Children in our toddler program, known as our Acorn class, may attend two, three, or five days per week. This is a full-day program, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There are eight children (daily) in the Acorn class, with one teacher and one assistant teacher. (Learn more about Maritza and Celeste on our Staff page.) Acorns range in age from approximately 22 months to 3.5 years.
We strive to make our youngest learners’ first school experience one in which they feel safe, loved, and cared for, all the while learning the routines and responsibilities of being a member of a classroom and school community. Acorns have frequent opportunities to interact with our older students, including during our weekly song circle.
Unlike students in our two early childhood classrooms, Acorns typically begin their day inside, working on fine motor skills and enjoying the classroom, before transitioning outdoors for close to two hours of daily outdoor play and project time. The Acorn Garden is a specially curated yard scaled for toddlers, complete with sandpit, tables and easels, plants and trees to tend, balance-boards, and a range of loose parts.
From toileting to feeding to playing with peers, we work with each child to support social, emotional, cognitive, sensory, and physical development. Our rhythmic, naturally paced days, surrounded by nature, beautiful materials, and attentive teachers, create a perfect environment for our youngest learners to thrive and grow.
At the end of each day, parents receive an email with a description of their child’s day along with photos documenting their adventures.
Acorns experience forest days weekly throughout the school year. Twice each month, they spend half a day exploring the woods at nearby Wolf Trap National Park. Caregivers need to transport children from Wolf Trap to school before lunch, or arrange for another Acorn caregiver to transport their child. On alternating weeks, Acorns have their forest day at Faraway Hill, a magical wooded area connected to the school’s property.