Program Options

The Gan Yeladim philosophy is rooted in being both child-centered

and family-centered, as reﬂected in our ﬂexible program options.

Designed to satisfy the needs of all of our families, these options are

reﬂective of the children's needs for consistency and age-appropriate

time in school. Gan Yeladim enrolls children ranging in age from 15

months through 5 years.

Toddler Program

The toddler years are a time when children challenge their own independence. They learn to dress themselves, use the bathroom, feed themselves, get along with others, and play independently. With the knowledge that children learn all the time and not just when adults are ready to teach them, caregivers work toward developing a physical environment that enables teachers to use every interaction they have with toddlers as a learning situation. Our program is designed to provide toddlers with the opportunity to be as independent as possible, to develop their language, to practice small and large motor developmental skills, and to sample a wide variety of experiences and materials.

While we accept toddlers as young as 15 months, we do prioritize readiness over age, as we want the classroom experience to be positive for everyone involved. Children develop at different rates, and if a child is not quite ready at 15 months, we may ask families to delay starting for a month or two. Some of the markers we look for to assess a child's readiness for care at our facility include:

Independent walking, including the ability to step up a low step
Interest in exploring new environments
Ability to separate from parents for short periods of time

Toddlers (15 month- 3 years) attend Gan Yeladim 2-5 days per week.

Toddler Teacher-Student Ratio: 15 Months – 3 Years: 1:5

Preschool Program

Preschool children are eager to explore as they touch, taste, smell, hear, and test things for themselves. Preschoolers learn from their play as they build upon previous knowledge, enhance their language skills, and increase their social development through interacting with peers and teachers. The preschool program provides learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate for this age group through our different planned activities and interest centers. Examples of these centers include the block center, dramatic play area, manipulative center, art center, quiet area, book corner, sensory play spaces, gross motor area and the outdoor learning environment. Activities are designed to encourage and facilitate social interactions and individual skill development.

Pre-School (ages 3 - 5 years) attend Gan 2-5 days per week

Preschool Teacher-Student Ratio: 3 years – 5 Years: 1:8

Children may attend Gan Yeladim any time from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Our preferred drop off window is between 7:30 and 9:30 AM. Children may not be dropped off between 11 AM and 3 PM.