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Telephone No: 029 2048 4646
Parents Say ...
"What makes Darling Buds such a fantastic place for your child to be in is the attitude and the friendliness of it’s staff."
"When we first visited Darling Buds the thing that impressed us most was how every member of staff seemed to really know each child."
Buttercups (0 - 12 months)
Young children develop and grow at a very rapid pace during the first year of their l
ife. They learn to gain control of their muscles and develop skills in moving their hands, limbs and head to help them become mobile and the ability to handle and manipulate toys. Babies learn from the moment they are born, even before they say their first word they are learning about language by listening to people talk, and are especially interested when it involves themselves and their daily lives. Sensitive care giving, which responds to children's growing understanding and emotional needs, helps to build secure attachments to special people such as parents, family members or carers. Regular though flexible routines help young children to gain a sense of order in the world and to anticipate events. A wide variety of experiences which involves all the senses, encourages learning and an interest in the environment.
Learning and Development
The baby room operates on a 1 adult to 3 children ratio and is designed to create a homely environment providing a place for activity, rest, eating and sleeping. The garden area provides opportunities for infants to explore, use their senses and be physically active. The activities and resources in this age group include:
- Two large spacious rooms - To encourage gross motor skills such as posture and large movements, and fine motor skills such as hand eye co-ordination and fine movements.
- Imitation Play - To encourage speech, social and listening skills by the use of dolls, teddies and puppets.
- Messy Play - To encourage fine motor skills and exploration of objects using all the senses.
- Sensory Play - To encourage all aspects of sensory development, attention and concentration skills including the ability to make simple choices.
- Book Play - To develop language skills and encourage an early love of books sharing them with a caring adult.
- Treasure Baskets - To encourage early object explorations of different texture, colour, patterns, shape, size and weight.
- Sand and Water Play - To encourage exploration of objects using a child-focused approach.