A new beginning

This week Grace started attending a new daycare. It is really like a preschool with a schedule and curriculum geared to toddlers. The school takes infants all the way through kindergarten-age students. Different ages are grouped together with two teachers in each room.

This is what Grace's classroom looks like:And this is the room for the next age group (starting at 3-years old): I love that they keep the children active and engaged throughout the day. Grace arrives at about 6:45AM since I have to be at work by 7:00. (I know...that is EARLY! My day begins at 5:00!) From arrival until about 8:00 they have "free play" where the kids can explore anything in the room. As you can tell from the picture, there is a lot to look at and touch, so Grace is fine with that. Then, they have breakfast, do "circle time" and music and movement, and (weather permitting) go outside to play in a fenced playground. They come in around 11:30 for a hot lunch cooked right at the school and at about 12:15 lie down for naps or "quiet time". Each student is assigned a cot with their own blanket from home. Surprisingly, Grace has been doing pretty well with napping on the cot. I thought it would not work since she is able to get up. But the teachers say she has been sleeping and playing quietly on the cot during these 2+ hours. When they wake up they have a snack and then afternoon is filled with a craft activity and outdoor play. It is great that there is real instruction and they have a theme for every week.

This whole month the theme is "Winter Wonderland". Yesterday they went outside and stomped in the snow and they have projects planned like making snowflakes and cottonball snowmen. Miss Diana, the teacher, is actually hoping for snow and sunny skies (what does she think this is, Colorado, Aunt Suze?) so they can explore outside for some of the things she has planned! I packed a snowsuit for Grace, though, just in case.

I will admit, it hasn't been an easy two days. Grace is struggling a bit getting back into the early morning routine and having me leave her after two weeks of being together 24/7. She seems to do fine 10-15 minutes after I am gone, but those minutes when I have to say goodbye are not fun. And, she is quickly going through her extra clothes. Yesterday (in a new outfit) she found the muddiest place on the playground and today she was pretty messy at lunch. The teachers are very sweet and apologize when I pick her up because they hand me a child dressed in something different from the morning with a bag of dirty clothes. But, I figure that just means she had a really full, really active day. And that is great!