Child Care & Early Learning Centers in Indiana

Learning Center

Build Skill Sets

Our early learning centers and programs for toddlers and infants organize activities by what we call “learning centers,” areas pertaining to a specific skill set. Below is an overview of each learning center and how it translates into our curriculum.

Each of our early learning and child care centers in Indiana also offers extracurricular programming throughout the year. Extracurricular programming requires separate registration and is exclusive from our tuition costs. Check with your child care and early learning center to discover what is available for your child.

Learn more about our affordable Infant & Toddler Care, Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, Before & After School Care, and All Stars Day Camp programs. Are you looking for early learning programs for your kids? Learn more about our child care centers in Carmel, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Westfield.

History and Current Events

Children are provided experiences throughout each week to discuss and explore people/historical figures, the environment around them, and past and current events. Activities and group discussions focus on characteristics of people, how people affect the environment, and the community around us. Daily calendar activities will help children develop a sense of time (hours, days, weeks, months and years), as well as upcoming holidays and their relation to past events.

Gross Motor

Abacus has designated recreational areas to promote and encourage active lifestyles. All Abacus facilities have a large gym that each class uses two times per day. Teachers integrate structured games and activities during gym time, but there is always time set for free play.

In fair weather, children have the option of playing outside on our specially designed, age-appropriate playgrounds. Teachers also plan opportunities for exercise, dance and movement to rhymes, and music in the classroom.

Fine Motor

The Abacus team includes opportunities to practice fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination into art, language, math, science, discovery, and other areas of classroom learning each day. Children are encouraged to handle writing utensils, puzzles, scissors, peg boards, sorting objects, and other materials to increase small muscle strength and control.

Mathematics

Abacus believes that early instruction in basic, developmentally-appropriate math skills and concepts sets a strong foundation for a child’s growth. Our teachers plan opportunities for exploration with sorting objects, designing and following patterns, recognizing shapes, counting, number recognition, graphing, and simple arithmetic. We incorporate math concepts into specific activities and as a part of natural exploration with materials throughout the classroom.

Language Development

Children develop language through everyday experiences, word association, and conversations with adults and peers. Our teachers provide a print-rich environment with materials and activities to foster increased vocabulary, phonological awareness, knowledge of print, letters and words, comprehension, and enjoyment of books and literacy. Rhyme play, songs, finger plays, storytelling, read alouds, informal conversations, drawing and writing, and exposure to a variety of print and text are all used to stimulate language and literacy development.

Art and Creative Exploration

Abacus encourages children to use their unique creativity to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Teachers provide both structured and unstructured opportunities for children to explore and create with materials each day. Art and creative exploration experiences help children develop the following:

  • Independence
  • Persistence
  • Cooperative and listening skills
  • Writing skills
  • Small muscle control
  • Coordination
  • Spatial awareness
  • Pattern recognition
  • Cause-and-effect
  • Increased vocabulary
  • Understanding of symbols

Science and Discovery

We hope that children at Abacus foster a genuine appreciation for the world around them. We acknowledge our part in doing so by guiding children to explore physical science, life science, the earth, and our environment. Teachers aim to preserve children’s inquisitive nature by urging them to study and work with materials, try new things, ask questions, and seek answers. Science and discovery concepts include:

  • Exploration of objects and their physical properties
  • Exploration of living things and their life cycles and habitats
  • Making observations and predictions
  • Comparing and classifying objects
  • Measuring objects
  • Using descriptive vocabulary
  • Applying prior knowledge and experiences to new content

Dramatic Play

Imagination spurs knowledge and curiosity. At Abacus, children are encouraged to act on their imaginations to spark an understanding of sense-of-self.

Abacus has seen great results from integrating “dramatic play” into regular classroom time. Dramatic play involves role-play, the use of props, make-believe, peer and adult interaction, and verbal communication. Classrooms have costumes, a variety of pretend foods, empty food containers, dishes, kitchen equipment, multicultural dolls and doll clothes, housekeeping items, telephones, purses and wallets, writing materials, printed materials, puppets, and much more.

Dramatic play areas are changed periodically to reflect the children’s interests and the learning concepts for each consecutive week. We have found that dramatic play encourages the following:

  • Problem solving
  • Respect for materials
  • Cooperative play
  • Resiliency
  • Recognition and understanding of emotions
  • Small muscle control
  • Coordination
  • Writing skills
  • Math skills
  • Use of symbols
  • Vocabulary and literacy skills
  • Awareness of people and how they live

Music and Movement

Research shows that music sparks brain development. Abacus curriculum uses music as a learning tool as well as a form of self-expression. Staff will use songs to guide consistent transitions and routines. Children will listen to a music from a variety of genres and cultures. Music and movement encourages children to understand moods and develop brain-body coordination. A variety of percussion instruments are available in each classroom so that children can imitate music they enjoy and create their own melodies.

Have questions? Contact any one of our Abacus centers.

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