Classrooms

BEL Childcare recognises that the early childhood years are the most important time in the life of a family and the most influential time for children as they start on the road to learning. Children of this age are naturally curious and interested in the world around them. This magical time of extraordinary cognitive, emotional and physical growth, combined with an excellent early childhood program, sets the foundation for later learning and social relationships.”

Wobbler Room

12+ months 

In the Wobbler Room, children gain their first experience of crèche life and meet new friends with whom they will travel through BEL Childcare over the years.  Free play and exploration of the toys and learning environment is encouraged throughout the day in a colourful and inviting classroom.  The teachers in this room conduct a daily group time during which children learn songs, listen to stories and learn new vocabulary. Gross motor development is encouraged through exercises suited to each child’s age and developmental stage, such as sitting, rolling, crawling, standing and walking. The children also enjoy a lot of art and sensory exploration with various materials such as water, foam, jelly, lentils, rice and more. Mealtimes are social in this room, as children transition from sitting in highchairs to learning to sit at the table together.  Most importantly, our teachers provide a loving and nurturing environment as most children are away from mum or dad for the first time.

Jr. Toddler Room

18+ months approx. 

In the Jr. Toddler Room, our teachers focus on helping each child gain more independence. Communication is key in this room, as children are beginning to express themselves more clearly.  Teachers encourage each child’s language development by asking questions, engaging in conversations, reading stories and facilitating free play experiences.  Group time is held daily and gives the children a chance to actively participate in their classroom community through songs, simple conversations and whole body movement games and activities.  Emotional development is important in this room and teachers carefully work to help children recognise and label their feelings so that they can communicate and express themselves more effectively.  Children further develop their fine motor skills through the use of items like basic jigsaws, building materials and peg boards.  Creative expression and sensory exploration is encouraged as children have regular access to paints, crayons, playdough, water etc.

Sr. Toddler Room

2+ years

In the Sr. Toddler Room, the children prepare for pre-school through the use of increasingly challenging activities and discussions.  Children in this room continue to benefit greatly from free play and generally begin to engage in more imaginary play, such as playing house, becoming doctors, chefs, etc.  This type of play helps the children to better understand the relationships they see in the world around them, as well as the relationships they have with their family members and peers.  Fine motor activities become more precise in this room as we introduce the use of scissors, glue sticks, coloured pencils and tweezers. Group time gives the children daily opportunities to learn about exciting themes and topics that interest them, practice early maths and literacy skills and speak confidently with their peers and have their voice heard.  The development of personal care skills is also encouraged as children embark on the process of potty training with help from our experienced teachers.

Pre-School Rooms

2 year 8 months to 5½ years approx.

We have four separate Pre-school classrooms in which we deliver the ECCE scheme during the primary school term – 38wks of the year, for 3 hours per day.  We also offer full day care for pre-school children year-round.  Our pre-school teachers implement an emergent play-based curriculum that incorporates Aistear, Siolta and the building blocks for skills needed to start Primary school.  In all rooms, children are encouraged to explore their surroundings, ask questions, experiment with materials and engage in free play.  The children learn primarily through play, and have the opportunity to engage in games, songs, discussions, stories, technology, arts and crafts, nature exploration, sensory activities and science experiments.  They lay the foundation for early maths and literacy skills through the use of activities that involve measuring, comparing and counting, listening to stories and discussing themes.

BEL Childcare in a Nutshell!