The Toddler II environment is typically for children around the age of 3. The classroom structure is similar to the Toddler I community, but from a developmental perspective, the 3 year old has furthered his/her mastery of mental and language development. 75-80 percent of speech is understandable and typically complete sentences are used. As the Toddler becomes more and more competent physically, he will indicate a need, as well as an ability, to accomplish still more complex tasks. The Toddler II environment has been developed to enable the child to work more independently, and to explore complex materials, as he grows in orderliness and builds new skills. The Toddler II community is a child-sized environment, so that the “I want to do it myself” need of the child may be fulfilled. Shelves are low to the floor, chairs and tables are light-weight for easy movement, and materials are designed to be manipulated by small hands.
This community allows the child to live each day to the fullest and not just be “entertained” by the actions of an adult. The Toddler wants to cook, clean, set tables, wash clothes, change clothes, feed himself, and learn the names of everything he can. He wants to be active and not merely pass the time until his parents pick him up. To meet his strong desire to control everything around him, separate areas have been set up within the environment for dishwashing, cloth washing, food preparation, personal hygiene, language, play, and sensorial exploration.
All areas are introduced to the child through carefully designed lessons. Because Toddlers desire order and routine, lessons are presented in the same fashion every time they are given, and contain a number of steps which Toddlers will eventually learn and use in a ritualistic fashion.
