IDEA Nursery offers the Creative Curriculum from 4 months old to 4 years old. The Creative Curriculum is based on 75 years of childhood and learning studies and involves research-based developmentally appropriate practice which according to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) “provides children with the opportunities to learn and practice newly acquired skills. It offers challenges just beyond the level of their present mastery and it takes place in the context of a community where children are safe and valued, where their physical needs are met, and where they feel psychologically secure.” (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997). Developed in the United States, at the heart of the Creative Curriculum is deep knowledge of child development theory and careful consideration of the latest research in the field of early childhood education to benefit early learners.
An appropriate curriculum for infants and toddlers focuses on what is most essential for their healthy growth and development – namely building responsive relationships between teachers, children, families and the community. The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers and Twos has enabled early childhood practitioners to apply developmentally appropriate, content-rich practice and create daily routines and meaningful experiences that respond to children’s strengths, interests and needs regardless of family background or skill levels. With the Creative Curriculum, throughout the early childhood learning experience children are being prepared in all the ways that matter for later success in school.