Elonda's Day Care, DC

Children ages 6 weeks to 24 months receive loving, nurturing attention, stimulation, and fun age-specific activities engaging their natural curiosity. We offer an inviting and caring atmosphere for infants and toddlers to explore their continually expanding world around them. We provide an environment filled with responsive interactions and positive reinforcement; an individualized approach that meets the developmental needs of each child. Our intent is to give your child a place where they can feel safe and happy and can begin to build confidence and a positive self image. Our goal is to stimulate and challenge your infant or toddler by constantly singing, talking, holding, and playing with them. We continually tell your child what we are going to do to them before we do it (i.e. diaper changes, feeding, etc). This gives your infant or toddler a sense of control in their otherwise fully dependent lives. We always interact at their level, and every sound and movement your child makes is met with a warm response: a word, a smile, and a touch, thereby, nurturing a foundation for development and helping to enable your child to reach their full potential. Children ages 2 to 4 years old receive loving and individualized care in a stimulating environment with spacious rooms rich in color giving your child an exciting world full of opportunities to explore, learn, and grow. We offer a place where fun, learning and laughter go hand in hand with a caring atmosphere, a reassuring routine and creative activities, providing toddlers and preschoolers with a sense of security and over all well being; where they can feel safe and happy and can begin to build confidence and a positive self image. Our goal is to provide a fun and safe learning environment for your child, while encouraging social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development. We always interact at their level, listen to every word and encourage meaningful conversation with their peers and us. Each child is different, unique, and special. Therefore we strive to meet the developmental needs of each child in our care; by giving them a world filled with responsive interactions and positive reinforcement, nurturing a foundation for development and helping to enable your child to reach their full potential. A toddler's growth and development is boundless. Their minds and bodies are literally sponges, soaking up every word and action presented to them. They are learning how to act and react towards every emotional and environmental stimulus. They are beginning to combine ideas and words into sentences and to better understand themselves and the world around them. Because of this newfound freedom, they struggle with their feelings of independence versus dependence. They want to do everything by themselves, yet they also realize they need love, attention and help to accomplish these goals. Through patience and understanding we walk this fine line with your toddler, providing the guidance they need along with the independence they crave. As your child grows and makes the transition from toddler to preschooler we begin to incorporate structure into their day. Children of this age find security and comfort through consistency of care. We provide this for your child, with a reassuring routine and a familiar schedule. Preschoolers are very curious and inquisitive by nature; asking many questions and expecting many more answers. We not only give them the answers they need, but also ask why, when, where, and how; thereby encouraging expressive conversation, fostering an imaginative and free-thinking child. For children’s ages two through five, we offer a structures preschool curriculum. We supplement this curriculum with tons of enriching activities ranging from art and craft projects to games, songs, finger plays, storytelling, creative dramatics, exercises, science, shapes, numbers, colors, alphabet, and much more through various monthly themes. Some of these projects will be taken home to share with you, and others will be group activities that you can ask about. Here toddlers and preschoolers start their day with Morning Circle Time, where the children join together to discuss a daily topic, the weather and the day's exciting activities. During this time, children learn to listen, share, take turns, cooperate, express themselves, and give and receive feedback; giving them a chance to demonstrate what they are learning. We introduce one concept at a time in a logical natural sequence, so your child feels proud, not frustrated. We know that children learn best when they are actively involved. Therefore, we offer hands-on activities, which are unique, and knowledge building, providing a balance of important preschool skill experiences. All in an effort to help develop happy and confident children; children who smile while they sing, talk, dance, rhyme, count, play, create, and write. Your child will leave us well prepared for kindergarten and beyond, empowered to become a creative problem-solver and life-long learner.