About Little Leloko

By the age of 36 months a toddler has accomplished a lot of physical development, e.g. they can run, climb, kick, throw, turn, carry things and pedal. They enjoy being physically active and exploring their world with these newly developed skills.  In the latter part of this phase, they also start developing bladder and bowel control. 

Through their exploration, they develop a distinct sense of self and, although, they get frustrated, they enjoy doing things independently. They continue developing their communication skills and enjoy spending time with their friends. In this phase toddlers also start developing a sense of numbers. A toddler’s ability to pay attention also starts improving and increasing during this time.

During this phase our staff spends a great deal of time on gross motor

development through physical activities such as running, jumping, dancing,

climbing, crawling, playing ball etc. Their sensory, auditory and fine motor

skills are developed through activities such as messy play, playing with

playdough, peg activities, exposing them to different textures, singing action

songs, reciting nursery rhymes, listening to stories etc. Learning through play is of utmost importance and our little ones are given ample free play time.  Patient and compassionate focus is also given to toilet training during this

time of our toddlers’ development.

 A 3-4 year old is moving out of babyhood and into childhood and starts developing a greater sense of being okay about spending time away from their parents. They have a wonderful imagination and enjoy playing and being physically active. However, they may also be scared of things and hesitate to try new things. They start to understand that their body, mind and emotions are their own and know the difference between feeling happy, sad, afraid or angry. During this phase 3-4 year olds become more imaginative during play and curious about their bodies. At this age, children learn lots of new words, are fascinated by the world around them and ask many questions.

 Our 3-4 year old learners spend a lot of time playing: messy play, pretend play, outdoor play, creative and artistic play etc. We also focus on reading, singing, storytelling, reciting nursery rhymes and encouraging our learners to talk, think and imagine. Through our structured learning activities our learners continuously develop their social and cognitive skills. 

The amount of development taking place during this age is endless. They become more independent and self-confident, they are more creative and imaginative, they develop an interest in numbers, they are content to play with their toys for longer periods of time and eager to try new things.  When they get frustrated, they are also better able to express their emotions. 4- to 5-Year-olds can dress themselves and can independently go to the toilet and brush their teeth.  New gross motor skills develop, such as skipping, jumping backwards or jumping while running. Their fine motor skills also improve, e.g. cutting with child safe scissors, using a fork, spoon and sometimes a knife, etc. 

Our 4- to 5-year-old learners are guided to learn through different forms of play,

such as imaginative, creative and musical play. We read and tell stories, sing

songs, recite rhymes, build puzzles, extend vocabulary through themed

activities, paint and build structures and have fun with obstacle courses, etc. We continue focusing on sensory development and stimulation by playing

sorting games, through messy play and exposing our children to different

textures. Games are played to learn how to share and take turns. Through our variety of activities our little ones are continuously developing their concentration skills and abilities.

A neurodiverse child has experienced a differentiation in their neurological development and brain function than what is considered typical. There are various neurodiverse conditions where children have unique strengths and challenges that range within communication, social interaction, sensory processing, and learning. Recognising neurodiverse children means creating supportive and accommodating environments that embrace a neurodiverse child's full potential. 

Our neurodiverse classes encourage positive interactions, foster a sense of belonging, and accommodate flexible learning spaces. Our little ones are given the same learning opportunities, but we aim to engage in ways that are neurodiverse supportive. This means that we promote differentiated instruction, clear and consistent communication, autonomy, offer academic support, address sensory sensitivities, and encourage socio-emotional learning. We also aim to educate our staff about neurodiversity, to keep our families involved, and to celebrate the strengths and individual achievements of our little ones.