulations within the infant crib. When your infant begins to transition to the toddler room between the ages of 12-15 months we will work towards transitioning to one nap per day on a cot, table food, and no longer using a bottle or consuming breastmilk during their time with us. All the mentioned transitions must be accomplished before your child can be moved to our toddler room.

Toddlers

Hand In Hand’s toddler room will care for children ranging in age from 12-24 Months. This classroom will maintain a 4 to 1 child to teacher ratio. The toddler classrooms are designed to provide stimulating experiences for children where they can learn through their own inquisitiveness. The emphasis in the toddler is on building self-confidence and fostering the natural curiosity that toddlers possess. Throughout the day toddlers enjoy the large variety of play materials that are readily made available to them, as well as creative centers where children can dress-up, build with blocks, and experiment in the sensory table. Art, music, language and science activities geared towards little hands are also introduced. We will continue to use sign language with children. You will see a new sign being introduced each week on the parent board leading into the infant room.

Two Year Old Classroom

Hand In Hand’s 2 year old classroom will care for children ranging 24-36 months. This classroom will maintain a 6 to 1 child to teacher ratio. This is the age your child truly begins to communicate and become their own individual self. We want to foster their independence and promote a healthy self-esteem. In this room, we will encourage them to use their words when communicating with friends and adults. Your 2-year-old is now working on becoming a “big kid” will be treated as a special and unique individual. Our Toddler programs can help your toddler transition into a structured learning environment, from improving their vocabulary and motor skills to unmasking their imagination with art projects, pretend play, building with blocks, science activities, and sensory activities. We will also work on social skills, as well as teaching your child to share and get along with others. Our 2-year-old classroom is set up with independence and self-help skills in mind. Your child can choose their own activities as well as take responsibility for their classroom environment. Our 2-year-old room is designed to have their own bathroom with a child sized toilet for the children to use when potty training. When we see signs that your child is interested in using the restroom we will talk with the parents regarding starting training at home and school. If you are seeing signs at home, we ask that you please communicate with the teachers and we will start training at school alongside the parents at home. Keep in mind your child must be potty trained to move to the 3-year-old classroom.

Three Year Old Classroom

Our three-year-old classroom is for students who are fully potty trained and are 3-4 years of age. This classroom will maintain an 8 to 1 child to teacher ratio. Our 3-year-old classroom prepares children socially and academically, as well as, supports and encourages the development of independence, responsibility, and confidence, all of which are essential for the child’s ongoing educational success.

We will introduce the Handwriting Without Tears Curriculum while in the 3-year-old classroom. HWT is a flexible, play-based curriculum that offers a full pre-writing program and materials that build critical skills like early math and literacy. This curriculum is developmentally appropriate and is introduced as a fun, and engaging method to enable children to master handwriting as an automatic and comfortable skill.

Four Year Old Classroom

Our 4-year-old classroom is for students who are fully potty trained and are 4-5 years of age. This classroom will maintain a 12:1 child to teacher ratio. Our goal is for your child to be ready for a very successful kindergarten experience. Our 4-year-old program focuses on each child’s social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development by offering hands-on activities for the child to explore. The 4-year-old curriculum is designed to actively engage each child in developmentally appropriate activities exploring the areas of literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and social skills.
The 4-year-old classroom will also utilize Everyday Math for a math curriculum and continues Handwriting Without Tears. Everyday Math uses hands on tools that incorporate color sorting, patterns, counting, matching, and simple addition. Handwriting remains a critical skill in the classroom. For children to be successful readers, writers, and ultimately, communicators—they need a strong foundation which your child will receive in this classroom.

"Hand In Hand is called Hand In Hand because the teachers use their hands to clap for us. They use their hands to help us up, to hug us and to point things out."
- Former HIH 5 year old.