Early Years Sparkle Curriculum

Social and Emotional Development

2 – 6 months old

• For our youngest infants, aged 2 to 5 months, our focus is on providing a soothing and stimulating environment. Infants will experience gentle sensory activities such as exploring different textures with their hands and feet, listening to calming music, and enjoying the comforting embrace of our educators during cuddle times. These activities promote sensory development, encourage bonding between educators and infants, and lay the foundation for future exploration.

6 – 12 months

• As infants grow and reach the 6 to 12-month-old stage, our activities evolve to cater to their emerging abilities and interests. They will engage in activities that encourage gross motor development, such as tummy time sessions and guided movements to help strengthen their muscles. Sensory experiences continue to play a crucial role, with opportunities for infants to explore a variety of materials and objects through touch, sight and sound. Interactive play with simple toys and age-appropriate books further stimulates cognitive development and fosters a love for learning.

12 – 18 months old

• By the time infants reach 12 to 18 months old, they are eager explorers ready to engage with the world around them. Our activities focus on encouraging independence and supporting language development. Infants will have the opportunity to engage in exploratory play with safe and stimulating toys, participate in simple art activities to encourage creativity and engage in interactive storytelling sessions to promote language skills. Outdoor playtime is also incorporated into the daily routine, allowing infants to experience nature and develop gross motor skills in a supervised and safe environment.

Early Language Development

2 – 9 months

• Educarers read to babies familiar stories, and sing songs. They also use tactile books, to improve reading.
• Scribbling, finger painting, tracing on sand, painting with brush, to build writing foundation.
• Responding to babies when they coo and gurgle, to improve communication.

10 – 17 months

• Reading, finger play, songs, rhymes, chants, looking at environment signs and what they mean. Older babies can choose the books they want to read.
• Scribbling, painting, using tools such as tongs and spoons to transfer small objects, encourage babies to talk about what they are feeling, what they see/hear, repeating words after them and sharing their ideas.

Physical Development

2 – 9 months

• Educarers encourage babies to explore the space around them by putting interesting things for example, tunnels, soft jumbo blocks, mats with colourful toys. Babies are offered colourful toys and objects to grasp, hold, pull, tug, push and let go.

10 – 17 months

• Babies do repeated movements like for example, pull up and sit down, bend and straighten, squat to pick something up from the floor, push a stroller or basket, crawl up and down.
• Draw or paint with crayons, stamping, printing with objects.
• Play with toys that allow babies to snap them together and pull apart, stick and remove, stack and use simple tools such as hammer and pegs.
• Promote self-help by providing small cuts of food to allow babies to self-feed. Allowing them time to explore their food during mealtimes.

Aesthetics and Creative Expression

2 – 9 months

• Explore a variety of sensory materials- dough, goop, finger paint, crinkly paper, sponge, felt, water and ice.
• Look at and talk about pictures with different lines, patterns, colours, and textures.
• Listen, dance, move and sing to a variety of music. Educarers will carry babies and move with them to music.
• Use musical instruments to move along with music.
• Use puppets, soft toys to act out songs, rhymes and stories.

10 – 17 months

• Scribbling, drawing, painting using brushes, finger painting, throwing and spraying paint, collages, printing, and clay modelling.
• Babies move and dance to music in different ways- march, clap, stomp, gallop, jump and sway.
• Use props such as scarves, balloons, and shakers to twirl and shake.
• Play dress up as adults and other familiar adults.

Early Numeracy and Natural Environment

2 – 9 months

• Recognise shapes, colours, and sizes around them by looking at the objects when educarer points them out. Explore sizes of objects by putting them in different containers and trying to pull them out.
• Counting along when singing songs with numbers.
• Explore toys that allow them to experiment with cause and effect, for example, knobs that twist, levers to slide open a door.
• Observe and explore using all senses, such as rubbing hands over a crinkly book, feeling the wind on the face, splashing water, using a cloth to rub on the cheeks, staring hard at an object, noticing changes in weather.

10 – 17 months

• Point to familiar shapes and colours in a book or in the environment.
• Sort and groups objects into small groups, for example, cars with cars, balls with balls.
• Read stories on numbers and sing number rhymes, such as, “1,2,3,4,5, once I caught a fish alive”.
• Count toes and fingers.
• Count toys as they are putting them away.
• During outdoors, compare shapes and sizes of leaves, buildings and animals.
• Cookery activities to pour, fill, stir, scoop and mix.
• Learn to measure, count and estimate.
• Use a telescope made out of a cardboard roll to look around the classroom and outdoors.
• Show excitement when looking at books with real pictures of animals.
• Explore materials of different textures such as smooth, bumpy, rough, sticky, cold, wet and hard.

Social and Emotional Development

18 months – 2 years old

• At this tender age, our focus is on nurturing your child’s sense of identity and emotional well-being. Through interactive activities, children learn about themselves – their names, likes, dislikes and preferences. Creating family books fosters a sense of uniqueness, while group play promotes social interaction and empathy. Educators encourage emotional expression through stories and songs, laying the groundwork for healthy emotional development.

Early Language Development

18 months – 2 years old

• We engage toddlers in immersive language experiences to enhance their communication skills. From storytelling to picture talks, children learn to respond to gestures, follow instructions and express themselves verbally. Encouraging early reading habits, such as choosing books and sharing stories, sparks their interest in language and literacy. Through daily interactions and activities, toddlers begin to express their thoughts and feelings while laying the foundation for future writing skills.

Physical Development

18 months – 2 years old

• Our program promotes both gross and fine motor skill development through a variety of movement activities. From running and jumping to threading beads and pouring, toddlers engage in activities that strengthen their muscles and hand-eye coordination. Through simple cookery and sensory experiences, they learn about handling objects safely and develop an appreciation for the world around them.

Aesthetics and Creative Expression

18 months – 2 years old

• Toddlers explore their creativity through various artistic mediums, including painting, collage-making and music. Dancing and playing with musical instruments foster a love for rhythm and movement, while socio-dramatic play encourages imaginative storytelling and role-playing. Through these activities, children develop self-expression and socio-dramatic awareness, laying the foundation for future creative endeavours.

Early Numeracy and Natural Environment

18 months – 2 years old

• Incorporating numeracy skills into everyday experiences, toddlers engage in activities such as matching, sorting and counting. Storytelling, songs and finger plays introduce concepts of numerals, shapes and sizes in a fun and interactive way. Additionally, children explore the natural environment through sensory experiments, caring for living things, and using simple tools to observe and explore their surroundings.

Social and Emotional Development

3 years old

• At this stage of development, our focus is on nurturing your child’s social and emotional growth, laying the foundation for healthy relationships and self-expression. Through interactive activities, children learn to describe themselves, express their feelings, and interact with others in a positive and empathetic manner. Group games promote social skills such as turn-taking and problem-solving, while activities like interviews and show & tell encourage interactions with adults and peers.

Early Language Development

3 years old

• We immerse children in language-rich environments to enhance their communication skills. Storytelling, conversations and picture talks stimulate language development and encourage children to respond to gestures and facial expressions. Through reading, storytelling and imaginative play, children expand their vocabulary, develop early reading abilities, and lay the groundwork for future literacy skills.

Physical Development

3 years old

• Our program promotes both gross and fine motor skill development through a variety of movement activities. From dancing and obstacle courses to threading beads and pouring, children engage in activities that strengthen their muscles and hand-eye coordination. Additionally, simple cookery activities promote awareness of health and nutrition while developing fine motor skills.

Aesthetics and Creative Expression

3 years old

• Children explore their creativity through various artistic mediums, including painting, collage-making and music. Dancing and playing with musical instruments foster a love for rhythm and movement, while socio-dramatic play encourages imaginative storytelling and role-playing. Through these activities, children develop self-expression and socio-dramatic awareness, laying the foundation for future creative endeavours.

Early Numeracy and Natural Environment

3 years old

• Numeracy skills are integrated into everyday experiences, with activities such as matching, sorting, and counting. Storytelling, songs and finger plays introduce concepts of numerals, shapes, and sizes in a fun and interactive way. Additionally, children explore the natural environment through sensory experiments, caring for living things, and using simple tools to observe and explore their surroundings.