In 1985, Little People's Workshops originally focused programming for the age group of 36-49 months. The methodology was that existing childcare in that era was a service provided by untrained individuals with minimal knowledge of child development and early learning. The quality of childcare at that time was restricted to health and safety matters. While the philosophy of the company continues to prioritize health and safety, health interpreted by educated early learning and care professionals has encompassed cognitive, social, and emotional development.

The nurture, care, and comfort of young children and their guidance and support of positive image fall under emotional development. Cognitive development encompasses the coordination of the fine muscles in their hands, the large muscles in their body, their need to explore, discover and assimilate their findings, cause and effect, literacy, creative expression. Socially, their ability to find their place by sharing, taking turns, and problem solving has been a main focus of the pre-school program - the children learn their place in the group, the world, and within their relationships.

With research findings of this developmental stage of a child's life as the foundation of Little People's Workshop's program, a plan was set into action to encompass the natural development of the whole child. As children tend to spend the majority of their young life in an alternative care arrangement (other than their parents), the program was arranged to consider a full time working parents schedule and their need for childcare - not a piece of childcare but the "whole" childcare.

The weekly schedule combines child-initiated play time and teacher-initiated play time. The former allows the child to set their own goals and choice of experience. With teacher-initiated play time, the teacher wishes to share with the child a learning experience. The teacher-initiated learning often stems from the groups own interests i.e. "discoveries". Additionally, circle time, where all children come together with the teacher for sharing, offers children an opportunity to begin to understand interrelationships of working within a larger group dynamic. Both teacher-initiated and child-initiated times allow children to play (child's work) in many areas of discovery.

Water and Sand are important mediums for pre-mathematical concept discovery. Puppetry, dramatic play, flannel stories, listening centers, and circle time provide many opportunities for development of literacy. Art mediums, painting, play dough, collage, and construction offer the child opportunities to create and express themselves. Any or all of these play opportunities may happen within the inside or outside play areas. Physical activity, as well, is scheduled to ensure children exercise their bodies as well as their minds.

Through all of this, the children learn to trust their early learning and care provider and feel they are in a safe place necessary for continued healthy growth and development.

The Little People's Workshop program schedule for age 3 years or age 4 years is designed so that a child attending full time will not repeat the same experiences. Each morning is different from the afternoon and each day different than the next.

In our largre centres the threes use a different play area than the fours. In the smaller centres these two age groups are combined.

Children may attend in a part-time capacity by selecting mornings or afternoons from the schedule provided at the time of initial orientation.

Part-time 4 year old:	Mon, Wed, Fri am 9:00 - 12:00
	OR
	Mon, Wed, Fri pm 1:15 - 4:15
	OR
	Mon, Wed, Fri 8:00 - 4:30, 8:30 - 5:00




Part-time 3 year old:	Tue, Thurs am 9:00 - 12:00
	OR
	Tue, Thurs pm 1:15 - 4:15
	OR
	Tue, Thurs 8:00 - 4:30, 8:30 - 5:00

Full-time pre-school is available Monday to Friday at 45 hours per week. Arrival and departure times are specific to the preference of individual families.

Daily timetables, monthly calendars, theme outlines, menus, medical policies, and guidance techniques will be discussed at initial orientation visit.